Architect Robert A.M. Stern, 86, who founded and led the New York City-based architecture firm named for him that designed schools, museums and libraries for the masses, but also an iconic Manhattan condo building overlooking Central Park for the ultra-rich, died in the city on Nov. 25 after a brief illness, a family member told The New York Times.

Robert A.M. Stern Architects, also known as RAMSA, was founded by Stern as a solo practice in 1977 and now ranks at No. 285 on ENR’s Top 500 Design Firms list, with about 250 employees and reporting $82.7 million in 2024 design revenue. 

In a five-decade career, Stern was also a faculty member at Columbia and Yale Universities, and led Yale’s School of Architecture from 1998 to 2016.

At his death, Stern was still working at his firm, set to retire in January, said the Architect’s Newspaper,

Read more about Stern’s career and design and construction impact in this account by Architectural Record, ENR’s sister publication.