A third principal has left Richard Meier & Partners, leaving behind just one of the four leaders tapped to oversee the firm after its founder was accused of misconduct.
Vivian Lee is the latest principal to leave the firm, following the departure of principal Reynolds Logan and managing principal Bernhard Karpf. Lee was promoted in October 2018, alongside Logan, Karpf and Dukho Yeon, when Richard Meier announced that he would “step back” from the firm’s day-to-day operations. His decision came seven months after the New York Times published a report detailing multiple allegations of sexual misconduct against the architect.
When asked about the string of recent departures, a representative for the firm indicated that the company has hired new senior and junior staff and won “several significant new projects in Europe and the U.S.” He declined to provide information on the staff hired or specific projects. Based on LinkedIn, at least a dozen people have left the firm since 2019.
“The firm is well on its way to a strong future based on our award-winning talent and iconic legacy,” the representative said in a statement.
Lee couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.
Last last year, Karpf, who left RMP in July, and Parsa Khalili, another RMP alumnus, launched Karpf Khalili Architects. Logan left sometime last month.
Lee, who joined the firm in 2005, disappeared from the company’s website this week. In a September 2015 interview with Architexx, she indicated that she was thinking about her next step.
“I don’t see myself at RMP forever,” she said. “Maybe I’m ready to start something of my own.”
Write to Kathryn Brenzel at kathryn@therealdeal.com