Robert Murase

Robert Murase (1938 – July 19 2005) was a world renowned landscape architect. His work throughout the Pacific Northwest demonstrates the skill and passion he had for landscape design. He was known as one of the best landscape designers locally and internationally.

Murase was born in San Francisco as a third generation Japanese-American. Murase graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a BLA in landscape architecture. He was hired by Robert [http://www.tclf.org/mitchell_park.htm Royston & Associates] in 1965. To further enrich his experience in the landscape architecture field Murase moved to Japan, where he maintained a practice for almost 10 years conducting garden research at Kyoto University. He then moved to Portland to become a local Oregonian. He taught at the University of Oregon's Department of Landscape Architecture for a few years and then he worked for the [http://www.edaw.com EDAW] in Portland, OR. In 1982, he formed [http://www.murase.com Murase Associates] in Portland, and opened a Seattle office in 1989. His firm went on to win about 50 design awards. He was a fellow member of the [http://www.asla.org American Society of Landscape Architects] and honorary member of [http://www.aia.org AIA] Seattle.

Designs and influences

Murase found roots in his own ancestry where he incorporated the elements that are often found in Japanese gardens. His signature material was stone, strongly influenced from stone sculptor Isamu Noguchi. The Japanese American Historical Plaza along Portland's waterfront was strongly influenced by the internment camp of 110,000 Japanese-Americans.Bennett, Sam. [http://www.djc.com/news/ae/11170151.html%20%C2%A0 "Robert Murase: 'a poet of stone and water',"] "Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce." July 21, 2005.] He was relocated from San Francisco and interned at the Topaz War Relocation Center along with his parents as a child.LandscapeOnline.com: [http://www.landscapeonline.com/research/article.php?id=5908 Moment of Silence–Robert K. Murase, FASLA.] ] He influenced others by being a guest speaker at universities, museums, and other institutions. He recently authored Touching the Stones, a book tracing 100 years of Japanese American history, which is based on his design of the Japanese American Historical Plaza.

Robert Murase died at age 66 from heart attack complications.Brown, Charles E. [http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/obituaries "Robert Murase, 66, noted landscape architect,"] "Seattle Times". July 23, 2005.] Robert was known as a true artist who had soul, where his works were poetical and often spiritual due to the emotional thought process he had with designing sites. Influenced by his Japanese heritage, Robert used elements that mimicked nature. "I always considered him a poet of stone and water," stated by John Nesholm of LMN Architects.

Notable projects

Murase took pride in many of his projects; but, according to colleagues, he was proudest of the Japanese American Historical Plaza along Portland's waterfront.
* Japanese American Historical Plaza, Portland, Oregon
* Garden of Remembrance downtown Seattle.
*Pier 69 headquarters of the Port of Seattle.
* Esther Short Park in Vancouver.
* Astoria Waterfront Redevelopment.
*Grand Canyon transit center.
* Japanese American Museum in Los Angeles.
*St. Croix National Scenic Riverway in Wisconsin.
* Sumitomo Museum in Kyoto, Japan.

References