“MIAD’s emphasis on writing and art history has been a huge influence on me…”
Matt Murphy
BFA Interior Architecture and Design, 2002
LEED AP BD+C | Assoc. AIA
From an early age Matt Murphy loved to draw: monsters, people, fish, everything was a subject. But, he always thought that he would become was a police officer. Even in high school Murphy thought this would be the eventual choice he would make. When he was accepted into an honors art program in high school, Murphy recognized that he could pursue art as a career. At MIAD, he noticed his work taking on linear and spatial forms during the Foundations year, and it was that realization that helped him choose Interior Architecture and Design as a major.
Currently, Murphy is an Associate with Architecture RMTA | Rees Masilionis Turley Architecture in Kansas City, and the recipient of the prestigious AIA Jason Pettigrew Memorial ARE Scholarship. His previous projects include a national insurance company’s headquarters outside of Los Angeles and renovation of a nightclub into a law office in Kansas City. Murphy previously worked on retail shopping centers throughout the country, as well as renovations to Kauffman Stadium for the Kansas City Royals and a convention center in Doha, Qatar.
“My educational and personal background in fine arts provides a unique lens to approach architecture through multiple facets of creative and critical thinking. My ability to take broad issues and break them down into feasible components combined with my strong management background allows me to contribute greatly to the field of architecture and my community. This is all a direct response to my formative years at MIAD. I treat architecture, like I did my education, as an apprenticeship leading up to professional licensure or ownership in a firm. Much like the build-up and culmination of the Senior Thesis project, it is not something that happens overnight. It is an ongoing process.
MIAD’s emphasis on writing and art history has been a huge influence on me. Though I did not realize it at the time, the greatest impact came from liberal studies faculty. For these instructors, there was never a right or wrong answer. Rather, a push to dig deeper beyond the surface and when you have done that, to keep digging. When the journey becomes about the process and not the end result, you know you have learned something valuable.”
Nall Valley Shoppes
Kauffman Stadium Renovations Hall of Fame: Photo credit: Populous
Nall Valley Shoppes: Photo credit: Mike Sinclair
