by: AIA New York Chapter
Timothy Johnson, FAIA, LEED AP, Partner, NBBJ, has transformed urban environments worldwide by designing buildings that blur the line between public and private, thereby uniting clients with their communities, landmarking their respective cities and invigorating entire neighborhoods. By leading his clients to look beyond their own property lines and organizational boundaries, Tim Johnson has designed transformational buildings that invigorate the urban environment and benefit the communities of which they are a part.
The 2017 Jury of Fellows of the AIA elevated Johnson to its prestigious College of Fellows in the first category of Fellowship, which recognizes architects who have “Promoted the aesthetic, scientific, and practical efficiency of the profession,” according to the organizations’s definition of Fellowship. Now among the AIA membership’s three percent distinguished with Fellowship and honorary Fellowship, Johnson was honored at the New Fellows Reception hosted by AIA New York last month and will also be recognized at an investiture ceremony at the AIA Conference on Architecture 2017 this week in Orlando.
Q: What is your proudest achievement, as an architect, or your favorite project you’ve worked on?
A: I am proud of all the projects I have been a part of. The trust and confidence that our clients put into our work for them is remarkable. I am also grateful to all of my teammates and colleagues over the years that have all played a significant role in this great orchestra. My greatest achievements are where the projects have truly transformed the client and their cities. Projects like New York State Psychiatric Institute, The Sail @ Marina Bay, MUSC Ashley River Tower, and Eton Dalian Center have all transformed the clients, the markets they serve, and their cities.
Q: What is your earliest memory of experiencing architecture?
A: My Grandfather was a carpenter and built half the small midwestern town I grew up in. As a kid I spent summers helping him frame houses and can to this day feel the sense of accomplishment of “making space.” Arriving at the site in the morning to a foundation and at the end of the day walking thru the framed spaces of the house was and still is an amazing feeling!
Q: What are you working on right now, or what is your next big project?
A: I am fortunate to be working on projects around the world. Some highlights include the M Social Hotel in Sunnyvale, CA; Chongqing International Hospital in China, and Metroplex II outside of Philadelphia.
Q: What does being a Fellow mean to you?
A: It is an extraordinary honor to be a Fellow of the AIA. In reading each name of this years class of Fellows I could imagine the great impact this group of people has had on the profession, on cities, and on the lives of so many people around the world. The profession of architecture is a rather small part of the business world, however our impact is extraordinary. To be recognized at the pinnacle of our industry together with so many others from the past is truly humbling.
Editors’ Note: This feature is part of a series celebrating the 18 members of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) New York Chapter that have been elevated to the AIA College of Fellows in 2017, an honor awarded to members who have made significant contributions to both the profession and society. Learn more about Fellowship here.