From March 1, 1812 through September 14, 1852 His work resulted in the design of the interior of the Palace of Westminster in Westminster, London, England, as well as its renowned clock tower, subsequently called the Elizabeth Tower, which houses the Big Ben bell. Pugin designed a number of churches in England, as well as several in Ireland and Australia. He is also known for designing monastic buildings, including libraries, museums, and chapels. Pugin was born on February 7, 1778 in Alton, Hampshire, England. His father was a successful architect who had been trained by William Kent (the other great influence on Pugin's career). When he was nine years old his family moved to Brussels where his father took a job with the British government building ships for the army. Young Pugin grew up in a house with brick walls painted white, which helped him understand the importance of light and space in architecture. When he was 20 years old, Pugin went to study at Oxford University but left after only a few months because there were no rooms available at any price for someone like him - an impoverished student. So, he returned home to Brussels where he worked as an assistant to his father until his death in 1815. During this time, Pugin learned all that he could about architecture and design from his father and others. In 1802, he started his own practice which became very successful.