"For foreign architects to come in and understand the city like that was very impressive."

And if not, several other foreign architects seemed like stronger candidates.

As a result, foreign architects have a clearer view of the global context in which the contemporary city now operates.

"It is a contradiction to have an international competition, to ask a foreign architect to bring his dream, but not anything else," he said.

Not for nothing, it seems, many of the major urban projects in the city went to foreign architects.

He thus became the first foreign architect to work on the Louvre.

Some leading foreign architects have opposed such a move while other supported it.

Several buildings have been added to the area surrounding the park, many of which were constructed by foreign architects.

"I think a foreign architect doing something major on a museum in this city would be exciting for London," he said.

Some foreign architects refused to make their design fit the guidelines and walked away.