Architecture

The California Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) celebrates the contributions and sacrifices of Black Americans who have helped shape and build the communities we live in today. To end the celebration of Black History Month, our department reflects on the importance of Black History Month and will continue to honor…

First African American Accredited Architect in the United States Robert Robinson Taylor was born June 6, 1868, in Wilmington, North Carolina. He learned carpentry from his father who was a former slave and worked construction before attending the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) School of Architecture. He was the first…

A Passion for Projects Celebrating Black Culture Philip “Phil” G. Freelon was an influential architect whose work embodied African American culture and history. Freelon was born March 26, 1953, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In 1975, he graduated from North Carolina State University with a bachelor’s degree in environmental design and earned…

The California Architects Board was created by the Legislature in 1901. The Board has a strong history of creative problem solving and collaboration with key constituencies, such as local building officials, educators and students, related professions, and collateral organizations. The Board is committed to a strong enforcement program as a…

Inspired by trailblazing black architect Paul R. Williams, Robert Kennard began his own firm in the 1950s. Robert Kennard was born in Los Angeles and graduated from USC where he earned an architectural degree. He was a role model for young people of color aspiring to become architects and active…

Proby served on the California State Board of Architectural Examiners for eight years Architect Vincent J. Proby was born in Wichita, Texas in 1928. Proby, as a child, moved to Los Angeles where he attended public school before majoring in architecture at the University of Southern California. Proby helped design…

A trailblazer in the field of architecture for architects of color Paul Revere Williams was born in Los Angeles in 1894 and was orphaned by the age of four. He attended USC’s School of Engineering, became a licensed architect in the State of California by 1921, and in 1923 he…

One of the first Black women to earn an architecture license in the state of California Norma Merrick Sklarek was a pioneer in the field of architecture. In the1960’s, she became one of the first Black women to be licensed in California. Her brilliance, passion, and perseverance allowed her to…

People and groups behind the places The place names might be well-known—Hearst Castle, Ahwahnee Hotel, Union Station—but do you know the architects behind the buildings? Get to know 25 of California’s must-see structures and their architects, as compiled by USA Today and the American Institute of Architects (AIA) California Council:…