Richard L. Doyle
1919-2006
Richard Doyle was a trailblazing Peoria architect who designed many of the iconic, distinctively beautiful Mid-Century Modern buildings that have defined the Greater Peoria region, from Bradley University’s historic Robertson Memorial Fieldhouse to Peoria Heights’ Village Hall, The Forest Park Foundation Building, Prospect Mall, Peoria Heights Congregational Church, Tower Park and the original Peoria Heights Kelly Avenue Library, now the Betty Jayne Brimmer Center for the Performing Arts.
Richard L. Doyle (“RLD”) believed everyone plays a part in building the future of a community, and his optimism around Peoria and the surrounding region fueled him throughout his career. His positivity was contagious and still motivates much of our growth today.
Before the War, Doyle was a well-known bandleader and composer. After he came back from serving in the Air Force Army Band, he attended the University of Illinois to study architecture.
Photo Credit: Mike Bailey, Peoria Magazine
He believed in using local building materials, as witnessed by his use of local stones (carried to the site by local volunteers) to the Peoria Village Hall building site.
His style embodied what is now called Mid-Century Modern, using simple lines to achieve a form that flows equally with function. He wanted to bring the outside inside, and used large windows and an integrative approach to exterior spaces to do so.
In addition to his stunning architectural design, RLD was a well-respected structural engineer, which further solidified the value and longevity of every built environment he designed.
He passed away in 2006, but his memory lives on inside the spatial experiences he created all over the Greater Peoria region.
Photo Credit: Mike Bailey, Peoria Magazine
Read the feature article on Mr. Doyle published by Peoria Magazines in March 2019 here.
Learn more about Mr. Doyle in his obituary here.