Roland Terry FAIA

AIA Seattle Medal 1991

Roland Terry FAIA (1917-2006, BArch UW 1940), a leading Pacific Northwest architect from the 1950s to the 1990s, made notable contributions to the regional approach to Modern architecture created in the Northwest in the post-World War II era.

During his UW studies he benefited from the mentorship of faculty member Lionel Pries.

Following graduation, he received the Langley Scholarship from the AIA, and traveled to South America to study the region's early Modern buildings. After returning to the US he joined the military (1942-6), where he designed and constructed an Officers' Club in New Mexico. He returned to Seattle in 1946 and formed Tucker, Shields, and Terry (1948-51) with classmates Bert Tucker and Robert Shields. The firm designed custom houses, restaurants and other small buildings, usually in wood and other natural materials, and began to emerge as leaders in Northwest regional Modern architecture. Notable works include the Burnett House on Hunts Point, Canlis Charcoal Broiler in Seattle, and the Paul Smith remodel in Seattle. Terry left the partnership in 1949 to study painting in Paris.

Terry formed a partnership with Philip A. Moore, which became Terry and Moore, Architects, Seattle (1952-60). They designed a number of widely published residences and commercial projects in Seattle. Notable among them: Bellevue's Crabapple Restaurant, Alex Patterson House at Whidbey, Hauberg town house, and the Jarvis house in Seattle.

When the firm dissolved, Terry opened his own practice as Roland Terry & Associates, and continued to design houses and other structures, as well as restaurants and other interiors in Seattle, San Francisco and Honolulu. Noteworthy projects include the Washington Park Towers in Seattle, Canlis restaurant, the Kahala Hilton interior, Honolulu, and in 1970 Nordstrom Best in Seattle.

As the firm's focus shifted from residential to commercial, he promoted associate Robert Egan to Partner, operating as Terry & Egan until Terry's retirement in 1987. Projects from that period include the Bank of California Building interior and the Halekulani Hotel interior.

Reference: *Roland Terry: Northwest Master Architect