Seeing the World Through the Eyes of an Architect

Murray Smart sees the world differently than the rest of us might see it—with the eye of an architect. He acquired Master’s Degrees in Architecture from Tulane University and the University of Illinois and after an internship in his hometown of Blytheville, Arkansas he was invited to teach architecture at the University of Arkansas in 1966. The invitation came from none other than E. Fay Jones and John Williams, founder of the University’s School of Architecture. One of Smart’s favorite buildings in town is the original First National Bank building. Two buildings of his own design are Happy Hollow Elementary School, which he designed with his architectural partner at the time Gail Witherspoon, and Christ the King Lutheran Church in Bentonville.

Murray knew from the beginning of his studies that he wanted to teach, and still teaches an architecture lecture class at the University two days a week. In 1995 he received the Alumni Association’s Outstanding Teacher Award. In fact, the principal architect of the Fayetteville Public Library, Jeff Scherer, is a former student of Smart’s. When asked to turn his practiced eye on the new library, Murray says that "the inside of this building works beautifully; its organizational system is absolutely wonderful." He enjoys the variety of areas to read and work, and the outdoor terraces.

Smart was Dean of the University of Arkansas School of Architecture from 1976-91, on the State Board of Architects from 1989-99, and was made a Fellow in the American Institute of Architects in 1990. He admires many modern architects, and likes buildings that are filled with light, "almost the outdoors inside."

Murray spent 1972–73 at Kabul University in Afghanistan as a Fulbright Professor of Architecture. "That was an interesting and fun experience. I had great students who were enthusiastic and dedicated." Smart praised these students for their hard work in spite of a shortage of supplies. "The school was so poor that the architecture students were only issued five sheets of drawing paper for the whole semester. We were scrounging paper of all kinds, using newsprint, using paper that they wrapped fish in at the market, using everything we could find."

He has a great appreciation for Spanish architecture, and counts Seville, Spain as one of his favorite cities in the world. "Spanish architecture always has a different twist—it is unlike any other examples of European architecture." He took three trips to Seville in anticipation of teaching a course in historical architecture. He took many photographs on these trips, which became a portion of the slides in the University’s Architectural Library Media Center. He was so involved in the media center that it became the C. Murray Smart Architectural Media Center when he officially retired in 1998.

Always a voracious reader and "serious library patron," Smart "can’t remember a time that I didn’t go to the library." He remembers fondly his childhood library in Blytheville, with its "marvelous librarian who did absolutely everything."

He is a member of FPL’s Book Talk Book Club. Two of his favorite authors at the moment are Robert Wilson and August Pérez-Reverte. A fan of both mysteries and historical fiction, he enjoys books that have "an element of suspense." A self-described "plot person," Smart most enjoys books that have a good story, but says his reading experience is enhanced if the book has a character he can identify with.

When the new library opened Smart was asked to be a docent and give tours. At any given time over the past year he could be heard explaining what makes the library unique and how it is organized to a group of excited elementary school children as they tugged at his coat sleeve. "I enjoyed those tours tremendously. I always thought I was more suited to college students, but I had a wonderful time teaching something to that younger age group. They’re enthusiastic and they’re good listeners." He hopes that somehow that experience set those children on a path to a lifetime of library use.

Thank you, Mr. Smart. We’ll tug on your coattails anytime.