HENRY WOOD JOHNSTON, AIA (1939-)

Johnston was born in Greensboro.  He attended the Currie School which was a part of Woman's College (now UNC-Greensboro) and worked as a print boy for Ed Loewenstein.  He attended the NCSU School of Design, where after criticizing a studio led Harwell Hamilton Harris (who tended to go on tangents about detailing) and telling Dean Henry Kamphoefner to "grow up," Johnston was dismissed from the school. Kamphoefner was livid but the dismissal lasted only a few days. Johnston was re-admitted.

Johnston interned for Terry Waugh and graduated from NCSU in 1964. Next, Johnston worked for the NCSU Planning Office along with Charlie Woodall.  He worked for Owen Smith in 1965, shifting to Ballard McKim and Sawyer in Wilmington in 1967 where he became a partner.

In 1971, he moved back to Raleigh to partner with Ligon Flynn. They moved to Wilmington in 1973 to design many of the houses at Figure Eight Island. Their partnership ended in 1976. 

Johnston and Kamphoefner reconciled and Johnston was instrumental in setting up rules for the Kamphoefner Prize.  In 2002, his son Ian Johnston joined Johnston's firm, which continues today.

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