Coinciding with Frieze Week in London, the exhibition will showcase a collection of ten birdhouses by world-leading architects
Photography by Michael Bodiam, courtesy of Lord Foster, Drawing of ‘For the birds’ for Architects for the Birds, 2025
Architects for the Birds is a new initiative presented by Christie’s and conceived by Lord Foster of Thames Bank O.M. and Marie Donnelly, in support of the Tessa Jowell Foundation. The project brings together ten world-renowned architects, each tasked with designing a birdhouse for this charitable cause.
Raising vital funds to improve treatment for brain cancer – the leading cause of death among children and adults under 40 – each birdhouse will be auctioned at a private dinner at Christie’s. Proceeds will support the Tessa Jowell Foundation’s work to enhance brain cancer care across the NHS.
The project began with an invitation from Lord Foster to nine of the world’s leading architects – Renzo Piano, David Chipperfield, Grafton Architects, Sou Fujimoto, Lina Ghotmeh, Jacques Herzog, Frida Escobedo, Farshid Moussavi and Kazuyo Sejima – to respond to a smaller-scale, more reflective design brief: interpreting the themes of sanctuary, care and hope through the design of a birdhouse.
Photography by Michael Bodiam, courtesy of Lord Foster, For the birds, 2025. Prototype
In response to an open brief, each architect has created a one-of-a-kind birdhouse, resulting in a collection of ten globally unique works. Coinciding with Frieze, the exhibition will be open to the public at Christie’s King Street from 8 to 14 October 2025.
‘We’re honoured to host Architects for the Birds at Christie’s,’ says Giovanna Bertazzoni, Chairman Europe, Christie’s. ‘Each piece offers a unique and moving interpretation of what it means to create care through architecture.’
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