William J R Curtis is an award-winning historian, critic, writer, curator, painter and photographer. Educated at the Courtauld Institute of Art, London, and at Harvard University, he has taught the history of art, theories of design and architecture at several universities worldwide: among others, Harvard University; the Architectural Association, London; UNAM, Mexico City; ETSAB, Barcelona; Helsinki Institute of Technology; the Accademia di architettura, Mendrisio, Switzerland; and the University of Cambridge where he was Slade Professor of Fine Art 2003-4. In addition to teaching history and theory, Curtis has been directly involved in architectural education in the studio and in juries. He has written historical, critical and theoretical texts on subjects as varied as modern architecture, landscape design, the history of everyday objects, the process of design, historiography, visual education and criticism. His best known books include: the best-selling Modern Architecture Since 1900 and Le Corbusier: Ideas and Forms (both published by Phaidon).