Ralph Erskine ARIBA[1] (24 February 1914 – 16 March 2005) was a British architect and planner who lived and worked in Sweden for most of his life.

After qualifying as an architect Erskine began work with the design team for Welwyn Garden City under the leadership of Louis de Soissons.

[4] He studied town planning and this interest broadened his approach to architecture, in particular about how buildings related physically and socially to their setting.

His approach was so different from everything happening around that time as he put the focus on social regeneration and the interests of local people, rather than just bricks and mortar.

Beginning in 1988, the foundation has awarded a bi-annual prize of US$10,000 and a medal designed by Ralph Erskine, for any person, group or organisation that "has contributed to the construction of buildings or community structures of innovative social, ecological and aesthetic character.

Erskine wrote the preface to the English translation of Jan Gehl's influential book Life Between Buildings, published in 1986.

[4] National Life Stories conducted an oral history interview (C467/8) with Ralph Erskine in 1997 for its Architects Lives' collection held by the British Library.