Richard Parker

Richard has more than thirty years of experience providing comprehensive architectural design services. As principal and co-founder of 450 architects, Richard has been responsible for design and project management on a diverse range of projects and has extensive experience leading neighborhood community design workshops. Richard advocates for changes to state and local building codes to facilitate green building, social and environmental justice, and received the SAFE-BIDCO 2006 Entrepreneur of the Year Award and Certificate of Recognition from the California State Assembly. He lectured at the 2005 World Environment Day and 2007 Dwell on Design conferences and has written articles on sustainable building for the San Francisco Business Times and Green Home Guide’s “Ask an Expert” series. He volunteers his time with non-profit groups including Education Outside (formerly the San Francisco Green Schoolyard Alliance), San Francisco Urban Agriculture Association, the Youth Leadership Project for a Sustainable Future, The Local Investment in Child Care Project, and has mentored youth through the Architectural Foundation of San Francisco. Currently, he serves on the Advisory Board of Directors for the California Academy of Science’s Teacher Institute for Science and Sustainability (TISS) and the International Schoolyard Alliance. Richard has a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Cornell University and is a licensed architect in California.