Architect known for his many career moves sets up new practice with collleague

Will Alsop has announced he is leaving international architecture firm RMJM to form a new practice.

The new company, established with fellow RMJM principal Scott Lawrie and covering architecture, masterplanning, interiors, landscape, product and graphic design, involves a number of other staff who worked at Alsop’s division within the firm.

Back in June, Alsop denied reports of a forthcoming move, telling Building’s sister title BD “I don’t have any plans to leave at all.”

Speaking today, RMJM chief executive Peter Morrison said: “We have been in discussion with Will and Scott for some time and all parties feel that this is the best way forward. Will and Scott have played an important role internationally for the firm and are undoubtedly architects with enormous talent and an excellent reputation.

“We are extremely grateful for their contribution to the business over the past two years and while I understand their desire to start something new, our intention is to continue to work together on a number of ongoing projects.”

Morrison added that his firm was recovering from the downturn with new projects including the $1.6 billion Baha Mar Resort on New Providence Island near Nassau, Bahamas and a major mixed use development in the Atasehir district of Istanbul.

“Many of our clients who were forced to postpone major projects due to the global economic downturn have now restarted them and we are also feeling the significant benefits of maintaining active offices in the Middle East when large numbers of our competitors retrenched back to their home markets,” he said.

Alsop’s new firm will include ‘Testbed’, a performance space within the Battersea studio complex which provides a platform for events and debates.

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