At the 2023 Annual General Meeting (AGM), held virtually on May 3, the Association honoured its newest Members of Long Standing—individuals who have reached the milestone of 50 years of membership with the OAA as part of Ontario’s architecture profession. Among recipients this year was Robert Wayne Murray.
After graduating from the University of Toronto’s School of Architecture in 1967, Wayne joined architect Donald Nelson Chapman in Niagara Falls before embarking on a journey through the Caribbean. There, he participated in the design of a new hotel in Barbuda and the renovation of an existing one in Antigua before returning to Ontario in 1970 to take the Admission Courses.
Wayne became a member of the OAA in 1972. His career steadily progressed within the Donald Nelson Chapman firm, where he became an associate in 1975, and a partner by 1980. As a result, the firm would eventually rebrand to Chapman Murray Associates Architects Inc. in 1985. With Donald's retirement in 2000, Wayne took over as the sole practitioner.
Throughout his storied career, Wayne has had the privilege of being involved in a wide-ranging portfolio of more than 3,000 projects. These have been primarily hotels and restaurants in the Niagara Peninsula, though he has been involved in projects across Toronto, New York, Belgium, Bangladesh, and Qeshm—the largest Iranian island in the Persian Gulf.
Notably, under Wayne’s direction, Chapman Murray Associates played a crucial role in developing major hotels in Niagara-on-the-Lake's historic district and various tourist and commercial developments throughout Niagara Falls. He would also go on to secure a small ownership stake in the Pillar and Post Inn & Spa, Queen's Landing Hotel, and boutique hotel Harbor House.
Although he no longer holds financial interests in the hotels his firm designed, Wayne remains committed to preserving the charm and heritage of Niagara-on-the-Lake. He actively opposes incompatible proposals that he says threaten the town's character through rezoning initiatives.
Wayne plans to retire between 2025 and 2027, though he remains open to new possibilities.
To see profiles on other Members of Long Standing, click here.