Stern, Robert Arthur Morton (1939– ). American architect. After graduating, he worked with
Meier before setting up his own office in 1977. He has been seen as one of the greatest influences in
Post-Modernism and a formidable critic of
International Modernism. Advocating an architecture of associations, prompting mnemonic perceptions, and firmly rooted in culture, he has argued robustly for a study of history, and for an eclectic use of forms to give buildings meaning. His works include the Lang House, Washington, CT (1974), the Ehrman House, Armonk, NY (1975), and Point West Place, Framingham, MA (1983–5—with a powerful
portico of
primitive square columns with a
pediment like a section through a
sar-cophagus-lid, the whole reminiscent of the work of Ledoux). Stern has, in fact, been successful in reviving something of the severe French
Neo-Classicism of the late C18 and early C19. Other works include the Norman Rockwell Museum, Stockbridge, MA (1987–93), the Observatory Hill Dining Hall, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA (1982–4), the Kol Israel Synagogue, Brooklyn, NYC (1985–9), The Disney Casting Center, Lake Buena Vista, FL (1987–9), the Hotel Cheyenne, Eurodisney, Marne-la-Vallée, France (1988–92), Banana Republic Store, Chicago, IL (1990–1), the Ohrstrom Library, St Paul's School, Concord, NH (1987–91), the Darden School of Business, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA (1992–6), and the Spangler Campus Center, Harvard Business School, Boston, MA (1999–2001), all finely detailed and crafted. Among his many houses may be cited various residences at East Hampton, NY (e.g. at Apaquogue (1989–93) ), Preston Hollow, Dallas, TX (2000), and Montecito, Santa Barbara, CA (1999). He has published widely, his contributions including
New Directions in American Architecture (1969.
Bibliography
Anger (1996);
Ar&Bi (1981);
P. Dixon (ed.) (1998);
Kalman (1994);
Funari (1990);
Huls (1987);
Inst. CA (2002);
Kraft (ed.) (1992);
Rueda (ed.) (1986);
Stern (1975, 1977, 1982, 1988, 1996, 1997);
Stern (ed.) (1979);
Stern et al. (1995);
van Vynckt (ed.) (1993)
