好色先生TV

Foster + Partners, one of the UK鈥檚 best-known architects, has sunk 拢16m into the red after a year described by chairman Lord Foster as 鈥渙ne of the most challenging since the inception of the practice鈥�.

But the veteran architect put a brave face on the results, saying that a 8% rise in turnover was evidence of the practice鈥檚 鈥渟econd best year results鈥�.

According to the company鈥檚 results for the year to 30 April 2009, it made a pre-tax loss of 拢16.1m, down from a loss of 拢8.6m in the last financial year. After tax, the loss increased to 拢18m.

The magnitude of the loss is due to exceptional restructuring costs of 拢4.7m, which came after the practice was forced to downsize by about 400 employees in February.

The firm was further pushed into the red by 拢40m interest payable on the company鈥檚 net debt of 拢304.1m. Before these charges, the company turned an operating profit of 拢29.5m.

Turnover at Foster + Partner rose to 拢153.8m during the financial year, up from 拢142.4m in the year to 30 April 2008, indicating that business is still strong despite the downturn.

Work in the UK now amounts to only 10% of the practice鈥檚 turnover, according to the results, with almost a third of its overall revenue (拢47m) coming from its work in the Middle East.

Russia, in which the practice is known to have suffered during the downturn, is not included in the results as a geographical segment but Foster鈥檚 business in continental Europe overall dropped from 拢45.6m to 拢32m in the last financial year.

In his chairman鈥檚 statement, Foster said: 鈥淚 am pleased to say that the practice has reacted beyond expectation to the challenges posed by the severe downturn鈥� in terms of creativity and the pursuit of design excellence, it could also be considered to be one of our best years.鈥�

The firm鈥檚 highest paid director, assumed to be Foster himself, was paid 拢1.7m, a 41% pay-rise from last year鈥檚 wage of 拢1.2m.