B. Robert Swartburg (born Barnet Robert Swartburg; July 27, 1895 - December 7, 1975) was an American architect working in

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

and

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

primarily known for his

Modern Modern may refer to: History * Modern history ** Early Modern period ** Late Modern period *** 18th century *** 19th century *** 20th century ** Contemporary history * Moderns, a faction of Freemasonry that existed in the 18th century Phil ...

and

Streamline Moderne Streamline Moderne is an international style of Art Deco architecture and design that emerged in the 1930s. Inspired by aerodynamic design, it emphasized curving forms, long horizontal lines, and sometimes nautical elements. In industrial design ...

architectural style. He was one of the leading modernist architects in

South Florida South Florida is the southernmost region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is one of Florida's three most commonly referred to directional regions; the other two are Central Florida and North Florida. South Florida is the southernmost part of th ...

contributing greatly to the development of MiMo Modern style in the post- WWII 40s and 50's. In his 35-year career he is said to have designed over 1000 buildings. Swartburg was also an accomplished artist who painted for pleasure, and executed murals and sculptures to embellish his buildings.

Life

Born in

Bucharest Bucharest ( , ; ro, București ) is the capital and largest city of Romania, as well as its cultural, industrial, and financial centre. It is located in the southeast of the country, on the banks of the Dâmbovița River, less than north of ...

, Romania in 1895 Swartburg immigrated to the United States with his parents when he was a child. His parents, Morris and Esther Swartburg moved to

from

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

with their two children Robert and Jeannette in 1900. Swartburg's father was a well-known wood carver, who introduced his son to the craft in the early age. Swartburg started working early, first at his father's shop, then as an office boy for an architect at the age of 9. To finance his education he worked as a soda fountain employee at a Broadway drugstore, taught dancing and competed as an amateur boxer. On June 8, 1947 Swartburg married Lilian Kalan Dumas, who worked in music publishing in New York City and is credited for discovering the hit song "

It's a Sin to Tell A Lie "It's a Sin to Tell a Lie" is a 1936 popular song written by Billy Mayhew, introduced early that year on records by many dance bands including Dick Robertson on the 78rpm record Champion 40106, and later popularized by Fats Waller on Victor 2534 ...

." They stayed married for twenty eight years till Swartburg's death in Miami in 1978.

Education

Swartburg studied architecture at the

Columbia School of Architecture Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation (GSAPP) is the architecture school of Columbia University, a private research university in New York City. It is regarded as an important and highly prestigious architecture school.

under

Frederic Charles Hirons Frederic Charles Hirons (March 28, 1882 - January 23, 1942) was an American architect, based in New York City, who designed the Classical George Rogers Clark National Memorial, in Vincennes, Indiana, among the last major Beaux-Arts style public ...

Harvey Wiley Corbett Harvey Wiley Corbett (January 8, 1873 – April 21, 1954) was an American architect primarily known for skyscraper and office building designs in New York and London, and his advocacy of tall buildings and modernism in architecture. Early life ...

and Maurice J Privot. He also attended the

École des Beaux-Arts École des Beaux-Arts (; ) refers to a number of influential art schools in France. The term is associated with the Beaux-Arts style in architecture and city planning that thrived in France and other countries during the late nineteenth century ...

in Paris,

Palace of Fontainebleau Palace of Fontainebleau (; ) or Château de Fontainebleau, located southeast of the center of Paris, in the commune of Fontainebleau, is one of the largest French royal châteaux. The medieval castle and subsequent palace served as a residence ...

and at the

American Academy in Rome The American Academy in Rome is a research and arts institution located on the Gianicolo (Janiculum Hill) in Rome. The academy is a member of the Council of American Overseas Research Centers. History In 1893, a group of American architects, ...

, where he spent a year in Vatican under the Papal supervision of

Pope Pius XI Pope Pius XI ( it, Pio XI), born Ambrogio Damiano Achille Ratti (; 31 May 1857 – 10 February 1939), was head of the Catholic Church from 6 February 1922 to his death in February 1939. He was the first sovereign of Vatican City fro ...

New York

In 1917 Swartburg opened his office in New York and design residential buildings at Fordham University, Manhattan, Bronx and Chicago. In 1961 Lawrence Schmitt, president of the Silver Creek Precision Company appointed Swartburg as a head of management team leading expansion of North

Orlando Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures rele ...

Miami

Swartburg came to Miami first in 1925 for three years and then again in 1944 to stay active until his retirement. He became known for designing luxury hotels and residences such as Delano hotel, the Shore luxury apartments, the Executive, Sorrento hotel and many more. In the 60s Swartburg gets his two major government contracts - Miami Dade Civic Center and Miami Beach c In 1972 he merged his firm with Grove-Haack & Associates and served as a consultant. According to the 1971 Polk's guide, Swartburg retained an office at the Roosevelt Building (4014 Chase Ave, suite #220, Miami Beach, Fl) and lived in a house he built in 1936 at the address 2940 Flamingo Drive, Miami Beach, Fl. The house features a Georgian door Swartburg carved himself after his search for a knowledgeable plasterer in Miami brought no results. In 2018 many of the buildings designed by Swartburg in Miami Beach were designated as historical landmarks alongside buildings of such big names as

Morris Lapidus Morris Lapidus (November 25, 1902 – January 18, 2001) was an architect, primarily known for his Neo-baroque "Miami Modern" hotels constructed in the 1950s and 60s, which have since come to define that era's resort-hotel style, synonymous w ...

, Igor Polevitzky and Charles McKirahan to protect their architectural heritage. Accused of flawed job in the Justice Building construction in 1963.

Architectural style

Swartburg was one of the leading Modernist architects I Miami, and he began his career in Miami during the mid-1920s. He made his name designing luxury resort buildings and later took on large government contracts, such as Miami Beach Convention Center and Miami Dade Civic Center. The Delano is one of the top hotels in all of Florida and it is also the first hotel in this country with an indoor and outdoor lobby. A City of Miami Historic Landmark, the 53 unit Vagabond Motel is considered an exemplary portrayal of the Miami Modern style for its open-air plan, jalousie windows, geometric designs, overhanging roof lines, and open air verandah with catwalk. Swartburg also designed the Metro Justice Building and the Delano Hotel in Miami Beach. Shore and Bayside condominium buildings have the appeal of a seaside resort by one of the most celebrated Miami Beach architects with a dramatic entrance of intersecting planes, screen-block boxed windows and angled beanpoles. The atomic age gave rise to a spirit of futurism, modernity and national pride,” according to Paskal.

List of projects

* Garden Bay Manor, 1939 *

Delano Hotel The Delano South Beach hotel was an upscale resort located in Miami Beach, Florida. Delano was a part of the Morgans Hotel Group collection prior to MHG being purchased by SBE Entertainment Group. SBE Entertainment has since sold the hotel t ...

, 1947 - one of the first hotels built after

WWII World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. The hotel was named after President Roosevelt, who kept a suite at the there. The hotel’s deco styling is more provocative than most, with sharp angles, and a towering verticality. * Vagabond Motel, 1953 - designed in the spacey-futuristic Miami-Modern style, the Vagabond was "an expression of the optimistic belief in the future of this time." The building was restored by Miami real estate developer Avra Jain, who specializes in historic preservation development. The Vagabond Motel, with its futuristic asymmetry and angularity, was a vision of Miami Modern. Designed in 1953 by Robert Swartburg, today it has been thoroughly reinvented and modernized, with a chic pool scene, high-end eatery and more. *

Bass Museum The Bass Museum of Art is a contemporary art museum located in Miami Beach, Florida. The Bass Museum of Art was founded in 1963 and opened in 1964. History Early years John Bass (1891-1978) and Johanna Redlich (m. Feb. 21, 1921) were Jewish-imm ...

, 1963 conversion * Marseille Hotel, 1948 * Metro Justice Building * Shore Apartments (6881 Bay Drive Condo), 1948 - is one of the signature buildings representing Miami Modern post-war style protected as part of Normandy Isle Historic District. * Belle Towers, Belle Island, FL 1958 - “A private estate would serve as a better comparison…the quiet seclusion required for refined gracious living is zealously guard- ed by the carefully selected staff of Belle Towers.” * Miami Beach Convention Hall * 960 Bay Drive, 1950 - is one of more than 200 mid-century buildings designated historic by Miami Beach, granting it special protections from demolition. * The Executive Apartments, 1959. - "Furthermore, the design genius of one of Miami Beach’s most distinctive architects, B. Robert Swartburg (architect of the Delano Hotel), was represented in the compact but highly spirited architecture of The Executive apartments (1959)" * Bayside Apartments, 1952 - condo with the appeal of a seaside resort featuring a dramatic entrance of intersecting planes, screen-block boxed windows and angled beanpoles.

Famous buildings

File:Delano South Beach 1.jpg, alt=Delano Hotel South Beach, 1947,

South Beach, 1947 File:Newly Restored Vagabond Hotel (14870192497).jpg, alt=Vagabond Motel, Vagabond Motel, 1953 File:Bass Museum.jpg, alt=Bass Museum, South Beach, 1963,

, South Beach, 1963 File:6881 Bay Drive Condo.jpg, alt=B Robert Swartsburg, Shore Apartments, 6881 Bay Drive Condo File:Marseilles Hotel Miami Beach Swartburg.jpg, Marseilles Hotel, 1947. .

References

External links

MiMo/Biscayne Boulevard Historic Disrict Designation Report.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Swartburg, Robert Modernist architects from the United States 1895 births 1975 deaths Architects from Florida Miami Modern architecture Modernist architecture in Florida Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation alumni 20th-century American architects Romanian emigrants to the United States