The Power of the Pen: Narinder Sagoo MBE on the Transformative Potential of Drawing

The Solus Clerkenwell showroom was abuzz with creative energy during Clerkenwell Design Week as Narinder Sagoo MBE, Senior Partner and Art Director at Foster + Partners, took to the stage to deliver his talk, ”The Power of the Pen”.   

A renowned architect and artist, Sagoo captivated the audience with his profound and personal journey through the world of drawing, illustrating how this simple act has shaped his life and career.  

In a wonderfully creative flourish, the talk was punctuated by the giving out of pens and pencils which held particular importance for Narinder. These were accompanied by a slide showing a hand drawn QR code which linked to a playlist matching the mood and tempo of the pen in question. Guests were given sketchbooks at the start of the talk and were encouraged to draw during and after the event.  

From an early age, Narinder found solace and escape in drawing, using it to navigate childhood difficulties and explore his imagination. He recalled lying in the park, finding shapes and faces in the clouds, a technique he still employs today to find beauty in the random. His grandmother was an early supporter, telling him to “draw more.” The continuity of his sketching practice has helped him reflect upon his life and more deeply understand his experiences. 

Narinder’s passion for drawing led him to pursue architecture, a profession where he could blend his love for drawing, design, and creation. He shared anecdotes from his student days, including a memorable incident in Rome where his refusal to remove his turban led to a missed opportunity but resulted in a sketch that later secured him a job at Foster + Partners. 

Throughout his 28-year tenure at Foster + Partners, Narinder has honed his drawing and storytelling skills under the mentorship of Norman Foster himself and other celebrated draftsmen, Birkin Howard and Helmut Jacoby. While working on 30 St Mary Axe, aka ‘the Gherkin’, he was struck by Norman Foster’s ability to draw quickly during meetings with clients to capture conversations and explore ideas. This process of making the imagined real and changing people’s lives still fascinates him. 

He emphasised the importance of creating an environment that fosters learning and encourages the incubation and growth of talent. Sagoo’s own team has flourished under this philosophy, expanding to nearly 40 individuals who contribute their diverse skills to the practice’s storytelling through various media, both digital and analogue. 

Narinder spoke about his collaboration with Apple on an app called Procreate. A versatile digital art app, it offers a range of tools including Narinder’s personalised pencil. The app allows collaboration and is compatible with the Apple Pencil. He is currently working on Procreate Dreams which can create musically scored animations. 

Narinder highlighted the power of drawing as a tool for leadership and communication. He believes that sketching can engage people’s imaginations and inspire them to contribute their own ideas, leading to outcomes far exceeding his initial vision. He showed us examples of collaborative projects where his sketches served as a springboard for his team’s creativity, resulting in breathtaking visualisations and animations. 

Beyond its professional applications, Narinder underscored the therapeutic and connective power of drawing. He shared his experiences using drawing as a universal language during a recent trip to Nepal with the charity LP4Y (Life Projects for Youth), which Solus was lucky enough to sponsor. Through workshops and dream diaries, Sagoo witnessed the transformative impact of drawing on young women from excluded backgrounds, empowering them to communicate, visualise their dreams, and change their lives. 

Narinder’s talk was a testament to the enduring power of the pen. From childhood escape to professional success and social impact, drawing has been a consistent line running through his life. His message resonated deeply with the audience, reminding them, of the profound ways in which drawing can shape lives, connect and inspire us.