Richard Marshall grew up in Adelaide, Australia, drawn early to urban form and design. Even before formal training, he saw how imagination could shape entire cities, a fascination forged through sketching and daydreaming. Once he graduated, a large-scale urban design master plan captured his attention and never let go.
From Global Strategist to L.A. Leader
In early 2021, Perkins&Will named Marshall Managing Director of its Los Angeles studio. Before that, he had spent eight years steering the firm’s international strategy, a role where his cultural empathy shone bright. During this time, he lent his leadership to major global events: the Sydney 2000 Olympics overlay, Beijing 2008’s central spine, and London 2012’s urban regeneration planning.
His career spans continents, Australia, China, Malaysia, the Middle East, and roles in academia, including Harvard’s Graduate School of Design, Tongji University in Shanghai, and Sydney’s University of Technology. He’s also written four books on urban design, ranging from Hong Kong’s edge to waterfronts in post-industrial cities.
Leading with Listening and Equity
Marshall began his tenure in Los Angeles with a clear intention: to listen. He wanted to understand Los Angeles from the inside out, to absorb its character and pulse, for clients, staff, and community members.
His guiding principle? Social and environmental equity. He vowed to embed these values into every stage of the design process, from community engagement to construction to project delivery, especially in neighborhoods long overlooked by investment.
Building Inclusive Spaces and Teams
In an insightful conversation with Authority Magazine, Richard shared that creating inclusive workplaces starts with leadership and structures that support it, like a J.E.D.I. council (Justice, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion) and a Talent Stream group. These ensure a diversity of voices is heard and hold the firm accountable to inclusive principles.
He also shared a heartfelt life philosophy: “When you succeed, be humble and appreciate that it takes a team. When you get a failure, don’t dwell on it but understand your role in it.”
On the lighter side, his first weeks designing a porte-cochère in Singapore threatened to become a design disaster, until he learned his plan unintentionally resembled gravestones at a Chinese cemetery. He took it in stride, and he shares it now with warmth and poise.
Bringing It All Together
Richard’s leadership is a tapestry woven from hands-on design, global experiences, teaching, and deep listening. It’s an approach anchored in curiosity, humility, empathy, and the drive to build equitable, inclusive places and workplaces to match.
