Robert A. M. Stern facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Robert A. M. Stern
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| Born | May 23, 1939 New York City, U.S.
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| Occupation | Architect |
| Spouse(s) | Lynn Gimbel Solinger (divorced) |
| Children | Nicholas S. G. Stern |
| Awards | Driehaus Architecture Prize |
| Buildings | Comcast Tower, 15 Central Park West, 220 Central Park South, 520 Park Avenue, 30 Park Place, Pauli Murray College and Benjamin Franklin College |
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Robert Arthur Morton Stern, born on May 23, 1939, is a famous American architect, teacher, and writer. He started his own architecture company called Robert A. M. Stern Architects, or RAMSA. He was also the head (Dean) of the Yale School of Architecture from 1998 to 2016.
His company has designed many important buildings. These include the classic-looking apartment building 15 Central Park West in New York. They also designed two student living areas at Yale University. Other projects are the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia and the modern Comcast Center skyscraper. In 2011, Stern won the Driehaus Architecture Prize for his work in modern classical architecture. He also designed Schwarzman College in China. This large campus is one of the most advanced learning centers in the world. It was also one of the first buildings in China to get a special "LEED Gold" green building award.
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Robert Stern's Early Life and School
Robert Stern was born in 1939 in Brooklyn, a part of New York City. He grew up in Brooklyn with his family. He went to Columbia University and earned a bachelor's degree in 1960. Later, in 1965, he got a master's degree in architecture from Yale University. Stern has said that the historian Vincent Scully and the architect Philip Johnson were important people who helped him early in his career.
Robert Stern's Career in Architecture
After finishing his studies at Yale, Robert Stern worked as a curator for the Architectural League of New York. A curator helps organize exhibitions and events. He got this job thanks to his connection with Philip Johnson. While there, he helped put together a show called 40 Under 40. This show featured his own designs and those of other architects who were not yet well-known.
In 1966, Stern left the Architectural League. He worked briefly for another architect, Richard Meier. Then, he spent about two and a half years working for New York City's Housing and Development Administration. After that, he started his first architecture company, Stern & Hagmann, with a friend from Yale. In 1977, he started his current company, Robert A.M. Stern Architects, which is known as RAMSA.
Robert Stern as a Teacher
Robert Stern was the head, or dean, of the Yale School of Architecture for many years. He held this important position from 1998 to 2016. After being dean, he continued to teach there until 2022. Before Yale, he also taught at Columbia University. From 1984 to 1988, he was the first director of a special center at Columbia that studied American architecture.
Robert Stern's Books and TV Show
Robert Stern is also a very active writer. He has written, co-written, and edited many books about architecture. Six of his books are about the history of architecture in New York City. Each book looks at a different time period.
In 1986, he hosted a TV show called Pride of Place: Building the American Dream. This was an eight-part documentary series that was shown on PBS. The show featured other famous architects like Philip Johnson and Frank Gehry. Many people enjoyed watching Pride of Place.
Robert Stern's Architectural Projects
Many of Robert Stern's first projects were private homes. These homes were often built in the New York metropolitan area, including places like the Hamptons. He also designed projects for Walt Disney World. These included Disney's Yacht Club Resort and Disney's Beach Club Resort. He also helped plan the town of Celebration, Florida. From 1992 to 2003, Stern was even on the board of directors for the Walt Disney Company.
Today, Stern is very well known for designing large apartment buildings in New York City. Some of these include 20 East End Avenue, The Chatham, The Brompton, and 15 Central Park West. When 15 Central Park West was finished, it was one of the most successful apartment buildings ever built. It sold for about $2 billion. Later, 220 Central Park South became even more successful.
Stern has also designed some of the tallest buildings in the United States. One example is the glass-covered Comcast Center in Philadelphia. This building is the second tallest in both Philadelphia and Pennsylvania. Experts have said its design looks like a classical obelisk, which is a tall, narrow monument. This design, along with 15 Central Park West and the plan for Celebration, helped him win the Driehaus Prize.
More recently, Stern designed three very tall skyscrapers in New York City. These are 220 Central Park South, 520 Park Avenue, and 30 Park Place. When they were finished, they became some of the tallest buildings in the city and the country. In 2017, RAMSA also completed a big addition to Yale University. They designed two new student living areas, Pauli Murray College and Benjamin Franklin College. Both of these buildings were designed in a style called Collegiate Gothic.
Robert Stern's Design Style
In the 1970s and early 1980s, Robert Stern became known as a postmodern architect. This means he mixed classical design ideas with modern buildings. He even contributed a postmodern design to a famous art show in Venice in 1980.
By the mid-1980s, his work started to look more traditional. It fit in with a new style called New Classical architecture. However, Stern himself has said that his projects are inspired by local traditions. This means he looks at the common building styles of an area. In recent years, his company's work has included both traditional and modern designs. The style often depends on the type of building and where it is located.
Images for kids
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15 Central Park West in New York City, 2008
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220 Central Park South in New York, 2019
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520 Park Avenue in New York City, 2018
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Disney's Beach Club Resort at the Walt Disney World, Florida, US, 1990
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Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, US, 2001
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Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy in Ann Arbor, Michigan, US, 2006
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University of Virginia Darden School of Business in Charlottesville, Virginia, US, 1996
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Robert Stern's Personal Life
Robert Stern lives in an apartment in The Chatham, a building he designed in New York City. In 1966, he married a photographer named Lynn Gimbel Solinger. They later divorced in 1977. They have one son, Nicholas S. G. Stern. Nicholas now runs his own construction and planning company.
Robert Stern's Awards and Groups
Robert Stern has been a leader in many art and architecture groups. He was the president of the Architectural League of New York from 1973 to 1977. He also held different roles at the Institute for Architecture and Urban Studies. He was a member of the board of trustees for the SOM Foundation from 1984 to 1990.
In 1998, Stern became a permanent member of the Council of Advisors for the Institute of Classical Architecture and Art. Since 1999, he has also been on the board of trustees for the National Building Museum.
In 2007, Stern was chosen to be a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 2011, he became a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
Here are some other awards he has received:
- 1993: Golden Plate Award from the American Academy of Achievement
- 2006: Edmund N. Bacon Prize
- 2007: Board of Directors' Honor, Institute of Classical Architecture & Art
- 2007: Athena Medal from the Congress for the New Urbanism
- 2008: Vincent Scully Prize
- 2010: Historic Districts Council's Landmarks Lion Award
- 2011: Driehaus Architecture Prize
- 2016: Arthur Ross Awards for Excellence in the Classical Tradition, Education
- 2017: Topaz Medallion
- 2019: Louis Auchincloss Prize
See also
In Spanish: Robert A. M. Stern para niños
