Richard Martin was born in Long Beach, California, on July 16th, 1934. He pursued his passion for architecture at the University of Southern California and later at MIT University's graduate school. In the early 60s, he had the privilege of studying under the renowned Vladimir Ossipoff in Hawaii.

After completing his studies, Richard married and settled in Los Angeles, where he had two children. He gained valuable experience working with architectural luminaries such as Frank Gehry and Victor Gruen before eventually establishing his own firm. Richard's talent for designing private homes caught the attention of notable individuals, including real estate magnate Rob Maguire, actors Alan Alda and James Olson, and TV writer/producer Susan Harris, among others.

In the late 90s, Richard and his then-wife, Lynda, relocated to the picturesque Napa Valley. They built a home in the now-coveted Prichard Hill area of St. Helena and established Versant Vineyards. Richard eventually retired from winemaking and sold the property to Tim Mondavi in 2013. He subsequently built another residence in St. Helena, where he currently resides.

Now retired, Richard is overseeing the remodel of his son's house in Laurel Canyon and has been commissioned to restore his family's original Brentwood home.