Born in Dow, Oklahoma in 1921, Charles R. Colbert grew up outside of Houston and received his bachelor's degree in architecture from the University of Texas, Austin in 1943. He served in the United States Navy until 1946 and studied naval architecture at the University of Michigan. He received his masters in architecture from Columbia University in New York in 1947 and accepted an assistant professorship at Tulane's School of Architecture in New Orleans. Colbert served at the Supervising Architect and Director of the Orleans Parish School Board from 1949 to 1952, during which time he revolutionized the school system's aging building stock, producing modern, award-winning designs for schools which garnered national praise.
Colbert's practiced flourished, and by the time construction began on the St. Louis DeVille he was serving at the Dean of Columbia's School of Architecture and had been elected a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects. Over the next thirty years Colbert taught at Rice University, Louisiana State University, and again at Tulane. He produced award-winning designs nationwide and was widely published; his book Idea: The Shaping Force is dedicated to elaborating on his distinct theories about creating works based on the architect's individual value system to create new forms with each building. Heightened appreciation of mid-century architecture has led to a re-evaluation of Colbert's work in recent years. His designs were featured prominently in the Ogden Museum of Southern Art's exhibit Regional Modernism, curated by New Orleans AIA Executive Director Melissa Urcan, and in 2007 AIA Louisiana awarded him its highest award, the Medal of Honor, for his life's work.
Born in Dow, Oklahoma in 1921, Charles R. Colbert grew up outside of Houston and received his bachelor's degree in architecture from the University of Texas, Austin in 1943. He served in the United States Navy until 1946 and studied naval architecture at the University of Michigan. He received his masters in architecture from Columbia University in New York in 1947 and accepted an assistant professorship at Tulane's School of Architecture in New Orleans. Colbert served at the Supervising Architect and Director of the Orleans Parish School Board from 1949 to 1952, during which time he revolutionized the school system's aging building stock, producing modern, award-winning designs for schools which garnered national praise.
Colbert's practiced flourished, and by the time construction began on the St. Louis DeVille he was serving at the Dean of Columbia's School of Architecture and had been elected a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects. Over the next thirty years Colbert taught at Rice University, Louisiana State University, and again at Tulane. He produced award-winning designs nationwide and was widely published; his book Idea: The Shaping Force is dedicated to elaborating on his distinct theories about creating works based on the architect's individual value system to create new forms with each building. Heightened appreciation of mid-century architecture has led to a re-evaluation of Colbert's work in recent years. His designs were featured prominently in the Ogden Museum of Southern Art's exhibit Regional Modernism, curated by New Orleans AIA Executive Director Melissa Urcan, and in 2007 AIA Louisiana awarded him its highest award, the Medal of Honor, for his life's work.
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