Norman Johnston
Encyclopedia
Norman J. Johnston is Professor Emeritus in the Departments of Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Planning in the University of Washington College of Built Environments
.
Norman J. Johnston was born and raised in Olympia, Washington
. His father, Jay Johnston, was the resident supervisor during the construction of the Washington State capitol complex
. Norman Johnston enrolled at the University of Washington
, planning to study architecture, but graduated in 1942 with a B.A. in art. He subsequently earned his B.Arch. from the University of Oregon
, graduating in 1949. He earned a Master of Urban Planning
in 1959 and a Ph.D.
in 1964 at the University of Pennsylvania
.
Johnston was a staff member for the Seattle Planning Commission from 1950-54 and then was employed by the Seattle architecture firm, Nelson, Sabin & Varey, from 1954 to 1956. After a brief period as a faculty member at the University of Oregon, he was appointed Associate Professor of Architecture and Planning at the University of Washington in 1960.
Over his academic career, Johnston taught courses in architecture, landscape architecture, and urban planning. He served as Assistant to the Dean from 1962 to 1964 and then as Associate Dean from 1966 to 1984. He was Chair of the Department of Architecture from 1984 to 1985. As a college administrator he helped to build the college library (now Built Environments Library) and the college slide collection (now Visual Resources Collection). He also worked to build the collection of architectural drawings and papers held at the University of Washington Libraries Special Collections Division. It was largely through his efforts that Elizabeth Ayer
gave her family papers and drawings to the Special Collections Division of the University of Washington Libraries.
Johnston's publications focused on the history of the region, including the Washington State capitol complex and the University of Washington campus. He also wrote about the history of the Department of Architecture and the College of Built Environments (formerly the College of Architecture & Urban Planning).
During his years on the faculty, Johnston engaged in a broad range of university and public service. Johnston served on the University of Washington Landscape Advisory Committee beginning in 1970 and several times was its chair; in 2007 he was granted a lifetime voting privilege on the Committee. He was the founding chair of the Washington Capitol Master Plan Advisory Committee; he served as Chair from 1982 to 1988 and again in 1996, and he remained on the Committee for almost two decades. He was a founding member of Allied Arts of Seattle
in 1952; in the 1960s he was a leader in Allied Arts's fight for legislation in Olympia to eliminate billboards
. He served on the Washington State Architectural Registration Board from 1970 to 1981 and again from 1988 to 1999. He served as AIA Seattle president in 1981.
Johnston was elected a Fellow
in the American Institute of Architects
in 1982; he received the AIA Seattle Chapter Medal in 1990. He was a co-recipient, with his wife L. Jane Hastings, of the Leslie Boney Spirit of Fellowship Award given by the AIA College of Fellows. He received the Washington State Distinguished Citizen Award in 1991.
University of Washington College of Built Environments
The College of Built Environments or CBE at the University of Washington is the new name, as of January 1, 2009, of the college formerly called the College of Architecture and Urban Planning. The old name was adopted in 1957-58 when the college had only two departments, architecture and planning...
.
Norman J. Johnston was born and raised in Olympia, Washington
Olympia, Washington
Olympia is the capital city of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat of Thurston County. It was incorporated on January 28, 1859. The population was 46,478 at the 2010 census...
. His father, Jay Johnston, was the resident supervisor during the construction of the Washington State capitol complex
Washington State Capitol
The Washington State Capitol or Legislative Building in Olympia is the home of the government of the state of Washington. It contains chambers for the Washington State Legislature and offices for the governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state and treasurer and is part of a campus consisting...
. Norman Johnston enrolled at the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
, planning to study architecture, but graduated in 1942 with a B.A. in art. He subsequently earned his B.Arch. from the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
, graduating in 1949. He earned a Master of Urban Planning
Urban planning education
University-level urban planning education is offered as an academic degree in urban, city or regional planning, awarded as either an Associate's degree, Bachelor's degree, Master's degree, or Doctorate....
in 1959 and a Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
in 1964 at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
.
Johnston was a staff member for the Seattle Planning Commission from 1950-54 and then was employed by the Seattle architecture firm, Nelson, Sabin & Varey, from 1954 to 1956. After a brief period as a faculty member at the University of Oregon, he was appointed Associate Professor of Architecture and Planning at the University of Washington in 1960.
Over his academic career, Johnston taught courses in architecture, landscape architecture, and urban planning. He served as Assistant to the Dean from 1962 to 1964 and then as Associate Dean from 1966 to 1984. He was Chair of the Department of Architecture from 1984 to 1985. As a college administrator he helped to build the college library (now Built Environments Library) and the college slide collection (now Visual Resources Collection). He also worked to build the collection of architectural drawings and papers held at the University of Washington Libraries Special Collections Division. It was largely through his efforts that Elizabeth Ayer
Elizabeth Ayer
Elizabeth Ayer is recognized as a pioneering woman architect in Seattle, Washington, whose professional activities stretched over more than five decades...
gave her family papers and drawings to the Special Collections Division of the University of Washington Libraries.
Johnston's publications focused on the history of the region, including the Washington State capitol complex and the University of Washington campus. He also wrote about the history of the Department of Architecture and the College of Built Environments (formerly the College of Architecture & Urban Planning).
During his years on the faculty, Johnston engaged in a broad range of university and public service. Johnston served on the University of Washington Landscape Advisory Committee beginning in 1970 and several times was its chair; in 2007 he was granted a lifetime voting privilege on the Committee. He was the founding chair of the Washington Capitol Master Plan Advisory Committee; he served as Chair from 1982 to 1988 and again in 1996, and he remained on the Committee for almost two decades. He was a founding member of Allied Arts of Seattle
Allied Arts of Seattle
Allied Arts of Seattle is a non-profit organization in Seattle, Washington, USA. The organization advocates for public funding of the arts, better urban planning and architecture, and other civic improvements...
in 1952; in the 1960s he was a leader in Allied Arts's fight for legislation in Olympia to eliminate billboards
Billboard
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
. He served on the Washington State Architectural Registration Board from 1970 to 1981 and again from 1988 to 1999. He served as AIA Seattle president in 1981.
Johnston was elected a Fellow
FAIA
Fellow of the American Institute of Architects is a postnomial, designating an individual who has been named a fellow of the American Institute of Architects...
in the American Institute of Architects
American Institute of Architects
The American Institute of Architects is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to support the architecture profession and improve its public image...
in 1982; he received the AIA Seattle Chapter Medal in 1990. He was a co-recipient, with his wife L. Jane Hastings, of the Leslie Boney Spirit of Fellowship Award given by the AIA College of Fellows. He received the Washington State Distinguished Citizen Award in 1991.
Writings
- Johnston, Norman J., Cities in the Round University of Washington Press, Seattle and London, 1983. ISBN: 9780295959184
- Johnston, Norman J., Washington's Audacious State Capitol and its Builders, University of Washington Press, Seattle and London 1988, ISBN 978-0295964676
- Johnston, Norman J., The College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Seventy Five Years at the University of Washington: A Personal View, College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Seattle 1991.
- Johnston, Norman J., The Fountain and the Mountain: The University of Washington Campus, Documentary Book Publishers, Woodinville WA, 1995; second edition: Documentary Media and the University of Washington, 2004 ISBN: 978-0971908413
- Johnston, Norman J., The Campus Guides: the University of Washington, Princeton Architectural PressPrinceton Architectural PressPrinceton Architectural Press is a leading publisher of architecture and design books, with over 500 titles on its backlist. It was founded in 1981 by Kevin Lippert in Princeton, NJ and moved to New York City in 1985. Since 1996, Princeton Architectural Press has been distributed in the...
, New York, 2001, ISBN 978-1568982472