Robert Evans Alexander (b. 1907)

Robert E. Alexander earned his B.A. in Architecture from Cornell University in 1930. Following his graduation, Alexander studied at Académie Beaux Kinds in Paris, as well as in Italy and Spain. Between 1936-42 Alexander had several stints with different architecture firms, when in 1942 he became assistant of the Lockhead Aircraft Corporation inBurbank (through 1946). Between 1946-49 Alexander practiced as an independent architect - after which (1949-58) he worked as a partner to Richard J. Neutra in the firm of Neutra and Alexander. In 1959, the accomplished architect founded Robert E. Alexander & Associates.

Beyond his B.A., Alexander continued academic work at University of California, Los Angeles (1952), and in 1953 served as Visiting Critic at Cornell University.

His professional affiliations were numerous: joined AIA in 1942; 1951 honour member League of Philippines Architects; between 1946-49 and 1958-60 AIA Housing & Planning Committee; earned AIA Fellow status in 1955;
1958-62 Future of Profession Committee of the AIA; 1969 vice-president AIA, Southern California Chapter; 1970 president; frequent jury member and chairman of national committees concerning town construction, e.g. 1945-51 Planning Committee Los Angeles; 1948-50 Preservation Committee Los Angeles; 1957 Carson Piric Scott & CO. Competition for the reorganization of The loop, Chicago; and 1958-60 Federal housing administration Advisory Committee on multi Family housing.

Alexander would win a great number of awards, certificates and accomodations such as: Honorable Award of the AIA for Baldwin Hills Village, Los Angeles (1946); 1951 Honorable Award for University of California Elementary School, Los Angeles; 1954 Special designer Award for town redevelopment study for Sacramento/California; Honorable Award of the AIA for Current Work, together with Richard J. Neutra; 1957 Honorable Award for Miramar chapel; as well as the Merit Award for University of California, US-Department House as well as development project for Los Angeles (1964).

...The other significant memory is of my summers as office boy in the architectural office of my step-father, Robert Evans Alexander, during my early teens. I was placed in charge of the blueprint room where I sleepily reproduced a few drawings each day. Once I labored through several weeks of unproductive recalcitrance when asked to darken in all the little rectangles representing houses on an enormous plan drawing for an Air Force housing project. When it became apparent to me that the only purpose of my effort was to make the drawing read a little more boldly when displayed in the office hallway, I was convinced absolutely of the uselessness of architecture. Bob's partner, Richard Neutra, would occasionally make an appearance, but I saw him as a cross between Scrooge and Rumplestiltskin, and had no notion that his haughty air accompanied his stature as a celebrated Modernist. My overriding memory of the months in that office is of my boredom, clueless as to the secret joys animating the rows of architects hunched over their drawing boards. In fairness I have to credit Bob's passion for his profession as underlying most of my present interest in the field. His magazines caught my attention at an early age, and our family vacations became architectural pilgrimages, especially when the annual architects' convention could be combined with fly fishing in Montana. Many years later, in 1974, Bob was responsible for my first public commission, in a courthouse he had designed in California....
Ed Carpenter, July, 1999.

Guide to the Robert Evans Alexander Papers, 1935-1993
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections Cornell University Library

Partial List of San Diego Projects

Airman's Memorial Chapel (1957)
Architect: Neutra & Alexander
Miramar Naval Air Station (later MCAS Miramar)

Revelle College Residence Halls (1966)
UC San Diego

Revelle College Commons (1964)
UC San Diego

School of Medicine (1968)
UC San Diego

Basic Science Building, School of Medicine (1968)
UC San Diego

Projects Outside of San Diego

Hall of Records (1962)
Richard Neutra and Robert E. Alexander
320 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles

Lincoln Memorial Museum
97 Taneytown Road, Gettysburg National Military Park