Marshall Purnell facts for kids

Marshall Emmiett Purnell, born on June 8, 1950, is a famous American architect. He helped start a big architecture company called Devrouax+Purnell in Washington, D.C. In 2008, he became the president of the American Institute of Architects, a very important group for architects.

Early Life and Education

Marshall Emmiett Purnell was born in Toledo, Ohio, on June 8, 1950. He grew up in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He is African-American and was the second son of Lelia and Curtis Purnell.

He went to Ottawa Hills High School. There, he was a great basketball player and helped his team win a state championship. Even though the Boston Red Sox baseball team wanted him to play for them, he decided to focus on his studies instead of sports.

Purnell went to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He earned two degrees there: one in architecture and urban planning, and another advanced degree in architecture.

Marshall Purnell's Career

After finishing college, Marshall Purnell taught design at the University of Maryland until 1973. Then, in 1974, he joined the American Institute of Architects (AIA). He worked as an executive at their main office in Washington, D.C., until 1978.

Starting Devrouax+Purnell

In 1978, a well-known architect named Paul S. Devrouax asked Purnell to join him. They formed a partnership that became the architecture firm Devrouax+Purnell. Marshall Purnell was the main designer and vice president of the company for 35 years. He worked there until Paul S. Devrouax passed away in 2010.

Leadership Roles

Marshall Purnell also held important leadership positions. He was the president of the National Organization of Minority Architects in 1985 and 1986. This group supports architects from minority backgrounds.

From 1996 to 2003, he was part of the University of Michigan Alumni Association Executive Committee. He also led the College of Architecture and Planning Alumni Association Board of Governors in 1994.

First African American AIA President

In 2006, Marshall Purnell made history. He was chosen to be the national president of the American Institute of Architects. He was the first African American architect to hold this position in 150 years! This was a big step for making architecture and design more diverse and welcoming to everyone.

Awards and Teaching

In 2007, the University of Michigan gave him a Distinguished Service Award. He also received the Michigan's College of Architecture Service Award and gave the graduation speech. In 2009, he received an honorary Doctorate of Architecture from the Boston Architectural College.

In 2014, Purnell joined the College of Design at North Carolina State University. He became a Professor of the Practice. In this role, he taught students about professional practice and design.

Notable Projects and Designs

As the lead designer at Devrouax+Purnell, Marshall Purnell worked on many important buildings and projects. Here are some of them:

• The Washington Convention Center
• Nationals Park, where the Washington Nationals baseball team plays
• The Verizon Center, a big arena for basketball (NBA) and hockey (NHL) games in Washington
• The main offices for Pepco Energy
• The main offices for FreddieMac
• The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial
• Several projects for the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, which runs the public transportation system
• Modernization projects at U.S. Embassies in Moscow and the former Yugoslavia