Will Alsop facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Will Alsop
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Alsop in his Battersea office at All Design
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William Allen Alsop
12 December 1947 Northampton, Northamptonshire, England, UK
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| Died | 12 May 2018 (aged 70) |
| Alma mater | Architectural Association School of Architecture |
| Occupation | Architect |
| Awards | Stirling Prize (2000); RIBA Worldwide Award (2004); Civic Trust Award (2003, 2006); RIBA Regional Award (London) (2006) |
| Practice | Alsop and Störmer; aLL Design |
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| Projects | Yonkers Power Plant project; Clarke Quay Redevelopment project |
William Allen Alsop OBE RA (born December 12, 1947 – died May 12, 2018) was a British architect. He was also a Professor of Architecture at the University for the Creative Arts's Canterbury School of Architecture.
He designed many unique and sometimes unusual modern buildings. These buildings often stood out because they used bright colors and had interesting, new shapes. In 2000, Alsop won the Stirling Prize for the Peckham Library in London. This is the most important award for architecture in the United Kingdom.
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About Will Alsop
Will Alsop always wanted to be an architect. Even when he was six years old, he designed a house for his mom. He wanted it to be built in New Zealand! When he was 16, his dad passed away. He left school because he found it boring and started working for an architect. He finished his school studies in evening classes.
He learned a lot about drawing from his tutor, Henry Bird, at Northampton Art School.
Alsop then studied at the Architectural Association School of Architecture. When he was 23, he entered a big competition to design the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris. He came in second place! The winners were Richard Rogers and Renzo Piano. He later worked for other famous architects like Cedric Price.
How His Career Started
In 1981, Alsop started his own company, Alsop & Lyall, with his friend John Lyall. Later, Jan Störmer joined, and the company became Alsop & Störmer in 1991.
Alsop's first big project was a swimming pool in Sheringham in 1984. After that, he worked on a visitor center for Cardiff Bay. He also designed buildings in Germany, like the Hamburg Ferry Terminal.
In 1992, Alsop won a competition to design the Hôtel du département des Bouches-du-Rhône in Marseille, France. This building is now a famous landmark. It's even called Le Grand Bleu (The Big Blue) because it's covered in a special bright blue glass. Alsop worked with artist Brian Clarke on the building's look.
In 2000, Alsop and Störmer split into two separate companies. Alsop renamed his company Alsop Architects.
Alsop wasn't always great with money, and his company had some tough times. For example, plans for a building called the "Cloud Building" in Liverpool were canceled in 2004.
In 2006, Alsop sold his company to focus more on designing buildings. He later joined other design firms. His last company was called All Design, with offices in London and Chongqing, China.
Alsop also taught sculpture at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London. He held many other teaching jobs at universities around the world. He was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) and became a member of the Royal Academy of Arts.
What Made His Buildings Special?
Alsop's favorite architects included Le Corbusier and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. His modern buildings were known for their bright colors and unusual shapes. Before starting a new project, Alsop would paint. He felt this helped him think freely and come up with fresh ideas.
He believed that painting, working closely with clients, and involving the local community were all important parts of designing cities and buildings.
In 2004, Alsop wrote a book called Supercity. It talked about his idea for a "Supercity" – a huge city that would stretch along the M62 highway from Liverpool to Hull. He imagined how cities could connect more and how city and country areas could blend together. The book also showed ideas for buildings and communities in this future city.
Alsop was very well-known in the world of architecture. He was seen as one of the top British architects. Even though he designed many buildings, only about 10% of his designs were actually built. But this didn't bother him. He enjoyed the process of designing, even without a specific project in mind. He once said, "It's like tennis – you have to keep doing it all the time, whether you have a client or not."
Major Architectural Projects
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Cardiff Bay Visitor Centre |
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Hamburg Ferry Terminal |
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Hôtel du département des Bouches-du-Rhône (Le Grand Bleu) |
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North Greenwich tube station |
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Peckham Library |
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Muzinq Almere (nox), Doorworld and MediaMarkt |
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Sharp Centre for Design, Ontario College of Art & Design |
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Fawood Children's Centre |
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Ben Pimlott Building, Goldsmiths, University of London |
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Blizard Building, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry |
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Alsop Toronto Sales Centre |
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Palestra, 197 |
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Quay Redevelopment project |
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The Public, West Bromwich |
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Stratford Docklands Light Railway Station |
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Yonkers Power Plant project |
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KingTowns |
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New Islington |
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Westside Gallery Lofts |
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Raffles City |
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Gao Yang |
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| Testbed1 Cultural Centre Battersea, London |
Teaching and Awards
Will Alsop was a professor of architecture at the Vienna University of Technology. He also received many special degrees, called honorary doctorates, from universities like the University of East Anglia and OCAD University.
He taught at various universities and art schools:
- 1997-Ongoing Professor, Technical University of Vienna
- 1997 Professor, The London Institute
- 1990 Visiting Professor, University of Hanover
- 1988 Unit Master, Architectural Association
- 1986 Visiting Professor, Bremen Academy of Art & Music
- 1984 Visiting Professor, Royal Melbourne Institute Design
- 1984 Visiting Professor, New South Wales Institute of Technology
- 1982 The Davis Professor, Tulane University, New Orleans
- 1977 Visiting Professor, San Francisco Institute of Art
- 1977 Visiting Professor, Ball State University, Indiana
- 1973 Tutor in Sculpture, St Martin's School of Art
His Art Exhibitions
Alsop loved to draw and paint all the time. He painted for his architecture work and just for fun. His paintings and sketches were shown in art galleries and museums. These included the Sir John Soane's Museum in London and the British Pavilion at the Venice Biennale.
His Life Outside Work
Alsop and his wife lived in London and also had a home in Norfolk. They had three grown-up children. He also had a twin sister who lived in Northampton.
On weekends, Alsop liked to relax. Every summer, he would take a month off to go painting in Minorca with his friend Bruce McLean.
Will Alsop passed away in London on May 12, 2018, at the age of 70, after a short illness.
See also
In Spanish: Will Alsop para niños
