eagle scout, architect, artist, author, and mentor
No other architect in Atlanta has designed so many diverse impactful downtown public architectural “symbols of civilization” works as Oscar Harris. His renowned career has been recognized and published both locally and nationally.
Oscar founded Turner Associates Architects and Planners in 1977, which over 40 years became the lead prime contracting architect on over 4 billion dollars of large complex Atlanta urban projects since the firm’s inception. Selected projects have include Hartsfield Jackson International Airport’s -2000 Airport Masterplan, The airports highly applauded Art Work Program, Atrium and International Concourse E . Also he served later participating as a Partner in International Aviation Consultants (IAC) serving as Program Manager Partner for the airports 6.5-billion-dollar design and construction expansion program (the busiest airport on the globe.). Oscar was hired to be the creative manager for the “The Look of the 1996 Olympic Games”. His firm designed the Centennial Olympic Park Light Towers which have become the Iconic “30-Year- Symbols” for Atlanta. Other noted projects include the MLK Visitors Center, Atlanta Zoo and numerous local courthouses, public housing, transit stations and justice facilities to name a few.
He has Pittsburgh roots! His early family roots are in the Hill Districts “Sugar Top” in Pittsburgh, PA. His birth home, community mentoring, education, all his scouting experience have come from that special Pittsburgh community fabric. His parents Oscar and Marjorie Harris owned and operated Harris Drug Store on Centre Ave for many years. Oscar went to Falk Laboratory School and graduated from Peabody High School while becoming a Eagle Scout, Troup 93 Grace Memorial Church.
His ancestor mentors were his parents and family members that embedded strong values and mentoring concepts. State Representative Leroy Ervis taught Harris how to make and fly model airplanes. Oscar worked for RCA, Paul Kossman Developers and was a Camp Counselor and cook at the YMCA Camp Kon-o-Kwee, Fombell, PA.
Oscar is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects; fewer than 3% of all registered architects have reached this professional level of recognition. There are only 2% of all licensed architects are Afro American and there are only 27% female licensed architects. These numbers have not changed very much in 50 years--
He has been recognized by the Atlanta Chamber of Commerce as the 2003 Small Businessman of the Year. He has served on Carnegie Mellon University, Lincoln University, Southern Polytech, and the National Urban Land Institute Boards of Trustees. In 2003-he volunteered to visit South Africa to inspire disadvantaged design professionals in preparing for the Cape Town Olympic Games. Oscar has served on the prestigious architectural selection committee for the selection of architects for iconic Salesforce Tower in San Francisco the tallest architectural symbol in the city---He has received the 2014 Atlanta Boy Scouts Whitney Young Award and recently the 2024 National Organization of Minority Architects 40th Year Lifetime Achievement Trailblazer Award. Also, in 2023 he received the Atlanta AIA Ivan Allen Award the highest award to be bestowed upon a Atlanta architect. He was the Keynote Speaker in Pittsburgh. Pa for Scouting America’s 36 th Annual Whitney M Young Dinner 2025. He was just Honored with the Bernard M Rothschild Award -the highest AIA Georgia recognition for excellence in the practice of architecture.
Oscar has been making, sketching, drawing, and painting all his life. In the last 10 years he has had over six one-man art shows. His artworks are intuitive, abstract, and expressionist in nature. His art works focus is on music, jazz and spiritual expressions. His work has been collected locally and nationally.
In 2024 Spike Studio a nonprofit volunteer organization which he founded in 2024 was recognized by the City of Atlanta for 20 years of mentoring and exposing’s hundreds of underserved high school students to the architectural, engineering and construction careers.
Check out oscarharrisfaia.com for his book, “Memoir of a Master Architect”
Oscar Holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Lincoln University in Mathematics (1965) and Master of Architecture from Carnegie Mellon University (1971) He is married 54 years to Sylvia Harris a graduate of University of Pittsburgh and mentor to many disadvantaged youth. Both of his parents received degrees from School of Pharmacy (1918)-. He has three children Myka, Tarik and wife Gabriel, Todd Harris with wife Kelly and adopted daughter Kadi Lee. He has three grandchildren Harris, Aila and Spike