André Richardson King facts for kids
André Richardson King is an amazing African American designer and architect. He learned a lot at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. After school, he worked at a big company called Skidmore, Owings & Merrill. Later, he started his very own design firm! André King was one of many African American designers who became very successful in Chicago. They used a special program called the G.I. Bill to help them go to art and design schools.
Where did André King grow up and go to school?
André King was born in Chicago in 1931. After serving in the United States Air Force, he used the G.I. Bill to help pay for his education. This program helped soldiers go to college. He first got a diploma in architecture from Chicago Technical College. Then, he went to the University of Chicago and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He graduated in 1959 with a degree in education.
What kind of work did André King do?
After finishing school, André King joined a famous architecture company called Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM). There, he designed graphics, signs, and information systems. He focused on environmental design (making spaces easy to understand) and architectural graphics (signs and symbols for buildings).
His work for places like Harris Trust Bank and O'Hare Airport made him a leader in this new field. Besides designing symbols for these places, King also helped with the federal highway system's Triangle Plaza off I-90. He also designed gateway signs for Northwest Point Business Park in Elk Grove Village, which you can still see today!
André King worked at SOM for almost 30 years and became an Associate Partner. Then, he left to start his own company, ARK Andre´ Richardson King Designers. He is also a long-time member of the Society of Experiential Graphic Design and the American Institute of Architects.
Since 1974, King has also been an Honorary Consul of Barbados. This means he helps represent Barbados in the United States.
What awards and recognition has André King received?
In 2018, André King was featured in a special art show. The exhibition was called African American Designers in Chicago: Art, Commerce and the Politics of Race. It took place at the Chicago Cultural Center.
