Scottish Classical Architect - Georgian Buildings, UK
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(1728-92)
born Kirkcaldy; buried in Westminster Abbey
Robert Adam was not only the leading Scottish architect of the 18th century - and exponent of the Classical Georgian style - but remains Scotland's most famous architect. He became architect to George III.
Robert Adam - Photos + Info for his Scottish Buildings
photo © Adrian Welch
Scottish Buildings
Register House, Edinburgh
Charlotte Square (north side), Edinburgh
Old College, University of Edinburgh (below)
Hopetoun House, South Queensferry
Mellerstain Berwicks.
Dalquharran Castle, Dailly, Ayrshire
Mavisbank, Berwicks.
8 Queen St, Edinburgh
Trades Hall, Glasgow 1791
Airthrey Castle, Stirlingshire
Adam regularly worked with his architect brothers, John, William and especially James.
Full List of Works by Robert Adam & his family
(Scottish buildings in italics):
Adam Brothers
Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
Stamford, Lincs.
James Adam
Hertford, Herts - Fore Street
Assembly Rooms, 1796 - demolished
Glasgow Infirmary - demolished
Professors' Lodgings, Old College, Glasgow University 1793
Babbity Bowster's, Blackfriars St, Glasgow 1792
McLennan Arch, Glasgow Green 1796 adj. Homes for the Future
Tron Kirk Glasgow 1793
George Square, Glasgow - designs, unbuilt 1792
John Adam
Banff, Banffshire
Downhill Castle, Northumberland
Robert Adam
Adelphi project, London
Airthrey Castle, Stirlingshire
Alnwick Castle, Northumberland
Archerfield House (interior), East Lothian
Ballochmyle House, Ayrshire
Binley, Warks. - Church of St Bartholomew
Brockhall, Northamptonshire
Burton Constable, Yorkshire
Castle Upton, Antrim
Culzean Castle, Ayrshire
Dalquharran Castle, Dailly, Ayrshire
Dumfries House
Fort George, Inverness.
George Square, Glasgow - designs, unbuilt 1792
Gifford, East Lothian - Yester House*
Gosford House, East Lothian
Glasgow Infirmary - demolished
Gunton, Norfolk - Church of St Andrew
Harewood House with John Carr of York
Headfort House, Meath
Hopetoun House South Queensferry
Jerviston, Lanarkshire
Kedleston Hall, Derbyshire
Kimbolton Castle, Hunts.
Kirkdale, Kircudbrightshire
London - Hyde Park Corner, Kenwood, Royal Hospital
Mavisbank, Berwicks. with Sir John Clerk
Mellerstain, Berwicks. with William Adam
Milton Abbas, Dorset - Abbey
Newliston, West Lothian
No.8 Queen St, Edinburgh
Newby Hall, Yorks.
Nostell Priory, Yorks.
Old College, University of Edinburgh
Osterley Park House, London
Oxenford, Midlothian
Register House, Princes St, Edinburgh
Stowe, Bucks.
Sunnyside, Midlothian
Syon House, London
Trades Hall, Glasgow 1791
William Adam
Aberdeen - Robert Gordon's College
Aberfeldy, Perths. - General Wade's Bridge
Banff, Banffs. - Duff House
Chatelherault Lodge, Lanarkshire
Haddo House, Aberdeenshire
Pollokshaws, Lanarks. - Pollok House
Library, Old College, Glasgow University 1732
Haddington Town House, 1748, originally by William Adam but little of his work remains.
*Yester House - 1699-1728 by James Smith and Alexander MacGill, with interventions by William & Robert Adam
Robert Adam : Dalquharran Castle, Scotland [follow link above for photos]
building image © Alastair Cook
Practice Information
Robert Adam : Background
Robert Adam was born in 1728 in Kirkcaldy but his family moved that year to Edinburgh. He attended Edinburgh High School from 1734 and joined Edinburgh University in 1743.
Robert joined John as an architect apprentice to his father William Adam in 1746. Robert Adam’s father died in 1748 and was buried at Greyfriars Churchyard, Edinburgh. Robert then became John’s partner in the family business. The Adam brothers' first major commission started in 1750 at Hopetoun House, west of Edinburgh.
In 1754 Robert Adam left for his grand tour of Europe; he moved to London in 1758 and in 1761 he was appointed ‘Architect of the King's Works’, jointly with William Chambers, a role later taken on by his brother James.
In 1792 Robert Adam died at his home, 11 Albermarle Street, London and is buried at Westminster Abbey. John Adam also died in 1792 but in Edinburgh and in 1794 James also died at Albemarle Street. William Adam (younger) died in 1821.
In Scotland Culzean Castle is generally recognised as the key building by Robert Adam. This Castle perches above a raised beach on the south-west Scottish coast. Also well known in Edinburgh are Robert's designs for South Bridge which never came to complete fruition.
Robert Adam : Mellerstain House, Scotland [follow link above for photos]
image © Adrian Welch
Robert Adam Books
1764: Ruins of the Palace of the Emperor Diocletian, at Spalatra, in Dalmatia.
1773 (with James) Works in Architecture of Robert and James Adam, Vol.1.
1779 (with James) Works in Architecture of Robert and James Adam, Vol 2.
1822 (with James) Works in Architecture of Robert and James Adam, Vol 3.
Sir John Soane acquired the Robert Adam drawing collection in 1833.
Robert Adam's Father
William Adam : Background
William Adam, father of Robert Adam, was born at Kircaldy in 1689.
In 1724 William Adam transformed Hopetoun House (Sir William Bruce, 1700) into a great Scottish Classical House and this remains one of his key works. William Adam was appointed in 1729 as the Surveyor of the Kings' Works in Scotland. William Adam died in 1748 and was buried at Greyfriars Churchyard, Edinburgh.
John Adam was born 1721 and his brother James Adam in 1732.
News Excerpt re Robert Adam:
Robert Adam - Scottish Architect
New RLS Data Loaded: Robert Adam Project
Cadking Design's Robert Adam architecture project comprises 200 full data sets on the 18th century architect, including some unexecuted designs.
Robert Adam is an RLS Project. All RLS projects are accessible from the RLS portal www.rls.org.uk. They are seamlessly cross-searchable at www.scran.ac.uk
Aug 03
Scottish Architecture: best Scottish Buildings of the last three decades
Edinburgh Tours : Architecture Walking Tours
There is a contemporary Robert Adam, architect, based in England who practices in the Classical style of architecture.
One of the most famous Scottish buildings by Robert Adam is Culzean Castle, Ayrshire.
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Robert Adam Buildings - page : adrian welch / isabelle lomholt
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