Robert Adam Architects, Classical Architecture

Robert Adam Architect, Architecture, Neoclassical Houses, Designs, Palladian Buildings, Photos

Robert Adam Classical Architect

Projects + Buildings by this Architectural Practice, England, UK

post updated 27 Apr 2021

Robert Adam Architect – Practice News

25 May 2010
Modernity & Tradition Debate – Robert Adam to present
Robert Adam
picture of Robert Adam from S&R
Modernity and the Future of Tradition debate, London, UK 9 Jun
Will Alsop and Stephen Bayley, will present modernity. Robert Adam and professor Samir Younes will make the case for tradition. The event will be introduced by Traditional Architecture Group (TAG) chair, and will be moderated by Sunand Prasad.

31 Mar 2010

Robert Adam Architects – Title change

Robert Adam Architects has changed its name to ADAM Architecture.

ADAM Architecture is to be led by Robert Adam, Nigel Anderson, Paul Hanvey, Hugh Petter and George Saumarez Smith.

24 Feb 2010

Three Houses in Jersey
Jersey houses by Robert Adam Architects
picture : Robert Adam Architects
Jersey houses, Channel Islands, UK

28 Sep 2009

Witanhurst Mansion Extension
The capital’s largest private residence (90 rooms) is to be extended by Robert Adam Architects. The Grade II star-listed London property dates from 1774 is located in Highgate. The property was sold in 2008 to Elena Baturina, the billionaire wife of the mayor of Moscow

21 May 2009

Robert Adam Architects – Criticism

RIBA Award Winners – Robert Adam says that fair judgement of Classical buildings needs classical knowledge

Robert Adam Architects are delighted that 198 – 202 Piccadilly was short-listed for a 2009 RIBA Award. The strong classical design of the mixed-use building has made it a significant addition to the Piccadilly streetscape and has won two other awards.

The 2009 winners, announced today, did not include the Piccadilly building. “If we had won,” says Robert Adam, “it would have been one of the very few times that a traditional or classical building has received an RIBA award. But reaching the shortlist is important and I hope this is a signal towards a more liberal attitude, and that the Awards committee is doing more than just adding a ‘token’ classicist to avoid last year’s furore.”

In 2008 the RIBA was accused of stylistic prejudice by omitting from its short-list an outstanding classical building which had won major awards elsewhere, and favouring ‘contemporary’ design. “Robert Adam points out that the RIBA illustrated the building with the much plainer minor elevation, instead of the principal and dramatic Piccadilly facade. It is as if they wanted to play it down as the odd man out and justify their decision by a false comparison with the indentikit modernist designs that made up the rest of the shortlist.”

Despite this year’s short-listing, Robert Adam maintains that the chance of a ‘classical’ winner is significantly compromised by the lack of any assessors who are literate in the classical language.

Robert said “The assessors who came to the Piccadilly building were all knowledgeable within their disciplines, and quite positive, but walking round the building it became apparent that they were struggling to find a critical framework to assess a classic building. Of course knowledgeable assessors might not have found in Piccadilly’s favour, but at least it would have been expertly judged. Architecture schools have failed miserably to produce a generation literate in traditional and classical architecture.”

“The RIBA Awards represents a snapshot of the best new buildings in the UK” says Robert, who himself spent twelve years as an RIBA Awards judge “The winners are undoubtedly exceptional of their type but to truly reflect the diversity of British architecture, traditional and classical building must have a fighting chance to be judged among the best.”

Recent UK Buildings

Grafton Hall, Cheshire, England
2008-
Grafton Hall
picture : Robert Adam Architects
Grafton Hall

Neoclassical English House, Hampshire, England
2008
Neoclassical House
picture : Robert Adam Architects
Neoclassical English House

Piccadilly Office Building, West End, central London, England
2006
Robert Adam Architects exterior with make interior

Coed Darcy Urban Village, Llandarcy, Wales
Designs by Robert Adam Architects for homes in the initial phase of the proposed Coed Darcy Urban Village at Llandarcy in South Wales on a 400 hectare (1,000 acre) brownfield site, formerly occupied by Britain’s first oil refinery.

Architect Robert Adam said “Coed Darcy will be an exemplar of traditional urban design and the new houses will pay homage to the history and vernacular architecture of the area as well as being thoroughly modern in conception.”

Leith Western Harbour – Edinburgh Masterplan

Robert Adam Architects Masterplan

16 Mar 2005
Masterplan for Western Harbour, Leith Docks, Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland
Masterplan for Western Harbour, Leith Docks
picture from architects

The architecture practice have developed a detailed masterplan for the future development of Western Harbour in Edinburgh. The site is a large trapezoidal land-fill area pointing northward into the Forth and adjacent to the historic fishing village of Newhaven. Whilst the harbour was previously Edinburgh’s main port, the extensive dock area is now largely redundant due to industrial decline and has become increasingly dislocated from the traditional city fabric.

Robert Adam Architects have designed the scheme according to the principles of Traditional Urbanism. A new approach to planning developed over the last 25 years, this technique recognises the value of traditional planning and emphasises the need in today’s architecture to marry what is still vital in local tradition with the best in our increasingly global civilisation.

More projects by Robert Adam Architects online soon

Location: London, south east England, UK

British Architects Practice Information

Robert Adam Architects – since renamed ADAM Architecture.

London Architects – key current architecture offices in the UK capital city.

Robert Adam Architects was a traditional architecture practice in Winchester and London.

Robert Adam – Classical Architect from Georgian period

London Architect

London Architectural Designs

London Architecture Designs – architectural selection below:

Regent Street Landscape Plans
Regent Street landscape improvement
image courtesy of BDP
Regent Street Landscape Plans
The Crown Estate and Westminster City Council have unveiled plans to transform London’s iconic Regent Street – helping to deliver their shared vision for a greener, cleaner, safer and more accessible West End.

British Academy Refurbishment, Carlton House Terrace, St. James’s
Design: Wright & Wright
British Academy refurbishment London
image © architects
British Academy Refurbishment
Wright & Wright has started work on a project to remodel the grade I-listed offices of the British Academy in central London. This Carlton House Terrace project won Listed Building Consent this summer.

English Architects

London Architecture : news + key projects

Architecture Studios

Buildings / photos for the Robert Adam Architects page welcome

Website: formerly www.robertadamarchitects.com