Larry Speck


Lawrence Speck is the principal of Austin-based architecture and engineering firm, Page, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin, and holds the W. L. Moody Centennial Professorship in Architecture. He is a past president of the Texas Society of Architecture. He was dean of the School of Architecture at the University of Texas at Austin from 1992 to 2001 and served as founding director of the Center of American Architecture and Design from 1982 to 1990. He attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as an undergraduate receiving two degrees, one in art and design from the School of Architecture and one in management from the Sloan School of Management. He also received his Master of Architecture from M.I.T.

Writings

He is the author of over 50 publications focusing primarily on twentieth-century American architecture and urbanism. He has written 2 complete books, "Technology, Sustainability, and Cultural Identity" and "Landmarks of Texas Architecture" and edited and contributed chapters to several others. He also wrote and hosted the PBS documentary, "Building the American City: San Antonio". Speck joined the University of Texas at Austin faculty in 1975 and currently teaches an entry level undergraduate course, "Architecture and Society", a graduate seminar on "Theory and Practice", and Advanced Design. Some teaching awards include: UT Most Interesting Professor Award, Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award, and Edward J. Rominiec Award, given by Texas Society of Architects to outstanding architectural educator. Previously, he taught "Architectural Design Theory" and "Criticism of Architecture" at M.I.T.

Designs

Speck was lead designer for the Austin Convention Center completed in 1992, the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport completed in 1998 and Rough Creek Lodge completed in 1999, and contributed to the Town Lake Master Plan, which shapes development in downtown Austin. In 1999 Speck joined PageSoutherlandPage where he is now one of five principals. PageSoutherlandPage has offices in Houston, Denver, Dallas, Austin and Washington, D.C. Over the last 25 years his design work has won 42 national design awards, 23 state or regional design awards and 66 local design awards. Recent design awards include: AIA Houston Design Award For Architecture, Society Of American Registered Architects Design Award, Business Week/Architectural Record “Good Design Is Good Business” Award Of Excellence, Dream Home Awards, Best Condominium/Loft, and Brick In Architecture Gold Award.
He has also served on advisory boards for two U.S. governmental agencies, two national environmental non-profits and five schools of architecture.
Larry Speck lives in Austin, Texas.

List of major works