Sir Nicholas Grimshaw

"One of the good things about doing decent public design in a prominent place is that people look at it and say: Why can’t we have that everywhere?”

Sir Nicholas Grimshaw’s design dignifies anyone caught in the anonymous whoosh of urban travel. The British architect’s designs for train hubs, airports, and bus shelters—–with their generous apertures and lightweight materials—–refresh public life where iPods and chain stores dull it. One recent Friday afternoon, Sir Nicholas talked to us from London about making transit stations soothing, greening cities in unlikely quarters, and respecting the impact of a graceful garbage can.