Résumé

Rouch developed a deep interest in various cultures of Asia during his lifetime, serving as the exhibition designer for the ground-breaking and extensive "Son of Heaven: Imperial Arts of China," that was shown in Seattle, WA, and Columbus, OH, in 1988 and 1989. During the 1980s and 1990s, particularly, Rouch became very active professionally, staging symposia, lecturing, writing reports and articles, and serving on design juries sponsored by the City of Seattle, the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and other groups. The architect also collaborated with artists on exhibits and co-wrote a notable report on opportunities for public art in Seattle. His firm, the Larry Rouch Company, was best-known for its various commercial interiors, including the Fini clothing store and Monsoon, the Vietnamese restaurant, done during this busy, two-decade period.

Designer, Arne Bystrom, Architect, Seattle, WA, 1973-1974.

Project Manager, Gerald Cichanski Architects, Seattle, WA, 1976-1978.

Project Manager, Charles Kober Associates, Seattle, WA, office, 1978. Charles Kober Associates was headquartered in Los Angeles, CA, with a branch office in Seattle.

Project Manager, Joyce, Nordfors and Associates, Architects, Seattle, WA, 1980. Rouch was the project manager for Joyce, Nordfors and Associates' Westlake Mall in 1980.

Project Manager, Clayton R. Joyce Architects, Seattle, WA.

Principal, Larry Rouch and Company, Architects, Seattle, WA, c. 1981- . In c. 1990, Rouch had an office at 210 3rd Avenue South in Seattle.

Teaching

Instructor, University of Washington, Seattle (UW), College of Architecture and Urban Planning (CAUP), Seattle, WA, 1988.

Professional Activities

Member, American Institute of Architects (AIA), Seattle Chapter, Seattle, WA.

Panelist, KCTS Weekly Report, Seattle, WA, 1980. KCTS was Seattle's Public Broadcasting System (PBS) affiliate in 1980.

Symposium Director, University of Washington, Henry Art Gallery, Seattle, WA, 1980.

Member, Seattle Arts Commission, Downtown Planning Study, 1984.

Juror, AIA, Portland Chapter, Design Awards, Portland, OR, c. 10/23/1985. (See Alan Hayakawa, “Pacwest Center, Greyhound Bus Terminal win top awards," Portland Oregonian, 10/24/1985, p. F4.)

Exhibition designer, “Imai: Artist and Nature, An Installation,” San Francisco, CA, Fort Mason Pier 2, c. 10/16/1986-10/26/1986. (See Al Merch, “Imai’s show at Ft. Mason excessive and aloof,” San Francisco Examiner, 10/16/1986, p. F-7.)

Juror, “Table, Lamp and Chair—Designers Take a Dare,” Women’s Architectural League and American Institute of Architects, Portland Chapter, Portland, OR, c. 05/20/1988, Other judges included Lyman T. Johnson, Director of the University of Oregon, Interior Architecture program; Clodagh, NY designer, Clodagh, Ross and Williams, New York, NY; Ron Rezek, Culver City, CA, lighting designer; and Brian Kane, San Francisco designer and vice president of a furniture manufacturing company.(See “Designing Winners,” Portland Oregonian, 05/28/1988, p. C1, C5.)

Exhibit designer, "Son of Heaven: Imperial Arts of China," Seattle, WA, 1988.

Speaker, “Backyards, Billboards and the Total Environment,” Washington State University, Fine Arts Auditorium, 10/24/1988. (See “Day by Day,” Spokane Spokesman-Review, 10/23/1988, p. B6.) He repeated this same talk at the Spokane Falls Community College student union on 10/27/1988. (See "Northwest Digest: Seattle architect to speak at SFCC," Spokane Spokesman-Review, 10/24/1988, p. A7.)

Speaker, Bellingham Municipal Arts Commission, Mayoral Arts Citation program, Whatcom County Museum of History and Art, 10/19/1988. Diane Dietz writing in the Bellingham Herald said of his talk: “Seattle architect Larry Rouch, the keynote speaker, will address architecture as public art. Slides of murals from across the country will be shown. They are the work of artists who entered the arts commission’s mural competition. One of the artists eventually will be commissioned to paint a mural in Bellingham, said John Keppelman, commission chairman.” (See Diane Dietz, “Mayor’s Arts Awards,” Bellingham Herald, 10/19/1988, p. 17.)

Member, Allied Arts, Board of Directors, Seattle, WA, 1991- .

Member, Japanese Cultural Center Pacific NW, Steering Committee, Seattle, WA, 1991- .

Board Member, Copper Canyon Press, Port Townsend, WA, 2001-2005 and 2011-2016.

Design participant, "The Architect and the Urn," SHED, Seattle, WA, 06/03/2010-07/18/2010.

High School / College

Graduate, Wichita East High School, Wichita, KS, 1964. While at Wichita East High, he participated two years in Dramatics Stage Crew. (See Wichita East High School Yearbook, 1964, n.p.) Rouch was a frequent honor roll student at Wichita East in 1963 and 1964. He played in a musical ensemble, "The Rhythmaires," at Wichita East in 1963. (See "The High School Set," Wichita Eagle and Beacon, 03/25/1963, p. 12A.)Rouch was also involved in drama in high school, performing in William Ince’s “Come Back, Little Sheba,” in 04/1964. (See “East Thespians Present Drama by William Inge,” Wichita Beacon, 04/17/1964, p. 10.)

Coursework, Architecture, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK, c. 1964-1968. He pledged to Sigma Phi Epsilon at OSU and was involved in the Junior Interfraternity Council at Oklahoma State. (See Oklahoma State University, Redskin Yearbook, 1965, n.p.) A wedding announcement of 1969 indicated that Rouch completed four years at OSU: “Mr. Rouch has completed four years in architecture at Oklahoma State University and plans to complete his degree at the University of Washington in Seattle next fall.” (See “Katheleen Hoagland Betrothed to Mr. Larry Rouch,” [Helena, AR] Daily World, 09/10/1969, p. 5.)

B.A., Environmental Design, University of Washington, Seattle (UW), Seattle, WA, 09/1969-1971.

M.Arch., University of Washington, Seattle (UW), Seattle, WA, 1979.

Relocation

Rouch was born in Lawrence, KS in 09/1946, and he lived with his parents in that city, Topeka, KS, and North Kansas City, MO, and Wichita, KS, during his childhood. Some publicly available records listed his birthdate as 09/04/1946 others as 09/22/1946.

Between 1950 and 1952, at least, his parents resided at 1210 Watson Street in Topeka, KS, by 1952. (See Polk´s Topeka City Directory, 1950, p. 366 and Topeka, Kansas, City Directory, 1952, p. 464.) The family was not listed in Polk´s Topeka City Directory, 1954,suggesting that they had moved in that year or 1953.

He attended North Kansas City High School in North Kansas City, MO, as a sophomore in 1962. (See the North Kansas City Purgold Yearbook, 1962, p. 72.)

In 1963, Rouch lived with his family at 2708 Dellrose Avenue in Wichita, KS. (See Polk´s Wichita City Directory, 1963, p. 663.) He attended Wichita East High School in 1963 and 1964, graduating in the latter year.

Following high school, Rouch enrolled at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, OK, where he spent at least the years 1964 through 1965.

He came to Seattle, WA, to attend the University of Washington by about 1970.

Parents

Larry Rouch's parents both had very long lives, his father passing away at 96, his mother at 102.

His father was Edward Herbert Rouch, Jr., (born 07/17/1914 in Parsons, KS -d. 08/20/2010). In 1940, Edward worked for the Kansas Electric Power Company. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; WWII Draft Registration Cards for Kansas, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 329, accessed 09/28/2021.) His father served in the U.S. Army with the 170th Engineer Combat Battalion in the Pacific during WWII and a received two Bronze Stars, the fourth-highest combat award given by the U.S. Armed Forces. After World War II, Edward Rouch got into the insurance business. By 1952, he was the Assistant Manager of Mutual Life Insurance Company of NY (MONY) in Topeka, KS. (See Topeka, Kansas, City Directory, 1952. p. 464.) Eleven years later, Rouch served as a Department Manager for the Farmer and Bankers Life Insurance Company in Wichita, KS. (See Polk´s Wichita City Directory, 1963, p. 663.)

Edward married Inez Loretta Van Dyne (born 06/16/1918 in Parsons, KS-d. 03/29/2021 in Towson, MD) on 10/02/1940 and they remained married for 70 years. Inez attended Parsons High School in Parsons, KS, graduating in the Class of 1935. She worked as the Deputy City Clerk in Topeka, KS, in 1952. (See Topeka, Kansas, City Directory, 1952. p. 464.)

In addition to Larry Rouch, Inez and her husband had the following children: Linda Rouch Chappell who resided in 2010 in Wichita, KS; Sally Rouch Barich of Washington, DC; and Scott Rouch of Towson, MD.

Spouse

According to a wedding announcement, Rouch wed Kathleen Elizabeth Hoagland on 08/22/1969 at Christ the King Catholic Church in Tulsa, OK. This announcement stated: “The bride-elect graduated from Pryor High School [Pryor, OK] and will receive her degree in math from Oklahoma State University in August. A graduate of Wichita East High School, Mr. Rouch majored in architecture at OSU where was affiliated with Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity. He will enter the University of Washington at Seattle in September.” (See “Hoagland-Rouch,” Tulsa World, 07/27/1969, p. F3.)

He divorced Kathleen Hoagland in 01/1974 in Santa Barbara County, CA. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. California, U.S., Divorce Index, 1966-1984 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007, accessed 09/28/2021.)

Larry E. Rouch next married Haruyo Tatani on 07/26/2001 in Seattle, WA. (See King County Marriage Records, 1855-2018 - Larry Evan - Haruyo - Rouch - Et Al., King County Marriage Records, 1855-2018, Washington State Archives, Digital Archives, http://digitalarchives.wa.gov, accessed 09/28/2021.)

They divorced on 06/27/2013. (See Department of Health, Divorce Index, 1969-2017 - Rouch - Larry - E - Et Al., Department of Health, Divorce Index, 1969-2017, Washington State Archives, Digital Archives, http://digitalarchives.wa.gov, accessed 09/28/2021.)

Children

Rouch and his wife had at least one child, a son, Mio Rouch (born c. 2002).

Biographical Notes

Member, Seattle Kendo Kai, Seattle, WA, 1991- .

President Seattle Kendo Kai, Board of Directors, Seattle, WA, 1991- .

Rouch maintained interests in photography and percussion instruments.

• Lawrence, KS (Architect's Birth)
  Lawrence, KS 66044

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