IAWA Elizabeth Chu Richter Inventory

IAWA

CAUS

Elizabeth Chu Richter
Architectural Papers, 1986-2000

Ms 97-022
.5 cu. ft.

BIOGRAPHY

Elizabeth Chu Richter was born in Nanjing China in 1949. In 1963, before starting high school, she moved to the United States. Chu Richter attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she graduated with a degree in architecture in 1974. While raising three children, she worked part time on larger projects with her husband, David Richter, a fellow graduate of the University of Texas. In 1989, Chu Richter began working full time with her husband at their firm, Richter Architects, in Corpus Christi Texas.

In 1999, one of the firm's projects, the Brooks County Safety Rest Area, received numerous awards including, Texas Society of Architects Design Award, AIA Honor Award for Architecture. Chu Richter also devotes much time to public design education. She has written op-ed pieces for newspapers, and produced a radio program entitled "The Shape of Texas." See also the IAWA Biographical Database.

SCOPE AND CONTENT

The Elizabeth Chu Richter collection consists of correspondence with Milka Bliznakov, letters written which detail the career and personal life of Elizabeth and her husband, David. Numerous articles about the awards given to the Brooks County Safety Rest Area, and the Richter's residence, are also featured. Op-ed pieces that Chu has written and articles featuring the Richter's practice, color printouts of the Rest Area and the Richter's projects in Texas are included.

PROVENANCE

Elizabeth Chu Richter donated the material in the collection by way of Milka Bliznakov in February 2002. An addition was donated by Paul Campbell in 2003.

This collection is part of the International Archive of Women in Architecture (IAWA) housed the Special Collections, Digital Library and Archives, University Libraries, Virginia Tech.

INVENTORY

Folder 1
1989-1999 Biographical material, correspondence, resume, family photo, "Letters for Our Children" article about Chu

Folder 2
1985-1989 Articles, one page write-ups for various projects, firm brochure

Folder 3
1999-2002 Newsletters: Maintenance Matters; printout from e-architect website

Folder 4
1998 Brooks County Safety Rest Area: color photocopies of photographs and of drawings, write-up about project. South Texas Rest Area: computer printed photographs (10 8.5x11)

Folder 5
1988 3 issues of Texas Architect

Folder 6
1998-1999 Newspaper Clippings: Op-ed piece by Chu Richter, article about Richter Associate Architects. Demo Cassette tape: "The Shape of Texas"