Gary Owens Elevated to AIA College of Fellows

HOUSTON, Texas — Gary Owens, senior principal of FKP Architects, was recently elevated to the American Institute of Architects College of Fellows. Owens has been with FKP for 26 years and also holds professional certification from the American College of Healthcare Architects and he is a Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design Accredited Professional.

Owens’ projects in Houston’s Texas Medical Center include the M.D. Anderson Mays Clinic, a 782,000-square-foot Design-Build project that created a new paradigm for clinical care. Additionally, Owens led the design of a dedicated heart center to unite the cardiology and cardiovascular surgery units, demonstrating his skills in client understanding and stakeholder facilitation at the organizational strategy level.

Owens is a pioneer in the practice of healthcare architecture; he is an advocate of patient safety at the forefront of designing “Safe Hospitals,” which incorporate features identified by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality to reduce injury, medical errors or infections while improving care.

Owens has maintained a strong presence at Texas A&M University College of Architecture, where he is a guest lecturer in healthcare design, is a member in Health Industry Advisory Council and invites students to visit FKP offices and its projects.

Owens is the fourth architect elected to the AIA College of Fellows from FKP. His colleagues include Chairman and Chief Visionary Office Diane Osan, Senior Principal and Senior Lab Planner Cynthia Walston and retired CEO James Falick.