Michael Crowther is a Yorkshireman. He is an architect and his move to Sussex has been Brighton and Hove's gain.

In 1973, he and his colleague Brian Rickard started the APP Architectural Partnership and the friends prospered.

Today, Mr Crowther is chairman of APP, part of a company that employs more than 80 qualified architects; by night he plays in a rock 'n' roll band Frankie and the La Las.

Mr Rickard is managing director but I've not been told what he does with his evenings.

In May 2000, APP merged its business with the Comprehensive Design Group.

It was a successful move and the group is now in the top 30 firms of architects in the UK.

It has offices in London, Brighton, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Manchester.

On the morning I met Mr Crowther, I was told of a rumour that the consortium developing the Brighton Station site had withdrawn.

He was not surprised and said some marginal developments had been cancelled but APP had not been affected.

He said: "In regard to the Brighton Station site, politics are a problem and if there are long delays those involved walk away and do something else." "Would you like to be involved?" I asked. "Very much," said Mr Crowther. "We specialise in those kind of jobs."

Iwas surprised at the low number of support staff, about 20 looking after 80 architects. I was told almost all work was done on computer with links to working sites "So drawing boards are a thing of the past?" "No," said Mr Crowther. "Quite a few of us have re-introduced our boards.

The truth is if a design has been done entirely by computer it loses something - a line, a flow or a connection with one building to another I can tell the difference."

We talked about the variety of jobs the company undertakes.

It has an impressive list of clients. One was Cadogan Estates.

Lord Cadogan is involved in a law suit in which he maintains the working classes are still with us. Perhaps it is only in England where such a case could be heard.

APP does not put all its eggs one basket. The company provides architectural design, town planning and project management in the UK and abroad.

It is helping to build universities, housing estates, supermarkets, shopping malls, hospitals, breweries and lots more. It is just finishing a £30 million scheme for Scunthorpe's town centre.

Rock on APP!