Richard Lee Dorman

Architect | 1922-2010
This photo, by Howard Sochurek, of Richard Dorman in front of the Briggs House is © Time Inc.

While Dorman is widely known for his work of the 1950s-80s in the Los Angeles area, the architect's vacation home for tennis champion Bobby Riggs on the San Vicente Golf course, was an eye-catcher - especially as witnessed through the lens of photographer Julius Shulman who shot the house in 1974.

This photo, by Howard Sochurek, of Richard Dorman in front of the Briggs House is © Time Inc.
Bobby Riggs House (1974). Photograph by Julius Shulman. © J. Paul Getty Trust. Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles (2004.R.10)

Richard Dorman was born to Charles Lee and Bertha Mae (Stanton) Dorman on November 27, 1922 and raised in Los Angeles. He enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps on August 10, 1942 – flying a B-24 Liberator bomber named ‘Tropic Night’ over the Pacific theater.

Following time at the University of Illinois in 1946, he leveraged the GI Bill to secure his Bachelor of Architecture at USC in 1951.

Between 1951-1956, Dorman served Welton Becket and Associates as the firm’s chief designer before launching his own firm Richard L. Dorman & Associates (in 1956). In 1962, he was included on the cover of the 1962 issue of LIFE Magazine featuring the piece ‘The Take-Over Generation’.

In 1968, he was named one of America's top Architects by The American Institute of Architects and launched and launched Dorman-Munsell Associates. By 1975, the architect had relocated to Santa Fe, New Mexico and launched the partnership Dorman and Breen Architects.

Dorman, Richard Lee was born on November 27, 1922 in Los Angeles, California, United States. Son of Charles Lee and Bertha Mae (Stanton) Dorman.

Partial List of Projects

Beber Restaurant (1963)
Los Angeles

Briggs House
Los Angeles
*Photographed by Julius Shulman

Dorman House (1971)
Santa Monica
*Photographed by Julius Shulman

Garland, Beverly House (1959)
Briar Summit Drive, Hollywood Hills

Glazier House (1960)
4422 Grimes Place, Encino
*Published in House and Home and Sunset magazines

Hyatt House (ca. 1961)
Seattle
*Photographed by Julius Shulman

Ivory Tower restaurant (1960)
Los Angeles

Keller House (1968)
Los Angeles
*Photographed by Julius Shulman

Lake Arrowhead Country Club (1964)
Lake Arrowhead, California
*Photographed by Julius Shulman

Lakenan Residence (1958)
Los Angeles

Los Angeles International Design Center (1964)
8899 Beverly Blvd, West Hollywood
*Photographed by Julius Shulman

Malibu United Methodist Church (1966)
Malibu

Norwood House (1973)
Beverly Hills
*Photographed by Julius Shulman

Papermate Building
Santa Monica

Placerita Canyon Nature Center (1972)
Santa Clarita
*Photographed by Julius Shulman

Riggs, Bobby House (1974)
24001 Vista Vicente Court, Ramona
*Photographed by Julius Shulman

Sepulveda Rose Apartments (1959)
11131 Rose Avenue, Los Angeles

Siedenbaum House (1966)
Los Angeles

Siedenbaum Restaurant (1966)
Los Angeles

Sperry Investments (1981)
Albuquerque, New Mexico
*Photographed by Julius Shulman

Stone Canyon Residnece (1961)
1711 Stone Canyon Road, Bel-Air

Trousdale Estates Homes
1510 Loma Vista Dr., Beverly Hills