Michael G. Turnbull
Encyclopedia
Michael G. Turnbull, FAIA
(born April 13, 1949) is an American architect
who has spent much of his career in the public sector
as a custodian of major public buildings, notably the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC as the Assistant to the Architect of the Capitol
and as the Director of Design and Construction at the Art Institute of Chicago
. In recognition of his achievements in architecture and his dedication in maintaining these national treasures, the American Institute of Architects
elected him to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects in 2005.
He was born in Stratford, Ontario
, Canada
. His father, Gordon McKinnon Turnbull, was a soldier
and World War II
veteran
of The Royal Canadian Regiment
, frequently stationed in Great Britain
as part of Canada's contribution to the Imperial Forces of the British Empire
defending the political and cultural center of the Empire, the United Kingdom
, during the Battle of Britain
. Michael's mother, Catherine Agnes Turnbull, was an Irish
immigrant who had moved to Manchester
, England
following the Irish War of Independence
and became a war bride during World War II, moving to Canada with her Canadian husband following his discharge. In 1960, on the same night of the U.S. presidential election, 1960 that saw the election of John F. Kennedy
, Michael moved with his family as a child to Chicago, Illinois and would become a U.S. citizen seven years later.
Growing up in the Chicago suburb of Oak Park, Illinois
, home to renowned architect
Frank Lloyd Wright
, young Michael developed an interest in Wright's profession. While in Oak Park, Turnbull attended Oak Park and River Forest High School
, graduating as a member of the Class of 1967. He later received his Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago
.
After several stints at private architectural firms, including Skidmore, Owings and Merrill
, he entered the public sphere. In 1984, he became the Staff Architect for the Art Institute of Chicago
, responsible for overseeing the expansion of the museum through the Rice Building addition and the museum's renovation of Buckingham Fountain
for the Chicago Park District. By the time he left the museum in 1998, he was the Director of Design and Construction, one of the most senior officers at the art museum. While a resident of the Chicago
metropolitan area
, Mr. Turnbull served as a member of the Board of Governors
of the Illinois St. Andrew Society.
In 1998, Mr. Turnbull became the 5th Assistant Architect of the Capitol, serving under Architect of the Capitol
Alan M. Hantman
, FAIA
. He is currently the representative of the Architect of the Capitol on the National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission
and the Zoning
Commission of the District of Columbia. Professionally, he is a member of the Society of College and University Planners, the American Planning Association
, and of course the American Institute of Architects
.
As Assistant Architect, Turnbull's most prominent projects included the renovation of the Dirksen Senate Office Building
, repairs and modernization of the conservatory of the United States Botanic Garden
, and the expansion and modernization of the United States Supreme Court building
. The Supreme Court project was the most comprehensive Turnbull was responsible for, working closely with Justices Sandra Day O'Connor
, Anthony Kennedy
, and David Souter
, as well as Sally Rider who served as Administrative Assistant to the Chief Justice under Chief Justice
William H. Rehnquist. For his service to the Supreme Court of the United States
, both Justices O'Connor and Kennedy recommended Turnbull for his Fellowship in the American Institute of Architects
.
Turnbull lives in Northern Virginia
with his wife, Joan; they have two children.
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...
(born April 13, 1949) is an American architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
who has spent much of his career in the public sector
Public sector
The public sector, sometimes referred to as the state sector, is a part of the state that deals with either the production, delivery and allocation of goods and services by and for the government or its citizens, whether national, regional or local/municipal.Examples of public sector activity range...
as a custodian of major public buildings, notably the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC as the Assistant to the Architect of the Capitol
Architect of the Capitol
The Architect of the Capitol is the federal agency responsible for the maintenance, operation, development, and preservation of the United States Capitol Complex, and also the head of that agency. The Architect of the Capitol is in the legislative branch and is responsible to the United States...
and as the Director of Design and Construction at the Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago is one of America's largest accredited independent schools of art and design, located in the Loop in Chicago, Illinois. It is associated with the museum of the same name, and "The Art Institute of Chicago" or "Chicago Art Institute" often refers to either...
. In recognition of his achievements in architecture and his dedication in maintaining these national treasures, 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...
elected him to the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects in 2005.
He was born in Stratford, Ontario
Stratford, Ontario
Stratford is a city on the Avon River in Perth County in southwestern Ontario, Canada with a population of 32,000.When the area was first settled by Europeans in 1832, the townsite and the river were named after Stratford-upon-Avon, England. It is the seat of Perth County. Stratford was...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. His father, Gordon McKinnon Turnbull, was a soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
veteran
Veteran
A veteran is a person who has had long service or experience in a particular occupation or field; " A veteran of ..."...
of The Royal Canadian Regiment
The Royal Canadian Regiment
The Royal Canadian Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Canadian Forces. The regiment consists of four battalions, three in the Regular Force and one in the Primary Reserve...
, frequently stationed in Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
as part of Canada's contribution to the Imperial Forces of the British Empire
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
defending the political and cultural center of the Empire, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, during the Battle of Britain
Battle of Britain
The Battle of Britain is the name given to the World War II air campaign waged by the German Air Force against the United Kingdom during the summer and autumn of 1940...
. Michael's mother, Catherine Agnes Turnbull, was an Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
immigrant who had moved to Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
following the Irish War of Independence
Irish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence , Anglo-Irish War, Black and Tan War, or Tan War was a guerrilla war mounted by the Irish Republican Army against the British government and its forces in Ireland. It began in January 1919, following the Irish Republic's declaration of independence. Both sides agreed...
and became a war bride during World War II, moving to Canada with her Canadian husband following his discharge. In 1960, on the same night of the U.S. presidential election, 1960 that saw the election of John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
, Michael moved with his family as a child to Chicago, Illinois and would become a U.S. citizen seven years later.
Growing up in the Chicago suburb of Oak Park, Illinois
Oak Park, Illinois
Oak Park, Illinois is a suburb bordering the west side of the city of Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. It is the twenty-fifth largest municipality in Illinois. Oak Park has easy access to downtown Chicago due to public transportation such as the Chicago 'L' Blue and Green lines,...
, home to renowned architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright was an American architect, interior designer, writer and educator, who designed more than 1,000 structures and completed 500 works. Wright believed in designing structures which were in harmony with humanity and its environment, a philosophy he called organic architecture...
, young Michael developed an interest in Wright's profession. While in Oak Park, Turnbull attended Oak Park and River Forest High School
Oak Park and River Forest High School
Oak Park and River Forest High School, or OPRF, is a public four-year high school located in Oak Park, Illinois, a western suburb of Chicago, Illinois, in the United States. It is the only school of Oak Park and River Forest District 200....
, graduating as a member of the Class of 1967. He later received his Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago
University of Illinois at Chicago
The University of Illinois at Chicago, or UIC, is a state-funded public research university located in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its campus is in the Near West Side community area, near the Chicago Loop...
.
After several stints at private architectural firms, including Skidmore, Owings and Merrill
Skidmore, Owings and Merrill
Skidmore, Owings and Merrill LLP is an American architectural and engineering firm that was formed in Chicago in 1936 by Louis Skidmore and Nathaniel Owings; in 1939 they were joined by John O. Merrill. They opened their first branch in New York City, New York in 1937. SOM is one of the largest...
, he entered the public sphere. In 1984, he became the Staff Architect for the Art Institute of Chicago
Art Institute of Chicago
The School of the Art Institute of Chicago is one of America's largest accredited independent schools of art and design, located in the Loop in Chicago, Illinois. It is associated with the museum of the same name, and "The Art Institute of Chicago" or "Chicago Art Institute" often refers to either...
, responsible for overseeing the expansion of the museum through the Rice Building addition and the museum's renovation of Buckingham Fountain
Buckingham Fountain
Buckingham Fountain is a Chicago landmark in the center of Grant Park. Dedicated in 1927, it is one of the largest fountains in the world. Built in a rococo wedding cake style and inspired by the Latona Fountain at the Palace of Versailles, it is meant to allegorically represent Lake Michigan...
for the Chicago Park District. By the time he left the museum in 1998, he was the Director of Design and Construction, one of the most senior officers at the art museum. While a resident of the Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
metropolitan area
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
, Mr. Turnbull served as a member of the Board of Governors
Board of governors
Board of governors is a term sometimes applied to the board of directors of a public entity or non-profit organization.Many public institutions, such as public universities, are government-owned corporations. The British Broadcasting Corporation was managed by a board of governors, though this role...
of the Illinois St. Andrew Society.
In 1998, Mr. Turnbull became the 5th Assistant Architect of the Capitol, serving under Architect of the Capitol
Architect of the Capitol
The Architect of the Capitol is the federal agency responsible for the maintenance, operation, development, and preservation of the United States Capitol Complex, and also the head of that agency. The Architect of the Capitol is in the legislative branch and is responsible to the United States...
Alan M. Hantman
Alan M. Hantman
Alan M. Hantman, FAIA is an American architect who served as the 10th Architect of the Capitol from February 1997 until February 2007. As Architect of the Capitol, he was responsible to the United States Congress for the maintenance, operation, development, and preservation of the United States...
, FAIA
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...
. He is currently the representative of the Architect of the Capitol on the National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission
National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission
The National Capital Memorial Advisory Commission is the organ of the United States government responsible for approving memorials within Washington, DC and nearby neighboring areas. It was established by Public Law 99-652, Sec. 4 on November 14, 1986...
and the Zoning
Zoning
Zoning is a device of land use planning used by local governments in most developed countries. The word is derived from the practice of designating permitted uses of land based on mapped zones which separate one set of land uses from another...
Commission of the District of Columbia. Professionally, he is a member of the Society of College and University Planners, the American Planning Association
American Planning Association
The American Planning Association is a professional organization representing the field of city and regional planning in the United States. The APA was formed in 1978 when two separate professional planning organizations, the American Institute of Planners and the American Society of Planning...
, and of course 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...
.
As Assistant Architect, Turnbull's most prominent projects included the renovation of the Dirksen Senate Office Building
Dirksen Senate Office Building
The Dirksen Senate Office Building is the second office building constructed for members of the United States Senate in Washington, D.C., and was named for the late Minority Leader Everett Dirksen from Illinois in 1972.-History:...
, repairs and modernization of the conservatory of the United States Botanic Garden
United States Botanic Garden
The United States Botanic Garden is a botanic garden on the grounds of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., near Garfield Circle....
, and the expansion and modernization of the United States Supreme Court building
United States Supreme Court building
The Supreme Court Building is the seat of the Supreme Court of the United States. It is situated in Washington, D.C. at 1 First Street, NE, on the block immediately east of the United States Capitol. The building is under the jurisdiction of the Architect of the Capitol. On May 4, 1987, the Supreme...
. The Supreme Court project was the most comprehensive Turnbull was responsible for, working closely with Justices Sandra Day O'Connor
Sandra Day O'Connor
Sandra Day O'Connor is an American jurist who was the first female member of the Supreme Court of the United States. She served as an Associate Justice from 1981 until her retirement from the Court in 2006. O'Connor was appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1981...
, Anthony Kennedy
Anthony Kennedy
Anthony McLeod Kennedy is an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, having been appointed by President Ronald Reagan in 1988. Since the retirement of Sandra Day O'Connor, Kennedy has often been the swing vote on many of the Court's politically charged 5–4 decisions...
, and David Souter
David Souter
David Hackett Souter is a former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. He served from 1990 until his retirement on June 29, 2009. Appointed by President George H. W. Bush to fill the seat vacated by William J...
, as well as Sally Rider who served as Administrative Assistant to the Chief Justice under Chief Justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
William H. Rehnquist. For his service to the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
, both Justices O'Connor and Kennedy recommended Turnbull for his Fellowship 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...
.
Turnbull lives in Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia
Northern Virginia consists of several counties and independent cities in the Commonwealth of Virginia, in a widespread region generally radiating southerly and westward from Washington, D.C...
with his wife, Joan; they have two children.