Volunteer Park Seattle Landmark
Designation
Volunteer Park Seattle Landmark
Designation
Living Landmark Award
Ron Murphy, AIA / Photo: Abby Everest
The 2011 Living Landmark award was presented to Ron Murphy for his outstanding achievements in the field of historic preservation that have helped shape Seattle's and Washington state's built environment, preserving our architectural heritage for the future.
Ron Murphy has over 38 years experience in the historic preservation field. He started his career with Ralph Anderson & Partners Architects and, while there, was Project Manager for the rehabilitation of Seattle’s Pioneer Building and other projects. In 1977, Ron co-founded Stickney & Murphy Architects, which later became Stickney Murphy Romine Architects and is now known as SMR Architects.
Ron’s professional emphasis has been in affordable, multi-family housing and commercial projects, often involving Federal Historic Tax Credits. He is a past member of the State Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, King County Landmarks Commission, and the 4Culture Preservation Advisory Committee. Ron received his Masters of Architecture degree from the University of Washington and taught a course on preservation at the UW for 10 years.
A number of Ron’s projects have received award recognition including: National Trust National Preservation Honor Awards for the Belmont-Boylston Houses and Cadillac Hotel (both Historic Seattle projects); State Historic Preservation Officer Awards for Outstanding Achievement in Historic Rehabilitation for the Leamington (Pacific) Hotel, Victorian Row Apartments (Historic Seattle project) and Wilson Hotel; and a Seattle AIA/Seattle Times Home of the Month Award for the Phillips House Apartments rehabilitation (another Historic Seattle project). The Leamington Hotel and Phillips House projects were also featured in two National Park Service “Affordable Housing through Historic Preservation” national case studies. Ron is a past recipient of the King County Executive’s Certificate of Distinction for Achievement in Historic Preservation.
Other notable historic rehabilitation and adaptive reuse projects include: Laube Hotel (Bellingham, 2008); Navy Officer Houses (Bremerton, 2007); Cooper School (2006); Commerce Building (Everett, 1995); Josephinum Apartments (1991); Arctic and Alaska Buildings (1982); and Westland Building (1979).
