William Alsop

He is one of the most important architects working in Great Britain and in the entire world. He is internationally respected alongside luminaries such as Foster and Rogers, for his Peckham Library project, the "Tuscan" town plan for Barnsley and the North Greenwich subway station. His international career took off when he won the competition for designing the Hotel du Departement des Bouches du Rhone in Marseilles. Known familiarly as Le Grand Bleu, the building, once finished, staggered the world of architecture due to its bold shapes sheathed in dark blue. Peckham Library also stands out due to its covering of bright green glazed copper and the cheerful orange "beret"-shaped cover that lies across the roof. He won the prestigious RIBA Stirling Prize for this project in 2000.
He has often been outspoken on many subjects and came under the spotlight in Britain when he won the competition "Fourth Grace" for the seafront in Liverpool in December 2002.
He is Professor of Architecture at the University of Vienna and has held lectures and conferences all over the world.