EDINBURGH.- To coincide with the 21st anniversary of Richard Murphy Architects, the Royal Scottish Academy of Art & Architecture presents Of Its Time and Place, an exhibition looking at the work of the Edinburgh-based practice from the last 21 years. The exhibition builds from the 10th anniversary exhibition of the Edinburgh-based architecture practice, which was held at the Fruitmarket Gallery in 2001. The exhibitions consists of models and a 55-minute digital presentation featuring highlights from the 21 years - stretching from an early tiny house extension in Inverleith to the more recent British High Commission in Colombo - and all of their 21 RIBA and RIAI award-winning buildings.

Richard Murphy was educated at Newcastle and Edinburgh Universities. Before founding the practice he worked for Simpson & Brown Architects, Edinburgh, MacCormac Jamieson & Pritchard Architects London and directed the Edinburgh office of Alsop Lyall & Stormer Architects. He has also held a teaching position in Edinburgh University, during which time he completed extensive research into the work of the Italian architect Carlo Scarpa (about whom he has written a book and presented a Channel 4 documentary). Richard Murphy has also taught at Robert Gordon University Aberdeen, Edinburgh College of Art, Strathclyde University Glasgow, Technical University of Braunschweig Germany, University of Virginia and Syracuse University New York State. He is a Member of the RIBA, a Fellow of the RIAS, an Academician of the Royal Scottish Academy, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, a Trustee of the Turn End Trust, an Honorary Fellow of Napier University, and a frequent Chairman of Regional RIBA Awards Panels. In 2006 Richard was voted “Scottish Architect of the Year” by the readers of Prospect Magazine. In the Queen’s New Year’s Honours 2007, he was awarded an OBE.

The RSA has a proud tradition of working with architecture. There are currently twenty architect members providing insight and opinion into the decision-making process of the academy. Many of Scotland’s leading architect firms – such as Richard Murphy Architects – are represented by the ranks of our academicians. Indeed, earlier this year Andrew Merrylees RSA was presented with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award by the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS). Each year current architecture practice is showcased by the Academy during the Annual Exhibition – this year’s convenors were Neil Gillespie RSA (Elect) of Reiach & Hall Architects and Eelco Hooftman RSA (Elect) of GROSS.MAX. Additionally, the Annual RSA Architecture Open Exhibition uses an open submission policy to encourage architecture practices from all over Scotland and further afield to submit work: this year’s exhibition will be convened by Richard Murphy RSA. And emerging architecture is presented at RSA New Contemporaries each year, with the convenors selecting the best graduates from each of the six architecture schools in Scotland.

Richard Murphy RSA: Of Its Time and Place is part of the RSA Programme for the 2013 Edinburgh Art Festival. The exhibition ends on 24th August.