Legendary architect and teacher Harold Adams, FAIA, died April 12, 2022, at his home near College Station, Texas, following a short illness. He was 82. An early faculty member instrumental in devising the Maryland architecture program’s first professional practice courses, Adams was the visionary behind national design firm RTKL Associates (now CallisonRTKL) and a prominent architect in the Washington, D.C. region. He remained a mentor, supporter and benefactor of the school, most recently as a member of the Board of Visitors, until his death.
“This is a great loss for the MAPP+D community and all of us whose lives he influenced in so many ways,” said Dr. Dawn Jourdan, Dean of the School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, and a close colleague and friend. “As a practitioner, mentor and friend, he was immeasurably generous with his time and spirit. He had a profound impact not just in practice, but in the lives of those who follow him.”
A graduate of Texas A&M University, Adams came to the Washington, D.C. region in the 1960s to assist on the redevelopment of historic Lafayette Square for John Carl Warnecke and Associates. In short order Adams was moved to project manager, a role that eventually indoctrinated him into the Kennedy inner circle. Still in his early 20s, he quickly became the go-to architect for the family, helping to select the site for the future Kennedy Library, and designing additions and renovations on several Kennedy family homes. After Kennedy’s assassination, it was Adams who was selected to oversee the design and construction of his memorial at Arlington National Cemetery.
He joined RTKL in 1967, then a one-room shop in Baltimore, Maryland, and over his 35-year tenure as president, CEO and chairman, transformed it into a leading international design firm with his warm sensibility and razor-sharp business acumen. He oversaw several high-profile projects in the D.C. region, including Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the U.S. Capitol Visitor’s Center and the reconstruction of the Pentagon after 9/11.
“He was not a type-A personality; he was a quiet, low-key guy but you’ve never seen someone like that get so much done and be so well-liked,” said friend and colleague Glenn Birx, FAIA, (B.ARCH ’80), principal at Ayers Saint Gross. “He was a natural mentor and loved to share his stories and his advice. With his counsel, Ayers Saint Gross went from a regional firm to an international one. He was such an amazing businessman and was so willing to share and help.”
“He was wicked smart and insightful, almost like the Wizard of Oz,” said Stephen Ayers (B.S. Architecture ’85), FAIA, 11th Architect of the Capitol. “I would be in a group meeting haggling about something and finally Harold would say, ‘Why don’t we do this...’ And everyone would say to themselves, ‘Why didn’t I think of that?’ He was always the voice of reason and wisdom.”
After retiring in 2004, Adams returned to the gratifying work that those who knew him best considered his great professional love: teaching. He established the Harold L. Adams Interdisciplinary Charette for Undergraduates at his alma mater, working closely with Jourdan, who held the professorship in his name, on several student initiatives. He received an honorary doctorate from Texas A&M in 2019. He returned to Maryland in 2004 as a Kea Distinguished Professor and established the Harold L. Adams Practice Leadership Fund.
Adams was highly decorated, with dozens of awards to his name, including the Edward C. Kemper Award for leadership in the profession and received the Society of American Military Engineers’ first-ever Max O. Urbahn Medal for achievement in architecture. He is a member of AIA’s College of Fellows, where he served as chancellor from 1997-1998, and ushered many friends—including Birx—through the arduous reward process of AIA’s highest honor.
Adams is survived by his wife, Janice, his four children and eleven grandchildren. To honor Adams’ legacy, consider giving to the Harold L. Adams Practice Leadership Fund.