North Carolina's "Starchitect" Frank Harmon, FAIA, Celebrates Career, Announces Retirement
After 50 years as a multi-award-winning architect, Frank Harmon will officially retire surrounded by friends, colleagues, and clients.
Raleigh, NC, November 19, 2015 --(PR.com)-- On Thursday evening, November 19, multi-award-winning architect, professor, author, and artist Frank Harmon, FAIA, will thank friends, colleagues, and clients for a 50-year career that saw him rise to the top of his profession when he officially announces his retirement during an oyster roast and champagne toast.
Part of North Carolina Modernist Houses’ monthly “Thirst4Architecture” happy hour events, Harmon’s retirement party will be held at the thoroughly “green” Modern building he designed and where his office has been located for the past three years: the AIA NC Center for Architecture and Design, 14 East Peace Street, in downtown Raleigh.
Since founding his firm in 1985, Frank Harmon has received dozens of local, regional, and national design awards and other professional honors, including the 2013 F. Carter Williams Gold Medal, the highest honor the North Carolina Chapter of the American Institute of Architects presents.
See AIA NC’s 2013 Gold Medal presentation, which includes a history of Frank Harmon and his work: www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUclN7GWgZM
An AIA Fellow and Professor in Practice at NC State University's College of Design, Harmon has built his illustrious reputation on designing modern, innovative, sustainable, and regionally appropriate buildings of all types, especially environmental education facilities. As another AIA Fellow, Jeffrey Lee, once wrote of his friend and colleague:
“Across the architectural profession, Frank Harmon, FAIA, is the face of North Carolina architecture. Through his words, his deeds, and the work of his firm, he has brought to a national audience a glimpse of the unique character and architectural culture of his home state [and his work] is an architectural presence so deeply rooted to the influence of place that one can hardly imagine it existing elsewhere.”
When asked why he’s decided to retire now, Harmon grinned. “I don't think one ever retires. You simply do other things. But one of our goals in life is to be happy, right? I've decided to pay attention to that. I realize now that a visit from my daughter, a trip to London to see my son, a simple dinner with friends, or the shape of a flower in my garden gives me more happiness than designing another building.”
Yet he admits he’ll miss his practice:
“Of course this is bittersweet. I’ll miss coming to the office each day to work with bright young people and to work with craftsmen and builders I respect. But they will continue to do new and better things, which I will enjoy. The future of architecture is good in their hands.”
For the past few years, Harmon has acquired a devoted following for his blog “Native Places,” a collection of thoughts and hand-drawn sketches that illustrate the value of looking closely at buildings and places. (Custom Home Magazine features Native Place on its website.) More recently, he began writing a similar monthly piece for Midtown Magazine that he calls “Everyday Places.”
Perhaps both columns were foreshadowing: After a rewarding 50-year career as an practicing architect, Harmon is now ready to express his thoughts and values through these endeavors, rather than design and construction:
“I think that what I want to say in architecture can be done with a pen and watercolor brush,” he said recently. “I don't need an office to do that.”
For more information on Frank Harmon’s life and work:
His firm’s website: www.frankharmon.com
NC State Design Faculty: design.ncsu.edu/people/frank-harmon-faia
Residential Architect magazine: Top Firm of the Year (http://bit.ly/1PyC2Yp) and RA50: a short list of architects we love (http://bit.ly/1NBMFUi)
North Carolina Modernist Houses archive: www.ncmodernist.org/harmon.
Part of North Carolina Modernist Houses’ monthly “Thirst4Architecture” happy hour events, Harmon’s retirement party will be held at the thoroughly “green” Modern building he designed and where his office has been located for the past three years: the AIA NC Center for Architecture and Design, 14 East Peace Street, in downtown Raleigh.
Since founding his firm in 1985, Frank Harmon has received dozens of local, regional, and national design awards and other professional honors, including the 2013 F. Carter Williams Gold Medal, the highest honor the North Carolina Chapter of the American Institute of Architects presents.
See AIA NC’s 2013 Gold Medal presentation, which includes a history of Frank Harmon and his work: www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUclN7GWgZM
An AIA Fellow and Professor in Practice at NC State University's College of Design, Harmon has built his illustrious reputation on designing modern, innovative, sustainable, and regionally appropriate buildings of all types, especially environmental education facilities. As another AIA Fellow, Jeffrey Lee, once wrote of his friend and colleague:
“Across the architectural profession, Frank Harmon, FAIA, is the face of North Carolina architecture. Through his words, his deeds, and the work of his firm, he has brought to a national audience a glimpse of the unique character and architectural culture of his home state [and his work] is an architectural presence so deeply rooted to the influence of place that one can hardly imagine it existing elsewhere.”
When asked why he’s decided to retire now, Harmon grinned. “I don't think one ever retires. You simply do other things. But one of our goals in life is to be happy, right? I've decided to pay attention to that. I realize now that a visit from my daughter, a trip to London to see my son, a simple dinner with friends, or the shape of a flower in my garden gives me more happiness than designing another building.”
Yet he admits he’ll miss his practice:
“Of course this is bittersweet. I’ll miss coming to the office each day to work with bright young people and to work with craftsmen and builders I respect. But they will continue to do new and better things, which I will enjoy. The future of architecture is good in their hands.”
For the past few years, Harmon has acquired a devoted following for his blog “Native Places,” a collection of thoughts and hand-drawn sketches that illustrate the value of looking closely at buildings and places. (Custom Home Magazine features Native Place on its website.) More recently, he began writing a similar monthly piece for Midtown Magazine that he calls “Everyday Places.”
Perhaps both columns were foreshadowing: After a rewarding 50-year career as an practicing architect, Harmon is now ready to express his thoughts and values through these endeavors, rather than design and construction:
“I think that what I want to say in architecture can be done with a pen and watercolor brush,” he said recently. “I don't need an office to do that.”
For more information on Frank Harmon’s life and work:
His firm’s website: www.frankharmon.com
NC State Design Faculty: design.ncsu.edu/people/frank-harmon-faia
Residential Architect magazine: Top Firm of the Year (http://bit.ly/1PyC2Yp) and RA50: a short list of architects we love (http://bit.ly/1NBMFUi)
North Carolina Modernist Houses archive: www.ncmodernist.org/harmon.
Contact
Frank Harmon Architect PA
Kim Weiss
919-829-9464
www.frankharmon.com
blueplatepr@gmail.com
Kim Weiss
919-829-9464
www.frankharmon.com
blueplatepr@gmail.com
Contact
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