Willie Parks is a registered architect in RRMM’s DoD/Federal Design Studio. He is a LEED Accredited Professional BD+C, a Post-Disaster Safety Assessment Program (SAP) Evaluator, as well as CQM-C and NCARB certified. While Willie now works solely for our DoD/Federal Studio, he has previously worked for our K-12, Higher Ed, Municipal, and Special Projects Studios.
Willie is a graduate of Hampton University, where he earned his Master of Architecture in 2015. He is the recipient of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Henry Adams Medal. This award honors a Master of Architecture graduate who is qualified by the highest scholastic standing, character, and professional promise.
During his time as a Hampton University student, Willie was an integral member of a group of architecture students who worked on a Virginia Sea Grant funded project. The project sought to find ways to protect an historic Norfolk neighborhood from sea level rise. This began Willie’s interest and subsequent architectural specialty in sea level rise and resilient design.
Willie grew up around construction and from a young age, was always playing with Legos and building things in his family’s garage. Everyone told his parents they thought he would grow up to be an architect or an engineer. In college, he worked for a small home builder doing everything from septic tank installation to house framing. While he loved the construction field, he realized that after graduating with a degree in architecture, working at a design firm was a better use of his skillset.
“I found a home doing architecture, which I love,” says Willie, “but I still remain true to my construction roots by bringing in the field knowledge of thinking through how the building will actually be constructed.”
Willie utilizes this construction knowledge during project coordination, one of his favorite parts of the project process.
Willie is an avid golfer, and one of the key organizers behind RRMM’s Annual Golf Tournament, which raises significant funds for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. He currently serves as a member of the Virginia Beach Planning Commission and as an Assistant Vice Chair for the Society of American Military Engineers (SAME) Credentialing Committee.