Will Alsop

The design process of Will Alsop acts as a conduit for the dreams and aspirations of others. Moving from public consultation to the privacy of his painting studio - here ideas are born in the liquidity of paint, the serendipity of collage and the flourish of line, resulting in the avant-garde and vibrant designs that Alsop is particularly well known for. Whether the world approves of these designs or not, does not devalue the creative and artistic process which produces so rich, varied, challenging and inspirational outcomes. Focusing on the refreshing process of design with which Will Alsop engages, Tom Porter reveals and traces the process, from public consultation to private studio, from paint to line to model, and in doing so uncovers a treasure trove of ideas for transforming the process of architectural design. Whether a working architect or a student embarking on the first steps towards creating your own design process, this book offers an insight and example into how engaging with the public, before painting the way into architecture, can offer the most stimulating solutions.

Tom Porter was an author, lecturer and colour consultant, and a Visiting Fellow at Oxford Brookes University, UK. He was also a Visiting Professor at Florida A&M University and Montana State University, USA. Tom's international career included lecture tours, most notably at Harvard, and colour workshops in Norway and Switzerland. He formed close professional relationships that spanned 30 years with other internationally renowned colour experts such as Jean Philippe Lenclos and Giovanni Brino. He also collaborated with Robert Cumming for the BBC series The Colour Eye. Tom published 21 books during his career including Colour for Architecture, which was updated to become Colour for Architecture Today, and Archispeak.

Introduction  1. Genesis: Tabula Rasa  2. Consultation: Vox Pop  3. Origination: The Noise  4. Experimentation: Painting Sessions  5. Collaboration: Double Acts  6. Big Architecture: Urban Design  7. Diversity: Street Creatures  8. Contemplation: Doing Nothing (Nothing Doing)  9. Reflection: Sound Bites  10. Conclusion