Biography
Robert Maxwell was born on 6th July 1922, in Downpatrick, Co. Down. He was educated at Down High School (1933 to 1940) and went on to receive a degree of B. Arch (Hons) and a Diploma of Civic Design at Liverpool University, graduating in 1949.
During the second World War he volunteered for the British Army (1944 to 1947) in the hope of getting to see the baroque churches of southern Germany, as part of the army of occupation. Unexpectedly he was posted to India, sent on his way to fight the Japanese.
He was saved from this fate by President Truman’s use of the atom bomb. At the end of three years, he ended up as Captain Maxwell, greatly enjoying his life in India. He retains a lasting respect for the country and its people.
Returning to the U.K. he also enjoyed his remaining time at Liverpool, where he met and made friends with Colin Rowe, James Stirling and Douglas Stephen. He joined the faculty at the Architectural Association (1958 to 1962) while working as an architect in London, in 1962 completing the Kirke house in Kennington Park Road. He then joined the L.C.C. where he worked on the Royal Festival Hall extensions. Later, as a Partner in Douglas Stephen & Partners, he participated in the design of the Brunel Centre, Swindon and apartments at Highgate.
In London he became a Year Master at the Architectural Association (1958 to 1962) before joining the Faculty of the Bartlett School, University College London, where he taught for twenty years (Senior Lecturer, Reader, Professor); after four stints at Princeton as Visiting Professor, he was appointed there as Dean of Architecture, (from 1982) and remained there for eleven years.
Returning to the U.K. in 1993, he was invited to teach the history of Modern architecture at the Architectural Association (1994 to 2006).
After retiring in 2006, he continued to give lectures abroad as well as at home, visiting Medellin (Colombia),
India, Japan, Slovenia, The Czech Republic, as well as France, Germany, Italy and Greece.
He also lectured at the Royal Academy where he took part in a Group known as Architectural Forum, bringing a greater knowledge of architecture to that Institution.
He died on 2nd January 2020 in Aix en Provence, France.
Robert Maxwell’s archive is now held at The University of Liverpool Library.
All Publications
Books
The Time of my life, in Architecture, Artifice, 2016
Ancient Wisdom and Modern Knowhow, Artifice, 2013
A Few Years of Writing (Interspersed with some facts of life, Artifice, 2012
Rick Mather Architects, for Black Dog, March 2006
Pamphlet: Questions that Remain, LSE Cities Programme, Discussion Paper, 2006
The Work of Stirling-Wilford, Birkhauser Verlag, Zurich, 1998
Introduction + editor for The Writings of James Stirling, Skira Editore SPA, 1998
The Two Way Stretch: Modernism, Tradition and Innovation in the Polemics Series, Academy Editions, 1996
Sweet Disorder and the Carefully Careless: Theory and Criticism in Architecture, Princeton Architectural Press, New York, 1994
Pamphlet: The Two Theories of Architecture: text of inaugural lecture, published by University College London 1980; reprinted as part of Architectural Education after the Bauhaus in Journal of Architectural Education, RIBA Publications, 1983
New British Architecture German text: Verlag Hatje, Stuttgart, 1972; English texts: Thames & Hudson, London; Praeger, New York, 1972
Contributions to books
Mannerism Matters In Modern Architecture and the Lifeworld, Essays in Honor of Kenneth Frampton ed. Karla Cavarra and Robert McCarter Thames and Hudson 2020
Letters in The Letters of Colin Rowe: Five decades of Correspondence, ed. Dan Naegele, Artifice, 2016
Mannerism and Modernism In The Importance of Irony in Reckoning with Colin Rowe
ed. Emmanuel Petit, Routledge, 2015
Michael Wilford Buildings and Projects 1992 – 2012
Artifice, 2015
A Modern Mannerist
In Stirling + Wilford: American Buildings, ed. Alan Berman,
Artifice, 2014
Stirling Before Leicester
In Jim Stirling and the Red Triology, ed. Alan Berman
Frances Lincoln, 2010
Into the Modern In John Miller and Partners,
Black Dog, 2019
Rowe’s Urbanism
In L’architecttura come testo e la figure di Colin Rowe, ed. Mauro Marzo,
Marsilio, 2010
Deceptive Simplicity, Introduction Rick Mather Architects
Black Dog, 2006
The Brick Leaf House
In A New English House, by Jonathan Woolf,
Categorical Books, 2005
Articles on Le Corbusier, James Stirling, Richard Rogers
In Companion to Architecture, ed. Wintle
Routledge, O. U. P., 2004
Millennium projects
In Buildings and Projects, Jeremy Dixon and Edward Jones, ed. Latham & Swenarton,
Right Angle publishing, 2002
Preface to Modern Movement Heritage
ed. Allen Cunningham, Spon, 1998
Articles on Archigram, David Chipperfield, Peter Cook, Nicholas Grimshaw, Michael Hopkins, Edwin Lutyens, Cedric Price, Richard Rogers, Walter Segal, Alison Smithson, James Stirling, Team 10, Peter Wilson
In Encyclopedia of Architecture of the 20th Century,
Hatje Verlag, Stuttgart, 1998
Introduction to Contemporary British Architecture and the Urban Environment.
In British Architecture and its European Context, ed. Peter Murray and MaryAnn Stevens,
Royal Academy of Arts, London; Prestel, New York; Delphi, Japan, 1998
Essay: The City Takes Shape
In Temple Bar: The Power of an Idea,
Temple Bar Properties, Dublin, 1996
Articles on James Stirling, Colquhoun & Miller, Aldo Rossi, Charles Windsor,
In The Dictionary of Art, Macmillan, London and New York, 1994
Articles on Mario Botta, Georgio Grassi, Charles Gwathmey, Hans Hollein, Rafael Moneo, Louis Kahn, Alison & Peter Smithson, Robert Venturi, Shadrach Woods,
In Contemporary Architects,
St. James Press, London, 1995
The Logic of History and the Perils of Conflation
In Architecture and Legitimacy,
NAj, Rotterdam, 1995
Introduction
In James Stirling Collected Works 1982-1993
Hatje Verlag, Stuttgart, 1994
The individual Feeling for Collective Beauty
In Michael Graves: Buildings and Projects 1982-1987,
Princeton Architectural Press, New York, 1990
Notes on Archigram, James Stirling
In Dictionary of 20th Century Architecture, ed. Lampugnani,
Hatje Verlag, Stuttgart, 1993
Junge Architekten in Grosbritannien
In Junge Architekten in Europa, ed. Bofinger,
Kohlhammer Verlag, Stuttgart, 1983
An Architect’s Response.
In Quinlan Terry, ed. Russell,
Academy Editions, London, 1981
The Venturi Effect.
In Architectural Monograph, Vol 1 No.1
Academy Editions, London, 1978
Selected Essays, Reviews and Appraisals
Review of Aalto in America, ed. Stan Anderson, Yale University Press
In Architectural Review for September, 2012
Essay: Stirling as The Master of Mannerism
In Architectural Review for April 2011
Appraisal of Michael Wilford’s New Entrance for Braun, Melsungen
In Architecture Today for September 2010
Essay: Into the Modern
In Custom and Innovation, (John Miller & Partners)
Black Dog, 2010
Review of Charles Jencks: The Garden of Cosmic Speculation
In Architectural Review for October 2008
Review of Richard Meier: Complete Works
In Building Design for June 2008
Review of Joseph Rykwert: The Judicious Eye
In Junge Architekten in Europa, ed. Bofinger Verlag, for July 2008
Review of Murray Fraser: The American Influence in Post-war British Architecture
In Architectural Review for November 2008
Appraisal: Villa near Bargemon by Ed and Margot Jones
In Architecture Today for November 2005
Appraisal: Afterlife of a Modest Building
In The Pugin Society Journal for Summer 2005
Obituary of Philip Johnson
In The Architectural Review for March 2005
Appraisal: Domesticilia sensa ojettivi: House for an Art Collector, Tony Fretton
In Casabella 713, 2003
Appraisal: School of architecture at Lincoln University, Rick Mather
In Architecture Today for January 2004
Review of Adrian Forty: Words and Buildings
In Times Higher Educational Supplement for 20th July 2002
Appraisal: Fingal County Hall, Dublin, by Bucholdz & McEvoy
In Domus 836, April 2001
Essay: Education for the Creative Act
In A.R.Q. Cambridge University, Vol 4 No 1, 2000
Appraisal of Richard Meier: Purity and Danger: The Appeal of the High-Tech
In A.A. Files for Winter 1999
Obituary of Colin Rowe:
In The Independent for 8th November 1999
Insight: Architecture without Rhetoric: Review of Without Rhetoric, by A & P Smithson:
In A.R.Q., Cambridge University, Vol. 3, No1, 1999
Appraisal: Recent work by David Chipperfield
In Faces – Journal d’architectures, university of Geneva, Spring 1995
Appraisal: Villa in Hampstead by Rick Mather Architects.
In RIBA Journal for November 1997
Essay: My Kind of Town
In Architecture Today for June 1997
Appraisal: Rowing Museum, Henley, David Chipperfield
In Domus for December 1996
Review of Iconography and Electronics upon a Generic Architecture
In A.R.Q., Cambridge University, Summer, 1996
Review: The Work of David Chipperfield
In Aedes Gallery Catelogue. October 1995
Appraisal: Squaring the Circle, John Miller at UEA
In Architecture Today for April 1994
Review: Richard Rogers e la Macchina Spaziale
In Casabella for April 1994
Review of Theoretical practice by David Chipperfield
In Blueprint for December 1994
Appraisal: Residential Towers at Aberdeen, by Dixon-Jones
In Architecture Today for July 1994
Review of A Critic Writes, ed. by Mary Banham
In Building Design for March 1993
Essay: Abstraction and Representation in Modern Architecture
In The Structurist, University of Saskatchawan, No.31/32, 1991/92
Essay: Continuity in Modern Architecture
In The Structurist, University of Saskatchawan, 1989/90
Review of Seaside: Making a Town in America
Ed. Mohney & Easterling, Phaidon, 1992
In Architecture Today for March 1992
Essay: Stirling and Venturi: a Comparison
In Casabella for December 1992
Appraisal: Masterwork at Melsungen, The Far Side of Modernity, Stirling’s Braun HQ at Melsungen
In Architecture Today and Architectural Review 1992
Appraisal: The Vitra Museum at Weil am Rhein, by Frank Gehry
In Ottagono, Milan, for June 1990
Appraisal: The Performing Arts Centre at Cornell, by James Stirling
In Architectural Review for November 1989
Essay: Il profeta irriverente, on Reyner Banham,
In Casabella for July/August, 1988
Appraisal: Mississauga City Hall, Architects Jones and Kirkland
In Architectural Design vol 58 no 1/2 1988
Appraisal: The Search for a Civic Space, Michael Graves recent Projects
Lotus International no 5, Autumn 1986
Appraisal: The High Museum, Atalnta, Georgia, Richard Meier
In AA Files for September 1984
Essay: Sermon in Stone
In The Princeton Journal, Vol 1, 1983
Essay: Reyner Banham: The Plenitude of Presence
In Architectural Design No. 8/9, 1981
Essay: The Judgement of Ideology
In 9H Magazine, No.2, 1980
Review: Tafuri-Culot-Krier: The Role of Ideology
In Architectural Design Vol 47 No.3. 1977
Essay: An Eye for an I – the Failure of Townscape
In Architectural Design for September 1976
Essay: Sweet Disorder and the Carefully Careless
Given as lecture at the AA Summer Session, 1970
In Architectural Design for April 1971
Essay: Teaching and Learning
In RIBA Journal for October 1970
Review of Reyner Banham’s Guide to Modern Architecture
In new Left Review for March/April 1963
Essay: Architecture in Cuba
In AA Journal for 1962
Review of Richard Llewlyn Davies Inaugural Lecture at U.C.L., London
In British Journal of Aesthetics for January 1962
Selected Professional Activities
Consultant to The London School of Economics on formation of a new Master Course in City Policy , Architecture and Planning, 1994-96
Member of Jury for New Gateway for Cranbrook, Cranbrook Academy of Art, Mar 1992
Member of Jury for New Concert Hall, Academy of Music, Philadelphia, Jun 1987-88
Member of Awards Panel, National Foundation for the Arts, Washington DC, Jun 1986-87
Member of Faculty of the British School at Rome, 1974-82, Rome visitor, April 1982
Practice
Consultant in Maxwell Scott Architects from 1993
Partner in Douglas Stephen and Partners 1962-92
Robert Maxwell Architect, private practice since 1958
Buildings and Projects
with Celia Maxwell Scott, Maxwell Scott Architects
Competition entry for Art Museum at Santa Barbara, California, in association with Jane Tanfield, Arhitet, San Francisco
Competition entry for Housing at Millbank,
exhibited at ART Net, London July 1977, published in Architectural Design, vol 47, no 7/8, 1977
Partner with Douglas Stephen
Development of 85 dwellings at Ascot Road Haringey for the London Borough of Haringey, constructed 1975
Two Branch Libraries, two Community Centre, a Youth Club, for the London Borough of Hillingdon, constructed 1973
Housing and Consumer Centre at Uxbridge for the London Borough of Hillingdon, installed 1973
Penthouse office floor on the French Embassy, Knightsbridge, constructed 1972
Development of 50 dwellings for the grater London Council at Drummond Street, London, constructed 1970
Development of 74 apartments at Southwood Park, Highgate, constructed 1968
As Architect in Private Practice
Kirke House, 134 Kennington Park Road, London, constructed 1963
House at Tewin Wood, Herts, constructed 1959
As grade II Architect with London County Council
Extensions to the Royal Festival Hall, constructed to modified design 1958-62