Robert A.M. Stern (1939 – Present)
New York architect Robert A. M. Stern takes history to heart. A postmodernist, he creates buildings that express affection for the past. Stern served on The Walt Disney Company Board of Directors from 1992 to 2003 and has designed many buildings for The Walt Disney Company.
Robert A.M. Stern’s Boardwalk at Disney World suggests an American seaside village from the early 20th century. The buildings illustrate the evolution of architectural styles from the Victorian to the Vienna Secessionist movement. The mini-village is not intended to be historically exact — rather, it presents a dream-like walk past artifacts from several eras. There is an ice cream parlor, a piano bar, a 1930s dance hall, a vintage roller-coaster, and an authentic 1920s carousel.
Although he is best known for his house designs, Robert A.M. Stern has been involved in vast urban planning projects such as the 1992 renovation of 42nd Street theater block in New York City. Along with architect Jaquelin Robertson, Robert A.M. Stern was the master planner for Celebration, Florida.
The firm of Robert A. M. Stern also designs furniture, lighting, fabrics, and other decorative household items. He has served as dean for the Yale School of Architecture since 1998. Stern narrated the PBS television series and companion book Pride of Place: Building the American Dream and has written or edited nearly two dozen books about design.
Notable buildings:
1990: Disney Beach Club Resort, Florida
1990: Disney Yacht Club Resort, Florida
1993: Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts
1996: Disney Boardwalk Resort, Florida
2005: Jacksonville Public Library, Florida
2006: Federal Courthouse for Richmond, Virginia
