Tony Fretton

Tony Fretton (1945) graduated from the Architectural Association (AA) in London, after which he worked for a number of practices; including Arup, Neyland & Ungless, and Chapman Taylor, before establishing Tony Fretton Architects in 1982. The practice’s work ranges from embassies, government and commercial offices, residential, and buildings for art and culture.

His first major project was the Lisson Gallery (London) in 1990. He is known for designing "location sensitive art spaces" using a combination of vernacular and minimalist approaches, balancing new and age-old designs.

Fretton is deeply committed to architectural education and has experience teaching worldwide, including at the Architectural Association (AA) and Harvard University. From 1999 to 2015 he held the post of Professor within the Chair of Architecture and Interiors at TU Delft, the Netherlands.

Education

• AA Diploma Architectural Association School of Architecture

Companies

• Unit Master diploma unit 2 Cass Architecture (2013)
• Emeritus Professor Chair of Architectural Design & Interiors TU Delft Faculty of Architecture (2013)
• Professor University of East London (2013)
• Principal Tony Fretton Architects Ltd London (1982)
• Visiting Professor TU Vienna (2013 — 2013)
• Visiting Professor Eth Zurich (2010 — 2012)
• Visiting Professor Harvard Graduate School of Design (2004 — 2005)

Awards

• Nomination for 'International Urban Project Award' - Westkaai, Residential Towers, Antwerp, 2019
• Westkaai Towers, Wienerberger Grand Prize 2018
• Westkaai Towers, FRITZ HOGER AWARD 2017
• Tower Wharf Cafe, 2013, Green Apple Award
• Brick Awards 2013, Molenplein, World Brick Award Finalist
• Amsterdam Architectural Prize 2012 Shortlisted, andreas Ensemble Phase 2; Solid 11
• Brick Awards 2012, Shortlisted, Solid 11, Amsterdam
• RIBA EU Award 2012, Solid 11, Amsterdam
• RIBA EU Award 2011, De Prinsendam, Overhoeks, Amsterdam
• Detail Prize 2011, British Embassy Warsaw, Special Prize Glass category
• Foreningen til Hovedstadens Amsterdam Architectural Prize 2011, Shortlisted, Andreas Ensemble Phase 1; De Prinsendam
• Forskønnelse (The association for the Capital’s Beautification) 2010 Tietgens Ærgrelse, Diploma
• Pris for God Arkitektur 2010, Fuglsang Kunstmuseum
• RIBA EU Award 2010, British Embassy Warsaw
• Stirling Prize Building of the Year Award 2009, Fuglsang Kunstmuseum, shortlisted
• Brick Awards 2009, Fuglsang Kunstmuseum, World Brick Award

• Brick Awards, Vassall Road Housing shortlisted in Private Housing Development category
• Galvanizers Association Awards 2009, Duplex Award Winner, Vassall Road Housing
• RIBA European Award 2009, Fuglsang Kunstmuseum
• World Architecture Festival Awards 2008, Highly Commended, Fuglsang Kunstmuseum (Culture)
• Chicago Athenaeum International Architecture Award 2006, The Red House
• Camden Design Awards 2004, Commendation, Camden Arts Centre
• Civic Trust Awards 2004 Mention Longside Gallery, Yorkshire Sculpture Park
• ACE/ RIBA Awards for Religious Architecture 2003, Faith House, Holton Lee, Poole
• The Guardian Best British Building of the Year Award 2003, Faith House, Holton Lee, Poole
• The European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture Mies Van de rohe award 2003, The Red House

Publications

Catalogued Exhibitions on the Work of the Practice

• 2009 Mind into Matter: Eight exemplary buildings 1834–2009 De La Warr Pavilion
• 2009 OPEN:Poland architecture and Identity, RIBA London
• 2009 From Berlage to Koolhaas, a Hundred Years of Dutch Architecture, CAFA Art Museum, Beijing, China
• 2008 Home And Away, Venice Biennale, 5 British architects build housing in Europe
• 2005 Entrez Lentement edited by Lorenzo Gaetani, Catalogue of the exhibition Entrez Lentement, Salone Internazionale del Mobile, Milan, Editoriale Lotus
• 2004 Metropolis 5th Sao Paulo Biennial of Architecture & Design, Institute de Arquitetos do Brasil
• 2003 European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture, Mies van der Rohe Award, Fundacio Mies van der Rohe
• 2001 Tony Fretton Architects, retrospective 1986–2001
• 2001 Royal Institute of British Architects, London
• 2000 Outside in: London Architecture
• 2000 Catalogue of an exhibition at arG/GE Kunst Bolzano, Italy
• 2000 Essay by Peter Allison, Verlag Anton Pustet (Salzburg Austria)

Monographs, exhibition catalogues and articles

• 2020 AMAG No. 20 Tony Fretton Architects
• 2019 Designs of Our Time, Design Museum Publishing
• 2019 Financial Times
• 2014 Tony Fretton Architects, Birkhauser
• 2010 Tony Fretton Architects, Quart Verlag
• 2010 Progetti per l'arte Tony Fretton Architects, LIBRIA
• 2008 2G Monograph, Editorial Gustavo Gili
• 2008 The Collections of Contemporary Architectures,
• Rihan International Cultural Co. Ltd.
• 2008 Architectural Highlights Shanglin Edition
• 2007 ORT. Ort means place, site, location and more, dokumente zur architektur 19/20
• 2006 ‘Designing The Warsaw Embassy - Tony Fretton Architects’ Navado Press Trieste
• 2001 Tony Fretton Architects: Abstraction and Familiarity, A&T of Spain
• 1995 Tony Fretton: Editorial Gustavo Gili SA