We would like to congratulate Paul Erickson on his recent elevation to Fellowship, the AIA’s highest membership honor. Approximately 3 percent of the AIA’s 90,000+ members are recognized as Fellows for their exceptional work, their contributions to architecture, the profession, and society, and who exemplify architectural excellence.
Mr. Erickson is president and founder of LeMay Erickson Willcox Architects. He has served the profession as an active leader of the American Institute of Architects Virginia State and Northern Virginia Chapters, juror for prominent design competitions, and as a popular speaker at national conferences and symposia. In 2014 the American Institute of Architects’ Northern Virginia chapter presented Mr. Erickson with the Award of Honor, the chapter’s highest award. In 2005, LeMay Erickson Willcox Architects received the highest honor bestowed by the Virginia Society AIA, the T. David Fitz-Gibbon Architecture Firm Award, recognizing two decades of consistently distinguished architecture and professional leadership.
Mr. Erickson is a nationally recognized leader in the design of fire and rescue facilities, influencing the work of his colleagues across the country and transforming long established daily protocols of fire departments through his design, research, and educational outreach. Paul’s dedication to improving the quality of life and longevity of firefighters has changed the dialogue of station design at national conferences and symposia. Mr. Erickson is inspired by the men and women of the fire and rescue community, emergency responders who dedicate themselves to the service of others and selflessly sacrifice their health, well-being, and lives in the line of duty. His research into the causes of the extraordinarily high incidence of cancer in firefighters has resulted in innovative design strategies called HOT ZONE Design. His ground breaking article “Contain the Contaminants” and “HOT ZONE Design” presentations at national conferences are being incorporated by the industry’s leading advocates including the Firefighter Cancer Support Network (2016 White Paper on Reducing Cancer), and the National Fire Protection Agency.
Paul’s 
leadership and inspired design work has positively shaped the mission, outreach and spiritual life of over 150 congregations. His primary passion in religious design is creating “thin places”, uniquely permeable spaces where the secular overlaps with the sacred, and one encounters the divine. These inspiring worship spaces, flexible multi-purpose spaces, and reflective study and educational spaces empower individuals and congregations in acting out their call to love one another by serving the least, the last, and the lost. Paul has transformed thousands of lives by sensitively designing homes for communities of faith, which in turn form working bases for congregations serving the less privileged in society.
Mr. Erickson’s passion for serving those who serve others has drawn him to work in the medical and healthcare community by serving on the Board of Trustees, the Executive Committee, and the Buildings + Grounds Committee of Sibley Memorial Hospital. Recruited to serve as the Board’s Architect at a critical juncture in the hospital’s history, Paul and the Board have faced major decisions affecting the hospital’s viability and future. In 2010, the Board elected to seek a long-term partner and integrated with Johns Hopkins Health Services, bringing one of the top ranked hospital systems in the world to Washington, DC. Paul’s voice shapes committee and Board discussions and decision-making affecting the evolving construction plans for the $350M campus and the daily work and treatment environment for over 800 staff, doctors and volunteers serving more than 1,000 patients and visitors each day.
“By serving those who serve others, Mr. Erickson has transformed the lives of first responders, congregations, community leaders, and colleagues through cutting-edge public safety design, inspiring religious architecture and galvanizing civic leadership.” This is a well-deserved honor and we hope you will join us in congratulating him!