Benjamin C. Thompson (July 3, 1918 - August 21, 2002) was a notable American architect. Architect at his drawing board, 1893 An architect, also known as a building designer, is a person involved in the planning, designing and oversight of a buildings construction, whose role is to guide decisions affecting those building aspects that are of aesthetic, cultural or social concern. ...

Thompson was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota, graduated from Yale University in 1941, and then spent four years in the United States Navy, fighting in World War II. After the war he moved to Cambridge, Massachusetts where he spent the rest of his life. State capitol building in Saint Paul Location in Ramsey County, Minnesota Founded Incorporated 1851 1854  County Ramsey County Mayor Chris Coleman (DFL) Area  - Total  - Water 145. ... Yale University is a private university in New Haven, Connecticut. ... For the movie, see 1941 (film) 1941 (MCMXLI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... The United States Navy (USN) is the branch of the United States armed forces responsible for naval operations. ... World War II was a truly global conflict with many facets: immense human suffering, fierce indoctrination, and the use of new, extremely devastating weapons such as the atom bomb. ... Cambridge City Hall Cambridge is a city in the Greater Boston area of Massachusetts, United States. ...

Thompson began his career as an architect in 1946 when he convinced Walter Gropius to form The Architects' Collaborative with himself and four Yale classmates. In 1953 he founded Design Research, a company that provided interior furnishings and accessories. He also designed the company's first store, notable for its extreme openness and use of glass; the firm eventually added stores in New York (1964) and San Francisco (1965). Thomson's interest in modernism, however, was balanced by appreciation of older architecture. In the late 1950s he renovated Harvard Yard's historic dormitories by updating their interior arrangements without visible exterior effect. Shortly thereafter he persuaded Harvard to remodel Boylston Hall (built 1857) rather than demolish it. 1946 (MCMXLVI) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... Bauhaus in Dessau by Walter Gropius Walter Adolph Gropius (May 18, 1883 – July 5, 1969) was a German architect and founder of Bauhaus. ... The Architects Collaborative (TAC) was an American architecture firm founded by Walter Gropius in 1945 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. ... 1953 (MCMLIII) is a common year starting on Thursday. ... Harvard Yard is a grassy area of about 25 acres (10 hectares), adjacent to Harvard Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts, which constitutes the oldest part and the center of the campus of Harvard University. ...

During those years, Thompson taught architecture at Harvard University, and served as Department Chairman 1964-1968. His 1966 essay, “Visual Squalor and Social Disorder,” argued for an urban architecture that would encourage, rather than discourage, joy and social life. To this end, in 1967 he proposed reviving Boston's historic markets with food stalls, cafes, restaurants, and pushcarts. Harvard University is a private university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, and a member of the Ivy League. ...

Thompson separated from the Collaborative in 1966, and started his own firm, Benjamin Thompson and Associates (BTA). His five-story, all-glass showcase for Design Research opened in Cambridge, Massachusetts in 1970. (As of 2005 it houses Crate and Barrel.) Cambridge City Hall Cambridge is a city in the Greater Boston area of Massachusetts, United States. ... Crate and Barrel is a chain of American retail stores specializing in housewares, furniture (indoor and out), and home acessories. ...

He is probably best known for a series of collaborations with the developer James W. Rouse, including the Faneuil Hall Marketplace (1976), Harborplace (1980), South Street Seaport (1985), Bayside Marketplace in Miami (1987), and Jacksonville Landing in Jacksonville, Florida (1987). Rouse on the August 24, 1981 cover of TIME. James Wilson Rouse (April 26, 1914 - April 9, 1996) was a pioneering real estate developer civic activist, and later, free enterprise-based philanthropist. ... Faneuil Hall, east side Quincy Market Faneuil Hall, located near the waterfront and Government Center in Boston, Massachusetts has been a marketplace and a meeting hall since 1742. ... Harborplace is a festival marketplace in Baltimore, Maryland, that opened in 1980 as a centerpiece of the revival of downtown Baltimore. ... A view of the South Street Seaport in New York with the Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Williamsburg bridges. ... This article is about the city in Florida. ... The Jacksonville skyline and the Acosta Bridge. ...

Thompson was married to the urban planner Jane Thompson, with whom he collaborated on many of his major projects. He received honorary doctorates from Colby College, the University of Massachusetts, and Minneapolis College of Art and Design. In 1987 BTA received the AIA Firm Award and in 1992 Thompson received the highest honor in American architecture, the Gold Medal of the American Institute of Architects. Colby College, founded in 1813, is one of the nations oldest independent liberal arts colleges. ... It has been suggested that Take Back UMass be merged into this article or section. ... Minneapolis College of Art and Design is a four-year and post-graduate college specializing in the visual arts. ... The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is the professional organization for architects in the United States. ...

Designs

• Design Research Headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts
• Harborplace in Baltimore, Maryland
• South Street Seaport in New York, New York
• Bayside Marketplace in Miami, Florida
• Jacksonville Landing in Jacksonville, Florida

Cambridge City Hall Cambridge is a city in the Greater Boston area of Massachusetts, United States. ... Harborplace is a festival marketplace in Baltimore, Maryland, that opened in 1980 as a centerpiece of the revival of downtown Baltimore. ... Baltimore skyline at dusk Motto: The Greatest City in America (formerly The City That Reads; BELIEVE is not the official motto but rather a specific campaign) Nickname: Charm City Mob Town B-more Location in Maryland Founded Incorporated 30 July 1729 1797  County Independent city Mayor Martin J. OMalley... A view of the South Street Seaport in New York with the Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Williamsburg bridges. ... Midtown Manhattan, looking north from the Empire State Building, 2005 New York City (officially named the City of New York) is the most populous city in the state of New York and the entire United States. ... City nickname: The Magic City, The American Riviera, The Sixth Borough Location Location of Miami in the State of Florida Government County Miami-Dade Mayor Manuel “Manny” Diaz (R) Physical characteristics Area      Land      Water 139. ... The Jacksonville skyline and the Acosta Bridge. ...

External links

• Benjamin Thompson at greatbuildings.com
• Biography by BTA Architects, Inc.