Tom E Johnson AIA: Principal

Principal Thomas Emhardt Johnson, AIA, a registered Architect and member of the American Institute of Architects, has practiced architecture since 1981. He has been involved in a wide variety of projects including large-scale urban office buildings with large historic preservation components, museum exhibition design, and site planning. In the last ten years, Mr. Johnson has led the architectural effort on numerous theatre and performing arts facilities and studies for a wide range of clients including presenters, operators, not for profit organizations, and performance groups.

The theatre projects address the design of performance areas, patron support, back of house support, and operational considerations as well as theatre and building systems. The historic theatre projects additionally involve restoration of finishes, adaptation for modern technology, stage house design or rebuilding to accommodate modern theatrical product, incorporation of digital cinema, and navigation of the preservation process including investment tax credits.

Prior to the formation of Martinez & Johnson Architects PC where he is a founding Principal, Mr. Johnson was a Senior Designer and Senior Associate at two highly respected national architecture firms. Martinez & Johnson Architecture is a Washington, DC based practice that brings expertise to a national scope of projects within the firm’s focus of commercial, institutional, and multi-family residential work with a special interest in the rehabilitation, restoration, and adaptive reuse of historic theatres and movie palaces for many different users and interest groups. A thread running through the firm’s work is an understanding of the issues involving historic and existing structures, including technical repair and restoration, feasibility planning, and consensus building within the preservation community in order to bring these facilities back to life. Mr. Johnson serves on professional committees including the DC / AIA Design Committee, advises neighborhood associations and other community groups, and has taught and lectured at several colleges of architecture.

Education

University of Virginia, Master of Architecture 1981
University College, Dublin, Eire, Bachelor of Architecture 1978
Clemson University, Bachelor of Arts (Architecture) 1976
Harvard University GSD, ’Theatres For a New Century’ 1997

Professional

Registered Architect in Virginia, Washington, DC,
Maryland, and New Jersey

Affiliations

American Institute of Architects
Washington Chapter AIA Design Committee
DC Preservation League
League of Historic American Theatres, Board of Directors
(2003 - ) and vice president (2007 - )
United States Institute for Theatre Technology, Inc
International Association of Assembly Managers
Theatre Historical Society
National Trust for Historic Preservation
Association for Preservation Technology

Community

Board Member, Montessori School of Northern Virginia
Lake Barcroft Community Association
Westminster School Parents Association
Sleepy Hollow Bath & Raquet Club

Selected Projects Performing Arts

The Plaza Theatre, El Paso, TX
The Paramount Theater, Charlottesville, VA
The Colonial Theatre, Pittsfield, MA
The Grand Opera House, Meridian, MS
The Mississippi State University Riley Educational and Performing Arts Center, Eutaw Performing Arts Center, Baltimore, MD
The State Theatre, Falls Church, VA
The Pantages (Utah) Theatre, Salt Lake City, UT
The Ford Center for the Performing Arts ticketing operations, NYC
Warner Theatre 75th Anniversary Exhibition
Warner Theatre, Washington, DC New Marquee
The Historic Sweasey Theatre, Eureka, CA
The Victory Theatre, Scottsville, VA
Times Square Theatre renovation study, NYC
Saenger Theatre Due Diligence survey, New Orleans, LA
The Majestic and Empire Theatres Due Diligence Survey,
San Antonio, TX
Visions Theatre, Washington, DC
Poindexter Hall, Mississippi College for Women, MS
The Ashland, Ashland, VA
The Howard Theatre, Washington, DC
The Maryland Theatre for the Performing Arts, Annapolis, MD
The Juliet Theatre, Poughkeepsie, NY
Ford’s Theatre Education Center, Washington, DC

Institutional

Center for Arms Control and Non-proliferation, Washington, DC
Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, Washington, DC
Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Washington, DC
National Museum of Civil War Medicine, Frederick, MD
Brazilian Naval Commission, Washington, DC
Ambassador's Residence, State of Kuwait, Washington, DC
Nigerian Chancery, Washington, DC
Royal Thai Chancery, Georgetown, Washington, DC
The Catholic University of America, School of Law Competition, Wash., DC
Meadowridge Memorial Park, Baltimore, MD

Commercial

1600 K Street, NW, Washington, DC
The Gallup Building at 901 F Street, NW, Washington, DC
1150 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC
Park Place Office Building 3, Annapolis, Maryland The Mills Building, El Paso, TX
City of Baltimore Housing Authority, Baltimore, MD
Congress Hotel (The Kernan Apartments), Baltimore, MD
Internal Revenue Service Building Competition, Prince
Georges County, MD
Naval Systems Command Competition, Fairfax, VA
Carnegie Square, Washington, DC
Woodlands Job Corps Design/Build competition, Laurel, MD
Capitol Square, Washington, DC
Buckingham Town Center, Arlington, VA
The Bond Building, Washington, DC
The Army and Navy Club Building, Washington, DC
SATOTravel, Sterling, VA

Multi-family Residential

Alban Towers, Washington, DC
Summit Grand Parc, Washington, DC
The Manhattan, Washington, DC
The Bryan School conversion, Washington, DC
The Lovejoy School conversion, Washington, DC
NIDC, Housing Opportunities Commission, Silver Spring, MD
Canada Dry Bottling Plant conversion, Silver Spring, MD
Oaks at Tysons repositioning, Vienna, VA
Hastings Square, Baltimore, MD
The Saratoga, Baltimore, MD

Retail

Old Post Office, East and West Pavilions, Washington, DC
‘Cady’s Alley,’ Georgetown, Washington, DC
5185 MacArthur Boulevard, NW, Washington, DC
1400 New York Avenue, NW, Washington, DC
Benetton, 1200 Wisconsin Avenue, Washington, DC
5020 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Washington, DC
East River Park Shopping Center, Washington, DC
Stroud's, The Linen Experts, Bethesda, MD

Urban Design

Arts District Corridor, New Orleans, LA
Gateway Park to the Georgetown Waterfront, Francis
Scott Key Foundation, Washington, DC
Glen Echo Park Master Plan for Glen Echo Foundation,
Glen Echo, MD
First Street Corridor Amenity Study for Capitol Hill
Business Association, Washington, DC

Recent Lectures and Classes

2007 The Incorporation of Twenty-first Century Technology in the Restoration of Nineteenth Century Theatres, Traditional Building Conference, New Orleans, LA
2006 Historic Theatres and their Economic Impact on Communities (with Joe Jeffcoat, Strand Capitol Theatre, Deborah Smith, Newberry Opera House; and Fran Holden, Executive Director, League of Historic American Theatres) National Institute of Arts Leadership and Performing Arts Exchange, Baltimore, MD
2006 The Restoration of the Decorative Surfaces of Historic Theatres: The Meridian Opera House (with Jeff Greene, EverGreene Painting Studios), Washington, DC
2006 Laser Scanning in the Recordation of Historic Resources, Office of the Chief Architect, US General Services Administration
2006 The Grand Opera House, The Mississippi Heritage Trust, Meridian, MS
2006 Recording Historic Buildings (with Mitch Schlefik, Optira), Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Jackson, MS
2005 The Restoration of the Paramount Theater, Virginia Chapter, American Institute of Architects
2004 2004 Restoration of the Old Masonic Temple (with David Stern, ICG Properties and Mason Osborn, Karchem Properties), Catholic University of America, Washington, DC
2003 Restoring Historic Buildings, University of Maryland School of Architecture