Head of the Department of Architecture and Interior Design at the Royal College of Arts in London, Nigel Coates is considered one of the most original theorists on the British architectural scene. His career has taken him in three interrelated directions: architecture, design and teaching, each of them providing experience for the others. His first project for Alessi perfectly reflects one of the salient characteristics of his work: his search for a mingling of cultures together with his ability to meld different stylistic references into sensual, fluid, highly personal forms.