This two-volume book combines the memoirs and selected writings of Ian Ritchie CBE RA (b. 1947), one of the most original contemporary architects. As his essays chart his development from a young maverick into an astute professional and teacher, his reflections on this journey create a picture of a remarkable artist and innovator who has consistently encouraged experimentation and collaboration in his field, and whose practice dissolves the boundaries of architecture, engineering and industry. Alongside these personal writings, an in-depth commentary by the architectural critic Roger Connah explores Ritchies achievements, his dynamic mode of working and the unusual position that he occupies at both the centre and the vanguard of architecture today.