Henry Wood
JohnstonAIA
(1939–2024)
Johnston was born in Greensboro. He attended the Curie School which was a part of Woman's College (now UNC-Greensboro) and worked as a print boy for architect Ed Loewenstein. He wanted to attend Black Mountain College but it shut down before he could go. Johnston instead attended the NCSU School of Design, where after criticizing a studio led by Harwell Hamilton Harris (who tended to go on tangents about detailing) and telling Dean Henry Kamphoefner to "grow up," Johnston was dismissed by Kamphoefner from the school. The dismissal lasted only a few days and Johnston was re-admitted. Johnston interned for Terry Waugh and graduated from NCSU in 1964. Next, Johnston worked with Waugh at 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 1970. In 1971, he moved back to Raleigh to partner with Ligon Flynn. They moved to Wilmington in 1973 to design many houses at Figure Eight Island. Their partnership ended in 1976. Johnston and Kamphoefner eventually reconciled and Johnston was instrumental in setting up rules for the Kamphoefner Prize. In 2002, his son Ian Johnston joined Johnston's firm. Johnston retired in 2013 and lives in Wilmington NC. Johnston Project List (Excel).
2019 Interview on the Chiles House Origins
Sources include: Henry Johnston; Wrightsville Beach Magazine