Ralph A. Anderson Jr.

in architecture at Rice University in 1943, he served in the United States Infantry in the European Theatre of Operations.

[1] He received a head wound at the Battle of the Bulge, and was consequently awarded both the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star.

[4] As a professional, his early residential architecture exhibited the hallmarks of modernism with sleek, contemporary styling and flat roofs, usually in compact settings.

To fit all of the client's requirements on a small Miami lot, Anderson designed an upstairs swimming pool for the home of John Turner.

[6] His early attempt to use artificial turf in the project was rebuffed, though problems with growing grass after the facility's completion eventually led to the installation of AstroTurf.