Draft:Ron Wright (architect)

Ron Wright (born 1960) is an American architect and the founding principal of the Seattle-based firm Ron Wright and Associates / Architects. His career has focused primarily on historic preservation and projects that contribute to the health and social well-being of the community. His advocacy for increased access to behavioral health services has been recognized as directly benefiting under-served populations. Wright and his work have received numerous honors and awards. He has been a member of the American Institute of Architects since 1987.

Early life and education

Born in Twenty-Nine Palms, CA in 1960, Wright graduated from the University of Virginia in 1982 with a Bachelor of Architecture degree. He subsequently earned a Master of Architecture from the University of Washington in 1987.

His youth was spent primarily in Cupertino, CA and McLean, VA, with a year in the Philippines. His parents were both active in community issues and politics, providing a strong influence towards endeavoring to be a socially responsible person.

Career

Early in his career, Wright worked for several firms, including ARC Architects, Elaine Day LaTourelle & Associates, and KSA Group Architects. In 1994, he established Ron Wright and Associates/Architects P.S., which has the mission of focusing on unique and challenging projects that provide economic and social value for clients and the community.

Historic Preservation

Wright’s contribution to historic preservation in the Pacific Northwest is well-documented. In Seattle’s Pioneer Square Historic Preservation District, he has worked on several structures and buildings. Notably, he was the project architect for the restoration of the iconic Pioneer Square Pergola after a semi-truck collided with it in 2001. The structure is on the National Register of Historic Places and had been badly damaged in the incident before being extensively repaired in 2002. Other historic renovation projects he has led in and near the neighborhood include 619 Western Building, Moses Building, Washington Shoe Company Building, Union Station (Seattle), the Washington Street Boat Landing Pergola, and The Sanctuary, formerly the First United Methodist Church. The Union Station renovation was awarded a National Trust for Historic Preservation Award in 2000. In 2017, Wright’s firm completed the restoration of Washington Hall, which was also awarded a National Trust for Historic Preservation Award. The firm completed The Sanctuary in 2018. The completed project, which is operated as a primary component of the Lotte Hotel was awarded the Seattle NAIOP Washington Chapter Best New Hospitality Venue for 2018. The Lotte Hotel was awarded as a 2024 MICHELIN Guide One Key Hotel.

In 2021, Wright’s firm was retained to restore the Dickman Mill Headsaw & Carriage in Tacoma, Washington. The last remaining “head saw” in Washington, the historic piece of lumber equipment had been returned to the waterfront park to commemorate the Dickman Lumber Mill, which operated from the 1890s until 1974. The completed project received a Award of Honor from the Washington State Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects.

Wright was also pivotal in a long-awaited rehabilitation of the historic Saint Edward Seminary in Saint Edward State Park in Kenmore, Washington. The abandoned building fell into disrepair after the closing of the seminary in 1976. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007. Wright served as the project architect for the transformation of the building into a high-end hotel, which opened in 2021. The project included the preservation of many of the structure’s historic elements, including interior layout and fixtures. In addition to numerous local awards, the hotel was awarded as a 2024 MICHELIN Guide One Key Hotel.

Community-Focused Architecture

Wright’s architectural work has contributed to the expansion of affordable housing and housing for individuals in need of behavioral health services in the Pacific Northwest.  

In 2007, Wright designed the Shirley Bridge Bungalows, a cottage development serving persons with HIV/AIDS. The national award-winning project took a creative approach to housing residents. With a goal to create a homelike environment in a setting meant to foster interaction, six cottages were organized around a central area, and included other specific amenities to engender an exceptionally healthy environment for individuals and their families.

Wright and his firm are frequently sought after for their specific expertise in the design and development of behavioral health facilities and multi-family projects. These have focused on serving individuals and families with special needs, including housing for low-income populations, housing for persons who receive services from mental health agencies, and housing for older adults and disabled populations.

In 2022, as a demonstration of his expertise in the development of behavioral health facilities, the Washington State Building Code Council designated Ron Wright as the lead proponent for the adoption of the R-4 Group Occupancy Code, requiring the submittal of rulemaking documents, leadership during Building Code Council meetings, coordination with State Legislators and the Governor’s office, and representation during the formal hearings associated with the adoption.

The R-4 Group Occupancy was adopted in June of 2023. The adoption of this code is projected to save 30 to 40% in construction costs for new Residential Treatment Facilities in the State of Washington, creating the opportunity for more facilities to be developed within the traditionally limited funding available.

Advocacy and community service

Ron Wright has provided significant leadership in the community, volunteering as a board member for multiple social service agencies and youth sports organizations over the past 35 years. This public service, combined with advocacy for disadvantaged populations and teaching at the University of Washington, has provided a model for giving back to the community.

One of areas of his focus has been the development of the prosperity and economic growth of workers, employers, and communities and to enhance racial equity within all sectors of the Pacific Northwest economy. Wright’s aunt, Frances Dodson Rhome served as the first Affirmative Action Officer at Indiana University and as a tireless advocate for equal rights. She was an early inspiration for Wright’s workforce development focus.

In 1997, Wright was appointed to the Advisory Board of the Seattle Jobs Initiative. In 2000, Wright became a founding board member of the Seattle-King County Workforce Development Council, serving as the Vice-Chairperson of the Board for many years. He strongly advocated for the development of The Calculator, an online Self-Sufficiency Calculator that allows individuals to plan and develop career goals, and to determine available resources for achieving these goals.

Ron has also served as board member of the Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC) since 2000. He served as President of Board of Directors of DESC between 2014 – 2016, and as Vice-Chair 2006 – 2014. Other notable community service organizations that Ron has served as a board member for include Full Life Care (2009-2017), Coriolis Dance Collective (2016-2023), and the Queen Anne Helpline. He has been the President of the Board of Directors for the Queen Anne Helpline since 2013.

Wright is also active in the development of the sport of lacrosse, and is currently an official for all levels (youth, high school, and college) of the game. He was the Founding Director of the Seattle Metropolitan Youth Lacrosse Association in 2012. In 2018, he was awarded the National US Lacrosse Award for Excellence in Growing the Game, given annually by USA Lacrosse, the governing body of lacrosse in the U.S., to an individual who supports the USA Lacrosse mission and vision, working effectively and tirelessly to develop lacrosse in a particular geographic region.

Recognition and awards

Wright is the recipient of numerous architectural awards.

• Michelin Guide: Our Most Exciting New Hotels, The Lodge at Saint Edwards, 2023
• 23 Best Pacific Northwest Resorts, Emerald Palate, The Lodge at Saint Edwards, 2023
• American Society of Landscape Architects, Washington State Chapter, Award of Honor, Dickman Mill Headsaw, 2022
• Washington Recreation & Park Association (WRPA) Spotlight Award for excellence in facility design and construction, Dickman Mill Headsaw, 2022
• Tacoma Landmarks Preservation Commission Historic Preservation Award for Outstanding Achievement in Partnerships in Preservation, Dickman Mill Headsaw, 2022
• Historic Seattle Beth Chave Award for Best Preservation Project, The Lodge at Saint Edwards, 2021
• NAIOP Washington Chapter Hospitality Development of the Year, The Lodge at Saint Edwards, 2021
• ENR Northwest Award of Merit for Renovation, The Lodge at Saint Edwards, 2021
• Washington State Historic Preservation Officer’s Valerie Sivinski Award for Outstanding Historic Rehabilitation, The Lodge at Saint Edwards, 2021
• Historic Seattle Preserving Neighborhood Character Award, Washington Street Pergola, 2019
• NAIOP Washington Chapter Best New Hospitality Venue, The Sanctuary, 2018
• National Trust Historic Preservation Award, Washington Hall, 2017
• Historic Seattle Exemplary Stewardship Award, The Sanctuary, 2017
• Historic Seattle Preserving Community Award, Washington Hall, 2016
• AIA National Housing Award for Special Housing, Shirley Bridge Bungalows, 2007
• Washington State Historic Preservation Officers Valerie Sivinski Award for Outstanding Historic Rehabilitation, Pioneer Square Pergola, 2003
• National Trust for Historic Preservation Award, Union Station, 2000