Robert AM Stern, architect dubbed King of Central Park West', dies aged 86

"Robert AM Stern, an architect who fashioned the New York City skyline with buildings that sought to invoke pre-war splendor but with modern luxury fit for billionaires and movie stars, has died at the age of 86. Dubbed The King of Central Park West by Vanity Fair, Stern was credited with designing 15 Central Park West that, in 2008, was credited as being the highest-priced new apartment building in the history of New York."

"With roughly $2bn in sales it was also considered the most lucrative apartment block in the world and an homage to an earlier era of classic architecture in the city of the 1920s and 30s. The exterior was covered with more than 85,000 pieces of limestone. Hedge-fund managers, financial tycoons including Lloyd Blankfein, CEO of Goldman Sachs, tech entrepreneurs including Steve Jobs, and celebrities such as Bono, Sting, Denzel Washington, and sports commentator Bob Costas called it home."

"Stern bucked the trend for modernist glass condominiums by the likes of Richard Meier, and again for the later fashion for ultra-tall shadow-makers. He chose instead to make old fashioned new again the traditional modern. It was my breakthrough, the 84-year-old architect told the New York Times of 15 Central Park West in an interview for his obituary, adding that he did not use a computer and drew everything by hand."

Robert A.M. Stern died at 86. He designed landmark luxury buildings that invoked pre-war splendor while offering modern amenities for wealthy residents. His 15 Central Park West sold about $2 billion in units and became the most lucrative new apartment block globally, its exterior clad in over 85,000 limestone pieces. Residents included hedge-fund managers, corporate leaders, tech entrepreneurs and celebrities. Stern rejected prevailing glass-and-tower trends, favoring traditional proportions and classic layouts with amenities like screening rooms, a copper-domed rotunda, a 75-foot pool and chauffeur waiting rooms. He led a 300-person firm, wrote encyclopedic architectural volumes and served as dean of the Yale School of Architecture.

Read at www.theguardian.com