ADAM THE PROFESSIONAL ARCHITECT
Robert Adam (1728-92) played a pivotal role in the emergence of the professional architect, significantly advancing the field of architecture and distinguishing it from related trades His exceptional design skills and elegant architectural renderings were fueled by his ambition and family resources Adam championed the idea that an architect's primary role was design, advocating for the separation of architect and builder, which helped professionalize architecture in Britain and elevate architects to elite societal status His extensive education and connections with prestigious institutions set him apart from his contemporaries, while his interactions with patrons shed light on the challenges faced by eighteenth-century British architects within a restrictive patronage system.
Designer, Draftsman, and “Contriver of Everything”
Robert Adam's life was deeply intertwined with the creation of significant architectural monuments in Britain during the late eighteenth century Born into a family of architects, his father, William Adam, was engaged in the construction of notable Georgian mansions, such as Hopetoun House and Arniston House, which Robert and his brothers completed after their father's passing William also designed Mavisbank House, Scotland's first Palladian villa, completed shortly before Robert's birth By the time of his death, Robert was overseeing numerous projects, including major architectural works in England and Scotland, such as speculative houses on Portland Place and Fitzroy Square in London, and Charlotte Square in Edinburgh Throughout his extensive career, Adam contributed to the design of at least twenty public buildings, five churches, and numerous private residences, including country houses, castles, and various structures for estates While many of his commissions involved remodels, he also designed several buildings from the ground up, including the Adelphi and the University of Edinburgh.
59 Hopetoun House was completed between 1750 and 1757; Arniston House was completed between 1754 and 1758
William Adam, trained by his father John Adam, a skilled stone mason, and later by the renowned architect Sir William Bruce, played a pivotal role in introducing the Renaissance style to Scotland He is particularly celebrated for his contributions to the Palace of Holyrood House For a deeper understanding of William Adam's life and impact, refer to John Gifford's work, "William Adam, 1689-1748: A Life and Times."
Scotland's Universal Architect (Edinburgh: Mainstream, 1989)
In 1792, an obituary noted that at the time of his passing, he was involved in eight public works and twenty-five private buildings, primarily located in Scotland This information is referenced in Doreen Yarwood's book, "Robert Adam."
62 For a list of his complete works, see King, Complete Works of Robert and James Adam
While Adam is primarily recognized for his sophisticated take on classicism, his lesser-known late designs for Scottish castles and his lifelong sketches of Gothic fantasies reveal his versatility and expertise in various architectural styles.
Adam's country houses reveal significant insights into his artistic character, showcasing his unique design strategies He often designed from the inside-out, prioritizing the visitor's experience of interior spaces, which sometimes led to conspicuous adjustments in exterior façades John Fleming noted that Adam's methods could be surprising, even to Palladian standards Additionally, he enjoyed creating "surprises" within architectural spaces by introducing subtle variations in depth and unexpected openings between rooms Adam also treated rooms and transitional spaces as distinct architectural forms, leading to diverse plan shapes like ovals, octagons, and circles, along with features such as wall niches and curved hallways His frequent use of circular rooms set his designs apart from conventional architecture.
John Fleming highlights architectural inconsistencies in various buildings, noting that at Cumbernauld, round-headed windows on the exterior contrast with square-headed designs inside He points out that the prominent Venetian window at the Drum illuminates a modest parlor instead of the expected grand salone Additionally, he observes that at Duff House, there is a complete disregard for orderly window arrangement on the sides.
In the 18th century, the circle was regarded by architects as the most aesthetically pleasing and spacious shape, yet it was also deemed the most costly and least effective for light distribution Additionally, many of Adam's interior designs exhibit awkward formal elements, particularly in corners, where door and window frames often collide or appear truncated, a phenomenon described by Alistair Rowan as "Adam’s architecture of collision."
A handful of other design attributes are commonly associated with Adam’s work
He was renowned for his carefully crafted ceiling designs, which served as the foundation for the layout and decoration of the entire room, often favoring lower ceilings over Palladian ideals In line with Palladian tradition, Adam preferred to separate kitchens from main living areas to minimize noise, odors, and heat His most celebrated achievements included the decorative elements of his interior designs and his vibrant color palette Adam's remarkable talent for creating a cohesive decorative scheme across multiple rooms while ensuring variety was highly impactful.
64 In his fourth Royal Academy lecture, for example, Professor of Architecture Thomas Sandby related:
The circle offers significant advantages, being the most spacious, robust, and aesthetically pleasing of all shapes However, it also has notable drawbacks, including high costs, poor light distribution, and inefficiencies in internal division due to the curvature of spandrels, which can lead to wasted space.
In a conversation at Chandos House in London in September 2015, Professor Alistair Rowan discussed the challenges faced in eighteenth-century building practices Professor Conor Lucey noted that these "collisions" were likely a result of constructing buildings by proxy from London without direct oversight This issue was a common frustration for architects of the time, including William Chambers, who attributed such collisions to the incompetence of builders.
The colors utilized by the Adam firm remain largely unknown and are often estimated during restoration efforts based on available images, notes, and existing under-layers of paint For a deeper understanding of Robert Adam's color usage, refer to Eileen Harris's article, “The Colour of Adam,” published in Country Life, and Ian Bristow's piece, “The Room in the Context of Robert Adam's Work,” in the Philadelphia Museum of Art Bulletin This exploration coincides with the late-eighteenth-century emergence of the four-movement symphony, notably represented in the compositions of Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Adam often felt uneasy using pattern books and adapting others' designs, preferring instead to draw inspiration from their work for his own creations His time in Italy from 1754 to 1757 marked a significant turning point in his ambition to invent In a letter to his sister Peggy on March 5, 1755, he expressed his hope to "invent great things" even if he never executed them, highlighting his creative aspirations He further noted on July 4, 1755, that the work of renowned Italian print-maker Giovanni Battista Piranesi particularly ignited his creative energies.
After his return from the Continent in January 1758, Adam shifted away from relying on pattern books and the desire to create them, instead allowing his personal taste to guide his architectural designs This change marked a significant evolution in his approach, emphasizing the importance of individual creativity and inspiration in the field of architecture.
Adam's design work was primarily conveyed through drawings, reflecting the business and artistic needs of the late eighteenth century Similar to other prominent architects, he occasionally offered clients the option to buy only the building design, supplying drawings for local architects or builders to manage the construction This practice often led to substantial alterations in the design, particularly regarding decorative elements, which were frequently deemed too costly to implement.
67 I would like to thank Professor E J Johnson for this rich and clever insight
68 Cited in Fleming, Adam Robert Adam, 144