George Kassabaum
George E. Kassabaum | |
|---|---|
 Kassabaum in 1956 | |
| Born | December 5, 1920 Atchison, Kansas, U.S. |
| Died | August 14, 1982 (aged 61) |
| Alma mater | Washington University in St. Louis |
| Occupation | Architect |
| Spouse | Marjory Verser Kassabaum Graff |
| Buildings |
|
| Website | www |
George E. Kassabaum (December 5, 1920 – August 14, 1982) was an American architect, and one of the co-founders of the HOK architectural firm.[1]
Early life
George Edward Kassabaum was born in Atchison, Kansas. He was the only child of George Kassabaum and Dorothy Kassabaum. From a very young age he expressed an interest in becoming an architect.[2] He graduated from Classen Senior High School in Oklahoma City in 1938.[3]
He attended Washington University in St. Louis[4] where he met his future partners, George Hellmuth and Gyo Obata.[5][6] He earned both a bachelor's and master's degrees in architecture before graduating in 1947.[2]
Kassabaum graduated in 1947 and began working for a local architecture firm in St. Louis founded by two faculty members of Washington University.[2]
Career
In 1955,[7] he co-founded Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum, now known as HOK.[5]
He was national president of the American Institute of Architects from 1968 to 1969,[5] and served as the 16th Chancellor of the AIA College of Fellows from 1978 to 1979.[8]
Honors
- AIA Fellowship, 1967
- Honorary Fellow, Royal Architectural Institute of Canada, 1969
- Honorary Fellow, La Sociedad de Arquitectos Mexicanos, 1969
- Honorary Fellow, La Sociedad Columbiana de Arquitectos, 1969
- Washington University Alumni Citation, 1972
- Missouri Architect of the Year Award, 1978
Philanthropic service
Kassabaum was a board member of Washington University and an Eliot Society president.[9]
Personal life
Kassabaum married Marjory Verser in 1949. The couple had three children: Douglas, Anne, and Karen.[3]
Kassabaum died at Barnes Hospital, St. Louis, on August 14, 1982, at the age of 61, having suffered a stroke three days earlier at his home in Ladue, a suburb of St. Louis.[5]
External links
- HOK Co-founder George Kassabaum (1921-1982) on YouTube
- 60 Years of Design and Innovation at HOK on Youtube
- HOK website
References
- ^ Critic, Blair Kamin, Tribune Architecture (16 November 1999). "GEORGE HELLMUTH; 'SOLD' ARCHITECT FIRM'S IDEAS". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 2020-04-18.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b c MacLeamy, Patrick (2020-04-14). Designing a World-Class Architecture Firm: The People, Stories, and Strategies Behind HOK. John Wiley & Sons. ISBN 978-1-119-68530-2.
- ^ a b Vosbeck, R. Randall (2008). A Legacy of Leadership: The Presidents of the American Institute of Architects, 1857-2007 (PDF). American Institute of Architects. pp. 115–117. ISBN 978-1-57165-021-4.
- ^ Keegan, Edward. "Architecture Magazine".
- ^ a b c d Upi (1982-08-17). "George Kassabaum, Leading Architect; Headed Large Firm". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-04-18.
- ^ "ArchInForm: George Kassabaum". ArchInForm.
- ^ Silva, Eddie. "HOK-Dokey". Riverfront Times. Retrieved 2021-10-29.
- ^ "AIA College of Fellows Former Chancellors Directory | 2023". Issuu. 2017-02-21. Retrieved 2025-07-09.
- ^ "George E. Kassabaum Papers, 1953-1970 | WUA University Archives". archon.wulib.wustl.edu. Retrieved 2021-10-29.