Toronto's Ryerson University has announced the appointment of Alsop to Distinguished Visiting Practitioner in Architecture. Press release after the jump...

WILL ALSOP APPOINTED RYERSON DISTINGUISHED VISITING PRACTITIONER IN ARCHITECTURE

TORONTO, Nov.5, 2009--- Famed British architect Will Alsop has been
named a Distinguished Visiting Practitioner in Architecture at Ryerson
University for the 2009-2010 academic year.

Alsop is one of the most prominent UK architects and is known around
the world for his avant-garde, modernist style. Since his foray into
architecture at the age of 16, Alsop has completed projects in England,
Wales, France, Germany, The Netherlands and here in Toronto, including the Alsop Toronto Sales Centre, the Sharp Centre for Design and his current project, the Westside Lofts. An Officer of the Order of the
British Empire (OBE), he has set up practices in Beijing, London,
Shanghai, Singapore and Toronto.

'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.


Ryerson University is Canada's leader in innovative career-focused
education, offering close to 100 PhD, master's, and undergraduate
programs in the Faculty of Arts; the Faculty of Communication & Design;
the Faculty of Community Services; the Faculty of Engineering,
Architecture and Science; and the Ted Rogers School of Management.
Ryerson University has graduate and undergraduate enrolment of 25,000 students. With more than 68,000 registrations annually, The G. Raymond Chang School of Continuing Education is Canada's leading provider of university-based adult education.