Minnesota
Law Passed: 1921 • Joined NCARB: 1922 • Region 4—Mid-Central States (1965)
The Components of Licensure
Education
1922: Each year of college completed is equivalent to one year of experience.
1991: A degree from a NAAB-accredited program is required.
Experience
1922: Applicants must complete six years of experience.
1945: Board adopts “architect-in-training” provision.
1983: The IDP is accepted.
1991: Candidates are required to complete the IDP.
Examination
1933: An oral or written exam is required for licensure.
1954: Minnesota models its examination after NCARB’s syllabus.
1958: Passage of NCARB’s exam is required for licensure.
Noteworthy
The board has been multi-discipline since its inception, including licensure of architects, engineers, and land surveyors; landscape architects, interior designers, geologists, and soil scientists were added later.
In 1945, the board began requiring that all applicants sign a code of ethics. The board hired its first investigator in 1969.
A. Reinhold Melander was appointed to the board on February 15, 1938, and served until January 1, 1972—a period of 34 years. He was the board’s chair for nearly a decade.
Minnesota architect Lorenzo D. Williams, FAIA, served as NCARB’s first African-American president. Williams and 2015 NCARB President’s Medalist James O’Brien were business partners for 37 years, known for their focus on urban renewal and development. They designed several low-income housing developments in the Twin Cities. Williams also served on state and national commissions dedicated to making public buildings accessible, with appointments by President Lyndon Johnson and two Minnesota governors.
Notable People
NCARB Presidents
1961-62: A. Reinhold Melander, FAIA (Duluth)
1979: Lorenzo D. Williams, FAIA (Minneapolis)
Additional Members of the NCARB Board of Directors
1980-83: Edward A. Sövik, FAIA (Northfiled)
1990-94: Robert L. Morgan, FAIA (Minnetonka)
1994-97: Richard A. Moorhead (Moorhead)
2007-2009: James W. O’Brien, FAIA (New Brighton)
2010-13: Gary E. Demele, FAIA (St. Paul)
First Chairman/President
1921: Paul Doty
First Architect Chairman
1938: A. Reinhold Melander, FAIA
First Board Members
Harry Taylor Downs (Secretary/Treasurer)
Frank Woodmas McKellip
Augustus F. Gauger
Dwight E. Woodbridge
F. G. German
Norris Y. Taylor
First Non-Board Member License Issued
1921: Frederick C. Klawiter
First Woman Licensed
1921: Emma Brunson
NCARB President Medalists
2006: Doreen Frost (St. Paul)
2015: James W. O’Brien, FAIA (New Brighton)
