Julia Morgan (1872–1957) was a pioneering American architect and the first woman to earn an architecture degree from the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. She designed over 700 buildings, most notably Hearst Castle in California, which fused Spanish Revival with Beaux-Arts principles. Morgan was a master of reinforced concrete, making her buildings both structurally innovative and earthquake-resistant. Her designs ranged from residences to institutional projects, including numerous YWCA buildings. As one of America’s first prominent female architects, she paved the way for women in the profession, leaving a rich architectural legacy of elegance, craftsmanship, and engineering excellence.