Austin Design Leader Lawrence Speck Joins LPA
Lawrence Speck brings decades of influence on Austin’s built environment to LPA Design Studios.
AUSTIN, Texas, March 10, 2026 — LPA Design Studios has welcomed Lawrence Speck, a respected architect, educator and leader, as a Senior Designer in Austin. Speck’s influence on the city is vast. He brings a deep understanding of the region’s design lexicon to LPA, shaped by decades of watching Austin grow, and helping guide its planning efforts. He has helped lead major projects, such as the development of a 40-block area around the Texas State Capitol, the Town Lake Master Plan, Austin Convention Center, University of Texas at Austin campus and the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport expansion project.
His deep involvement in Austin’s transformation, combined with his current role at UT Austin educating the next generation of designers, brings a unique perspective to LPA. He frames the firm’s opportunity in Austin clearly: The city needs more design horsepower. And he sees an opportunity to help achieve exactly that at LPA.
“Bringing Lawrence Speck into the LPA fold is a rare moment of the stars aligning — one that strengthens our impact in Austin and deepens our contribution to the city’s design legacy,” said LPA President and Chief Design Officer Keith Hempel, FAIA. “Larry’s storied connection to Austin and passion for design excellence, community‑driven placemaking and meaningful carbon‑reduction strategies resonate deeply with the principles that guide LPA.”
For Speck, “LPA is the right culture fit for me — the sincerity, the attitude, the authenticity. I love the interdisciplinary approach of everybody working together, the commitment to sustainability. It is just an ideal fit.”
Over the past 25 years, Speck’s work has earned more than 120 design awards, including 30+ from the American Institute of Architects. As an educator, he has received more than 40 teaching and service honors, including the AIA/ACSA Topaz Medallion, the highest recognition in North America for excellence in architectural education. He has taught at M.I.T., the University of Western Australia and the University of Texas at Austin, where helped found the Center for American Architecture and Design, before serving as Dean for the School of Architecture from 1992 – 2001. Speck is also an AIA Fellow and served as chair of the jury to select fellows in 2005.
“Larry is an invaluable resource that will help connect LPA with Austin’s vibrant community of designers and collaborators,” said LPA Austin Managing Director Sophia Razzaque. “His thought leadership and nuanced understanding of the city will bring fresh perspective to every design challenge, strengthening the work we do and contributing to Austin’s evolving landscape.”
His work has been profiled in outlets such as The Atlantic, The New York Times and Business Week; in American industry publications such as Architectural Record, Architecture, Architectural Digest, Architect, Interior Design, Contract and Progressive Architecture; and in international journals such as The Architectural Review (England), OFX (Italy), Design Community (China), Baumeister (Germany), Projeto (Brazil), Tasarim (Turkey), Ottagano (Italy), Nikkei Construction (Japan) and Architectural Design (England).
As the 2025 winner of the AIA Architecture Firm Award, LPA is proud to bring on Speck’s immense design talent to help elevate the firm and the City of Austin at large.
