Vincent Proby Architect

Vincent J. Proby, Architech 1928-1987

Vincent Proby, Architect, Los Angeles, CA, c. 1985. Proby was one of a small number of African-American architects working in Los Angeles, CA, during the 1980s. He was born in Wichita, Texas in 1928.  As a child, he moved with his family to Los Angeles and remained in the area for the rest of his life.  

Proby majored in architecture at the University of Southern California and designed many prominent buildings during the course of his career.  

Commercial Buildings

His works include buildings on the campuses of UCLA, Los Angeles City College, and Pierce College as well as several Los Angeles high schools, and structures at Camp Pendelton.

In 1984, while the Olympics were underway in LA, Proby was hired to design the California African American Museum; at the museum’s permanent home - in the Willowbrook section of Los Angeles. Willowbrook benefited from another building designed by Proby -- the A C Bilbrew Public Library. It featured beautiful mosaic-like glass artwork inside the building. The library was completed in 1974.

Williams, Harold Louis, American, 1924 - 2015 Williams, Paul R., American, 1894 - 1980

Proby, Vincent J., American, 1928 - 1987 LaConta, John Robert, American, 1940 - 2012

Jenkins, Carey K., American, died 1987 Kennard, Robert A., American, 1920 - 1995

Other(s): Unidentified Man or Men

Proby was passionate about art and he included an artwork of his own artwork can be found in the collection of the California African American Museum.      The artwork is in the entrance foyer and is composed of concrete panels with embedded stained glass. The glass shapes form a bright and organic curvilinear pattern. The panels are interspersed with narrow vertical windows that let light into the building.

Residential Work

In 1958, Proby designed his first residential project, for the Howard Family, of Ladera Heights. The custom home designed to be wheelchair friendly for their youngest child, Carla. It was designed with no stairs or sharp inclines, no obstructions inside or outside, wide-doors and passageways, large bathrooms.  The dining room was equipped with a closet and built-in Murphy bed - so that it could serve as a guest bedroom. In addition, the house was equipped with cutting-edge technology of the time, including central vacuum cleaner system, automated garden sprinklers, and and an intercom system.

During the late 70s, he was elected and served the organization as Secretary, Vice-President, and President. He also served on a number of different committees for the National Board of Architectural Examiners and assisted in writing the National and California architectural examinations. He served as an examination grader for ten years. In addition to his distinguished architectural career, he also held the California Teaching Credential and served for many years as a guest teacher for several state and private universities.

In 1978 Proby was the first African American, and the first member of any minority group, to serve on the State Board of Architectural Examiners. In 1985 Proby served on a task force to assist victims of the Baldwin Hills fire. Throughout his life he served as a guest lecturer for several universities and he mentored many young architects.  Vincent J. Proby passed away in 1987 at the age of 59.

A collection of his papers, drawings and other materials were archived at Tulane University.