UCLA AUD Spring 2025 Events: Frederick Fisher (MArch ‘75), “Themes”

May 12, 2025, 5:30 pm, Perloff Hall Decafe

As Founding Partner of FF&P, Frederick Fisher, FAAR, AIA is a self-described “liberal arts guy.” He is an avid reader, traveler, and arts-lover, and his approach to architecture reflects his innate intellectual curiosity and broad cultural and social perspective. His list of projects includes the renovation of Princeton’s Firestone Library, MoMA/PS1 in New York, The Annenberg Community Beach House, Sunnylands Visitor Center and Gardens, Erburu and Fielding Galleries of the Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens, and numerous galleries, studios, and homes.

FF&P recently completed the City of Santa Monica City Hall East, a full Living Building Challenge certified essential building, and the Jimmy lovine and Andre Young Hall at USC. Opening this fall are the Vassar Institute for the Liberal Arts and Heartwood Inn, and a major addition to the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles. A mixed use campus expansion for Lawrence University, containing an art museum, academic and residential space is in construction, and a hub for computer science at Princeton, Schmidt Hall, is “on the boards”.

Fred’s long-spanning accomplishments as a design leader were recognized in 2013 with the AIA|LA Gold Medal. He received the Rome Prize in Architecture from the American Academy, and the Brendan Gill Award from the Municipal Art Society of New York for MoMA/PS1. FF&P received the AIA|LA Presidential Honoree 2020 Building Team of the Year Award and the Southern California Development Forum 2020 Design Award in Technological Innovation for the Santa Monica City Hall East, the AIA 20 Year Award for Bergamot Station Art Center, and the California AIA 2024 Firm Award.

Fred received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Oberlin College in art and art history and a Master of Architecture degree from UCLA. He was Chairman of the Environmental Design Department at Otis College of Art & Design, and currently serves on the Board of Governors. Fred is also a board member of the USC School of Architecture, the UCLA School of the Arts, the Ojai Music Festival, and Lawrence University. As founder of FFP, he directs a practice that prides itself on architecture that is responsive, realistic, responsible, and revelatory. “If you create architecture that improves the lives of those who use it and its community, and brings pleasure and fulfillment,” he says, “then you’ve done your job as an architect.” Fred is co-author of “Robert Venturi’s Rome” and is a frequent guest speaker.