Will Alsop appointed Ryerson Distinguished Visiting Practitioner in Architecture (November 09, 2009)
British architect Will Alsop, whose impact on Toronto’s landscape includes the Alsop Toronto Sales Centre, the Sharp Centre for Design and his current project, the Westside Lofts, has been named a Distinguished Visiting Practitioner in Architecture at Ryerson University for the 2009-2010 academic year.
“Will Alsop’s decision to come to Ryerson is a tremendous endorsement of our academic program and our outstanding students and faculty,” said Alan Shepard, Provost and Vice President Academic. “His innovation, creativity and passion for city-building make him a perfect fit here, and we warmly welcome him to the Ryerson family.”
“I have been very impressed with the faculty in Ryerson’s Department of Architectural Science, and with the program all around,” Alsop said. “They are creating something wonderful, which I am excited to be a part of. I feel privileged and proud to be part of a University that is trying to make a difference in Toronto itself, which is something that is very important to me.”
Alsop has a history in academia, including tutoring sculpture at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London for several years, and posts at the University of London, the Vienna University of Technology and the University of Hannover. Alsop is also a recognized painter, and actively promotes the artistic contribution to built environments.
“We are so pleased to have Will Alsop joining us at Ryerson,” said Kendra Schank Smith, Chair, Department of Architectural Science. “Will is a Stirling Prize winner and a player on the international stage. His design work is innovative and exciting and to have him associated with our program is a fantastic opportunity for our students. He will no doubt provide inspiration to students both through his own work, and through their work with him.”
On November 24 Alsop will deliver a lecture to Ryerson students and faculty on Preparing for Architectural Practice. In the winter term he will make three to four visits to campus, kicking off the graduate theses in January, working with grad students throughout the thesis projects and sitting on the thesis review panel at the end of the semester. Alsop has also agreed to mount an exhibition of his work, hosted by Ryerson’s Department of Architectural Science, in winter 2010.