Ralph Thomas Walker
Ralph Thomas Walker FAIA (November 28, 1889 – January 17, 1973) was an American architect, president of the American Institute of Architects and partner of the firm McKenzie, Voorhees, Gmelin and its successor firms Voorhees, Gmelin & Walker, Voorhees, Walker, Foley & Smith; Voorhees, Walker, Smith & Smith; and Voorhees, Walker, Smith, Smith & Haines (now known as HLW). Walker is best known for his designs for the Barclay–Vesey Building (1922–26) and 1 Wall Street (1928–31), but was also involved in numerous other Art Deco telecommunications buildings in the New York City area.
Ralph Thomas Walker | |
|---|---|
| Born | Ralph Thomas Walker November 28, 1889 Waterbury, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Died | January 17, 1973 (aged 83) Chappaqua, New York, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| Occupation | Architect |
| Employer | McKenzie, Voorhees, Gmelin |
| Spouse(s) | Stella Forbes and Christine Foulds |
Walker was called "The only other honest architect in America" by Frank Lloyd Wright, and "Architect of the Century" by The New York Times when he received the Centennial Medal of Honor from the American Institute of Architects. His Art Deco designs have been called "bold, spectacularly dynamic", "radical", "distinctive", "theatrical ... very dramatic", "syncopated and jazzy".