Architects for the Birds

Designed by visionary architects, this collection of one-of-a-kind birdhouses explores our relationship with the natural world, all for a good cause.

Envisioned by Pritzker Prize-winning British architect Norman Foster and Irish philanthropist and art collector Marie Donnelly, Architects for the Birds is a special exhibition that brings together some of the world’s leading visionaries to support a good cause. The collection comprises one-of-a-kind, modern birdhouses, bird feeders and bird baths designed by leading architects. The designs were auctioned at Christie’s, with 100% of the proceeds going to the Tessa Jowell Foundation, a brain tumor charity that works to fund research and improve patient care within the UK’s publicly funded National Health Service. Following an open brief, the world-renowned architects offered their own take on the concept of care while exploring our relationship with nature.

Norman Foster, For the Birds, 2025. Dark green bird feeder and bird bath composed of spun aluminium cones. Photo by Michael Bodiam. Courtesy of Christie’s London.

Apart from Norman Foster, the other participating architects included David Chipperfield, Renzo Piano, Frida Escobedo, Sou Fujimoto, Grafton, Lina Ghotmeh, Jacques Herzog, Farshid Moussavi, and Kazuyo Sejima. The designs ranged from ultra-minimalist to complex, but every single one is a work of art.

For example, Sou Fujimoto’s birdhouse reminds of a tree with winding branches, each one housing multiple shelters. Distinctly modern and bold, Renzo Piano’s multifunctional design looks like a stylish pendant light, but serves as a bird feeder and shelter. Spun from dark green aluminum, Norman Foster’s bird feeder holds a variety of seeds and bird food to improve biodiversity in a garden. Other designs included an intricate structure which Frida Escobedo designed with biodegradable trays and an angular structure designed by David Chipperfield as an ode to the simple elegance of traditional Japanese roofs.

The Architects for the Birds exhibition was open to the public during Frieze London 2025, from 8 to 14 October 2025, with all of the birdhouses auctioned off on the last day of the show. Photography by Michael Bodiam.

Grafton Architects, Untitled (Bird Feeder), 2025. Timber and metal bird feeder created for Architects for the Birds, a charity auction at Christie’s London benefiting the Tessa Jowell Foundation. Courtesy of Christie’s London.

Kazuyo Sejima, Tori no Ie, 2025. Polished metal bird bath designed for Architects for the Birds, a charity auction at Christie’s London benefiting the Tessa Jowell Foundation. Courtesy of Christie’s London.

Jacques Herzog, Untitled (Bird Feeder), 2025. Metal bird feeder designed for Architects for the Birds, a charity auction at Christie’s London during Frieze Week 2025. Courtesy of Christie’s London and Herzog & de Meuron.

Renzo Piano, Lantern Feeder, 2025. Lantern-like bird feeder designed for Architects for the Birds, a charity auction at Christie’s London benefiting the Tessa Jowell Foundation. Courtesy of Christie’s London and Renzo Piano Building Workshop.

Norman Foster, Birdfeeder, 2025. Prototype created for Architects for the Birds, a charity auction at Christie’s London benefiting the Tessa Jowell Foundation. Photo by Michael Bodiam. Courtesy of Christie’s London.

Norman Foster, For the Birds, 2025. Original drawing for the birdhouse design created for Architects for the Birds, a charity auction at Christie’s London benefiting the Tessa Jowell Foundation. Courtesy of Christie’s London.

Frida Escobedo, Bird Station, 2025. Timber bird structure created for Architects for the Birds, a charity auction at Christie’s London benefiting the Tessa Jowell Foundation. Courtesy of Christie’s London.