Future Systems was founded in 1979 by Jan Kaplicky while working at Foster Associates. In 1989 Amanda Levete joined the practice as a partner. She arrived from Richard Rogers & Partners. In 1999 they won the Stirling Prize for Lord's Cricket Ground media centre. They received critical acclaim for the the Selfridges building in Birmingham, a prime example of the early 21st century movement referred to as "blobitecture".

In 2008 the practice was split split into two practices between Kaplicky and Levete when they officially separated as business partners. Jan Kaplicky died in Prague on January 14, 2009.