Paul Byard
Encyclopedia
Paul Byard was a lawyer
and an architect
. He was born in New York
into an educationally successful family. His father was a lawyer and his mother was a teacher of English at Columbia University
. Byard graduated from Yale College
in 1961 and went on to receive degrees
from Clare College, Cambridge, Harvard Law School
, and later in architecture from Columbia.
to the Roosevelt Island Development Corporation
and as an associate counsel to the New York State Urban Development Corporation. Combining law with architecture, Byard supported the legal defense of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Law.
in 1977. Soon after, in 1981, he was made a partner in the firm. In 1989, Byard joined Charles A. Platt Partners (later known as Platt Byard Dovell White).
While working as an architect, Byard was involved in the renovations of Carnegie Hall
, the old Custom House
on Bowling Green, the State Supreme Court’s Appellate Division Courthouse on Madison Square
, the Cooper Union
Foundation Building, and the Villard Houses
. He also helped to design the New 42nd Street Studios, the Chanel 57 building, and a mausoleum
and columbarium
at Green-Wood Cemetery
in Brooklyn
, all of which were of contemporary design. Byard was highly involved in the Architectural League of New York
and served as president from 1989-1994.
While working as an architect, Byard wrote The Architecture of Additions: Design and Regulation (W.W. Norton, 1998), in which he discusses the renovations of many historic buildings and exhibits his knowledge of blending old and new styles of architecture. At the time of his death, Byard was working on a book to be entitled Why Save This Building? The Public Interest in Architectural Meaning.
In keeping with his architectural interests, Byard directed the historic preservation
program at Columbia for ten years until his death. He also developed a third-year studio and workshop for architecture and preservation students.
, Brooklyn, where he died on July 15, 2008, of cancer.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and an architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
. He was born in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
into an educationally successful family. His father was a lawyer and his mother was a teacher of English at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
. Byard graduated from Yale College
Yale College
Yale College was the official name of Yale University from 1718 to 1887. The name now refers to the undergraduate part of the university. Each undergraduate student is assigned to one of 12 residential colleges.-Residential colleges:...
in 1961 and went on to receive degrees
Academic degree
An academic degree is a position and title within a college or university that is usually awarded in recognition of the recipient having either satisfactorily completed a prescribed course of study or having conducted a scholarly endeavour deemed worthy of his or her admission to the degree...
from Clare College, Cambridge, Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
, and later in architecture from Columbia.
Law career
Upon completing law school, Byard joined the Winthrop & Stimson legal firm in 1966 for three years. He also acted as general counselGeneral Counsel
A general counsel is the chief lawyer of a legal department, usually in a corporation or government department. The term is most used in the United States...
to the Roosevelt Island Development Corporation
Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation
The Roosevelt Island Operating Corporation is a public-benefit corporation responsible for developing Roosevelt Island, a small strip of land in the East River, part of the borough of Manhattan....
and as an associate counsel to the New York State Urban Development Corporation. Combining law with architecture, Byard supported the legal defense of the New York City Landmarks Preservation Law.
Architecture career
In 1977 Byard received an architectural degree from the Graduate School of Architecture and Planning at Columbia University. As an architect, he joined James Stewart Polshek & AssociatesJames Polshek
James Stewart Polshek is an American architect based in New York City. He is the founder of Polshek Partnership, the firm at which he was Principal Design Partner for more than four decades...
in 1977. Soon after, in 1981, he was made a partner in the firm. In 1989, Byard joined Charles A. Platt Partners (later known as Platt Byard Dovell White).
While working as an architect, Byard was involved in the renovations of Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
, the old Custom House
Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House
The Alexander Hamilton U.S. Custom House is a building in New York City, built 1902–1907 by the federal government to house the duty collection operations for the port of New York. It is located near the southern tip of Manhattan, next to Battery Park, at 1 Bowling Green...
on Bowling Green, the State Supreme Court’s Appellate Division Courthouse on Madison Square
Madison Square
Madison Square is formed by the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Broadway at 23rd Street in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The square was named for James Madison, fourth President of the United States and the principal author of the United States Constitution.The focus of the square is...
, the Cooper Union
Cooper Union
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, commonly referred to simply as Cooper Union, is a privately funded college in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, United States, located at Cooper Square and Astor Place...
Foundation Building, and the Villard Houses
Villard Houses
The Villard Houses are located at 455 Madison Avenue in the Manhattan Borough of New York City between 50th and 51st Street.- History :The building was constructed in 1884, designed by the architecture firm McKim, Mead and White three years after they started their company...
. He also helped to design the New 42nd Street Studios, the Chanel 57 building, and a mausoleum
Mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
and columbarium
Columbarium
A columbarium is a place for the respectful and usually public storage of cinerary urns . The term comes from the Latin columba and originally referred to compartmentalized housing for doves and pigeons .The Columbarium of Pomponius Hylas is a particularly fine ancient Roman example, rich in...
at Green-Wood Cemetery
Green-Wood Cemetery
Green-Wood Cemetery was founded in 1838 as a rural cemetery in Brooklyn, Kings County , New York. It was granted National Historic Landmark status in 2006 by the U.S. Department of the Interior.-History:...
in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, all of which were of contemporary design. Byard was highly involved in the Architectural League of New York
Architectural League of New York
The Architectural League of New York is a non-profit organization "for creative and intellectual work in architecture, urbanism, and related disciplines"....
and served as president from 1989-1994.
While working as an architect, Byard wrote The Architecture of Additions: Design and Regulation (W.W. Norton, 1998), in which he discusses the renovations of many historic buildings and exhibits his knowledge of blending old and new styles of architecture. At the time of his death, Byard was working on a book to be entitled Why Save This Building? The Public Interest in Architectural Meaning.
In keeping with his architectural interests, Byard directed the historic preservation
Historic preservation
Historic preservation is an endeavor that seeks to preserve, conserve and protect buildings, objects, landscapes or other artifacts of historical significance...
program at Columbia for ten years until his death. He also developed a third-year studio and workshop for architecture and preservation students.
Personal life and death
Byard married Rosalie Starr Warren in 1965 and had two children. He lived in Prospect HeightsProspect Heights
Prospect Heights may refer to:* Prospect Heights, Illinois* Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, New York...
, Brooklyn, where he died on July 15, 2008, of cancer.