Clement Chen Jr. (1924–1996) was a Chinese-born American architect, and businessperson. He is known for his contributions to the design of a number of significant buildings in the San Francisco Bay Area many in the

Brutalist architecture Brutalist architecture is an architectural style that emerged during the 1950s in the United Kingdom, among the reconstruction projects of the post-war era. Brutalist buildings are characterised by minimalist constructions that showcase the ba ...

style. He was involved in designing a wide range of buildings, including libraries, schools, fire stations, hotels, and supermarkets. Chen Jr. worked for several prominent architectural firms before starting a joint practice Nobler and Chen, Architects from 1961 to 1962; followed by his own practice, Chen & Associates, Architects. He also owned a series of hotels in California and New York state.

Early life and early career

Clement Chen Jr. was born on July 27, 1924, in

Shanghai Shanghai (; , , Standard Mandarin pronunciation: ) is one of the four direct-administered municipalities of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The city is located on the southern estuary of the Yangtze River, with the Huangpu River flow ...

, China. He immigrated to the United States in May 1949, during the

Chinese Communist Revolution The Chinese Communist Revolution, officially known as the Chinese People's War of Liberation in the People's Republic of China (PRC) and also known as the National Protection War against the Communist Rebellion in the Republic of China (ROC ...

and after the Shanghai Campaign. He only knew one person in the United States, who later became his wife June. He had a scholarship to attend Sewanee: The University of the South in Tennessee. He finished his education at

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute () (RPI) is a private research university in Troy, New York, with an additional campus in Hartford, Connecticut. A third campus in Groton, Connecticut closed in 2018. RPI was established in 1824 by Stephen Van ...

in Troy New York, where he graduated in 1953. After completing his studies, Chen Jr. worked for a number of architectural firms in the San Francisco Bay Area. In the 1950s, he worked for the firms of George Rockrise and William Wurster, both of which were well-known and respected architectural practices. Hilton San Francisco Financial District

Architectural practice

Chen Jr. founded his own architectural practice in Redwood City and later San Francisco, which was he led from 1961 until 1996. The firm was involved in designing a number of significant public and private buildings in the Bay Area, and became known for its innovative and thoughtful approach to design. He was one of the architects for the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency's Diamond Heights Housing Project (the project ran from 1948 until 1978) in the neighborhood of Diamond Heights. After the completion of the San Francisco Chinatown Hilton Hotel in 1968, Chen Jr. designed a series of buildings for Holiday Inn. He also built his own hotels in Palo Alto, San Francisco, Pasadena, Laguna Hills, and Buffalo, New York. He was the first American architect to participate in a joint international venture in China, with the 1982 Jianguo Hotel in Beijing. Chen Jr. was married and had three children. His wife, June Wong worked in the family firm. He lived in San Carlos, California for many years.

Notable projects

Chen Jr. was involved in designing a wide range of buildings throughout his career. Some of his notable projects include the San Francisco Fire Station No. 26, the San Francisco Chinatown & Fisherman's Warf Holiday Inn (now Hilton) Hotels, the San Francisco Chinatown Branch Library, the Chinese American International School, the Hong Kong Supermarket, the Oceanview Branch Library, and the Central YMCA of San Francisco. * Redwood City Warehouse (1960), Redwood City, California * San Francisco Fire Station No. 26 (1961) * San Francisco Chinatown Hilton Hotel (1968) * Chinese American International School (1970) * SF Holiday Inn at Fisherman’s Wharf (1970) * Hong Kong Supermarket (1973) * Oceanview Branch Library (1979) * Central YMCA of San Francisco (1980) * Jianguo Hotel, Beijing, China (1982)

Accomplishments and awards

Chen Jr. was widely respected within the architecture community for his contributions to the field. He was a member of the

American Institute of Architects The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to su ...

(AIA) from 1961 to 1974; and served as the president of the San Francisco chapter from 1976 to 1977. In 1989, he received the AIA San Francisco Chapter's highest honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award as well as HUD's Honor Award for Architectural Excellence, for projects in San Francisco's Diamond Heights.

Death and legacy

He died on February 19, 1996, in Hillsborough, California. After Chen Jr.'s death, the firm continued under the leadership of his daughter, Barbra, and son Clement Chen III, who are also architects and continues to practice in the San Francisco Bay Area.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chen Jr., Clement 1924 births 1996 deaths Brutalist architects Modernist architects Chinese architects American architects Chinese emigrants to the United States People from Shanghai People from San Carlos, California Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute alumni Sewanee: The University of the South alumni