From here on out, whenever we refer to Stirling Prize-winning starchitect Will Alsop, we will quite often be including his new nickname, “The Sneak.” Observe: Back in early August, Will “The Sneak” Alsop said that he was hanging up his architecture career in order to concentrate on his painting. Shortly thereafter, he also announced that, so he wouldn’t get bored will all that painting he had planned, he was going to take an occasional teaching job with Ryerson University in Toronto. But when one has the nickname “The Sneak” (even if it’s a nickname created in the future) it’s often wise not to believe all you hear. Case in point, Alsop has now come out to admit that he wasn’t being entirely truthful. He fed everyone that painting stuff while the details were being worked out on his taking a new job — a new job in architecture. And a new job at RMJM no less, the same massive international firm that just got the okay to build Europe’s tallest tower. So how does “The Sneak” defend all this deceit?

Alsop said that he would paint while working at his studio at RMJM and that the abstract designs he created would be incorporated into designs for buildings. “I’m trying to do a beautiful painting, but I’m trying to think what we can do with a project. You can take a photograph of the painting and turn it into a building. There are no rules. It might be a complete failure, but then you can do another one, and you’ve still got a lovely painting.”

Aw shoot. Who can be mad at a fella who says stuff like that?