HENRY HOBSON RICHARDSON AWARD

Martin D. Stein,

AIA Principal Architect, Urbahn Architects

Martin D. Stein, AIA has pursued public architectural design excellence for nearly 70 years. His contributions go beyond leading the design of notable projects; he has been an inspirational mentor, led Urbahn Architects’ practice through tumultuous economic cycles, and guided his firm’s transition to a collaborative practice.

Upon receiving a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Penn State, Marty joined the US Army and served as Base Architect during the Korean War where he won the top award in a base camp camouflage design competition. He then worked at Resnick and Greene, designing high-rise apartment buildings. Four years later, he joined the Office of Max O. Urbahn Architects, which was leading one of the nation’s most prominent projects: the transformation of the NASA Kennedy Space Center to support the Apollo Mission to land on the Moon. Starting as Staff Architect, Marty quickly rose to Lead Architect for the Launch Control Center, which has since been featured in many movies and continues to operate to this day. As Urbahn’s Director of Design, he both led teams on numerous celebrated projects and mentored generations of designers, many of whom would later establish successful practices of their own.

In 1980, Marty took the reins of a firm battered by NYC’s fiscal crisis. Through his grit and dogged problem-solving, he rebuilt Urbahn Architects, and in the process, altered its 1960s “Madmen” founder-centric character into a mission-driven culture that recognized the precedence of public service over personal glorification.

Never content to work solely on prominent commissions, he has designed countless small-scale projects, with any additional free time devoted to sculpture and painting.

Marty’s passion has always been planning and design. As Urbahn’s President, he hired and nurtured the current principals of the firm, leading to a gradual governance transition over two decades. Today, at 92 years old, he continues to work 40+ hour weeks, driving the design for multiple projects.

Celebrating Projects and Partnerships

Congratulations to all of this year’s Jeffrey J. Zogg Build NY Award winners. Special thanks to our valued partners – Clark Patterson Lee and M/E Engineering – and everyone who played a role on the Sands-Constellation Center for Critical Care at Rochester General Hospital.