Stephen Durkee founded Durkee Brown Architects in 1994, and by the time he left in 2010, Durkee, Brown, Viveiros, and Werenfels was one of the largest firms in the state and most impactful for the revitalization of Providence. Steve directed the adaptive reuse of 15 historic buildings within the Downtown Providence National Register Historic District. In addition to his architectural legacy, Steve has been committed to mentoring the next generation of architectural designers; no fewer than six architectural firms in Rhode Island were founded by his former employees and mentees. He also boasts a tremendous record of public service and civic engagement: 11-years as Chair of the Providence City Plan Commission, 18 years on the board of the Providence Revolving Fund, past president of AS220, member of the Capital Center Commission, and board member for Grow Smart RI and RIPTA. Steve was one of the principal drafters of the Rhode Island Building Standards Commission’s Rehabilitation Code, which changed the way historic buildings were assessed under building/fire codes. “Steve is a civic tour de force. He greatly influenced the flavor of design in Providence,” noted the selection committee, adding, “A lot of the best parts of Providence are because of Steve.”
