Marshall Purnell

Marshall Purnell (born June 8, 1950) is a prominent African-American architect and 2008 president of the American Institute of Architects.

Life

Born in Toledo Ohio, and raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, he is the second son of Lelia (Givens) Purnell and the late long-time professional jazz saxophonist Curtis Purnell (1921–2006). After attending Ottawa Hills High School and playing on its state high school championship winning basketball team, he went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Architecture & Urban Planning and a Master of Architecture from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. He entered private practice with the late Paul S. Devrouax, FAIA (1942-2010) in 1978.

Career

In 2006, Purnell was nationally elected to serve as the 2007 First Vice President/President-elect/2008 President of The American Institute of Architects (AIA), Purnell, an AIA regional director from the Mid-Atlantic Region and design principal of Devrouax+Purnell Architects and Planners PC, Washington, DC, has been involved in numerous AIA activities, including service on the Board Advocacy and Diversity committees, as well as on the AIA Scholarship, Historic Resources and Housing committees. He has also been involved in leadership at the local component level through the AIA District of Columbia chapter (AIA|DC) and is a Fellow of the AIA and Council Member of National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA), of which he was elected president in 1985-1987, and to several other executive positions.

In 2014, Purnell joined the College of Design at North Carolina State University in Raleigh. He took the position of Professor of the Practice, Teaching Professional Practice, Design Studios, IDP Coordinator, AIAT Board Member, AIAS representative and Advisory Board Coordinator.