Brad Pitt Heads $475 Million Seaside Redevelopment  5/27/05

Hollywood hunk Brad Pitt is co-heading the ambitious $475 million (#250 million) redevelopment of a British seaside town - just months after completing a brief architecture apprenticeship.

The Ocean's Twelve star recently studied computer-aided building design at architect Frank Gehry's Los Angeles offices.

Pitt is now designing a restaurant and penthouse as part of his 76-year-old mentor, Gehry's controversial work on the King Alfred site in Hove, East Sussex - and is reportedly considering living in one of the lavish apartments he's planning.

The actor will travel to the south coast town - where Sir Paul McCartney and DJ Fatboy Slim own homes - in August (05) when the planning application for the project is submitted to the city council.

Josh Arghiros, the joint director of the Karis Holding company responsible for the redevelopment, says, "Brad is looking for a place to live in Britain and it may well be that he'll take one of the flats in Brighton. I haven't got a clue what style he'll go for.

"I understand from Frank that Brad's design aspirations coincide with Frank's aspirations for the project. I understand he has really good taste."

Hove council hopes Pitt's endorsement of the project will help to calm angry locals, who have protested against some of Gehry's bold designs.

A council spokesman says, "Many people know about Frank Gehry as an architect and many more will know about Brad Pitt the actor. So it will bring the project and our ambitions to a wider audience."

Pitt revealed his passion for buildings last year (04), explaining, "I'm really into architecture, structure and design. Give me anything and I'll design it. I'm a bit nutty with it.

"I've got a few men I respect very much and one would be Frank Gehry. He said to me, 'If you know where it's going, it's not worth doing.' That's become like a mantra for me."