Robert J. Schaefer (April 15, 1925 – April 26, 2006) was an American architect in practice in Wichita, Kansas from 1957 until his retirement in 1993. Schaefer's practice, known since 2023 as Schaefer Architecture, has had a major role in the spread of modern architecture in Kansas.

Life and career Robert Jules "Schaef" Schaefer was born April 15, 1925, in Wichita to Julius Earl Schaefer and Catherine Schaefer, née Rockwell. J. Earl Schaefer (July 11, 1893 – November 23, 1978) was a long-time Boeing executive who was general manager of Boeing's Wichita division from 1938 to 1957."Pioneer of Wichita Aviation J. Earl Schaefer Dies at 85," Wichita Eagle, November 24, 1978. Schaefer was educated in the Wichita public schools and at the University of Illinois, graduating with a BA in architecture in 1949. During World War II he had served in the air force. In 1950 he returned to Wichita, where he joined the office of Lorentz Schmidt, McVay & Peddie before moving to Ramey & Himes, later Uel C. Ramey & Associates, in 1951."Schaefer, Robert J." in American Architects Directory (New York: R. R. Bowker Company, 1962): 616.

In 1957 Schaefer and another Ramey associate, Henry W. Schirmer, left to establish the independent partnership of Schaefer & Schirmer. Schaefer provided the firm's design leadership while Schirmer managed the office. The early work of the firm was influenced by the International Style and the work of Frank Lloyd Wright. In 1960 they were joined by another former Ramey employee, Robert D. Eflin, and the firm was renamed Schaefer, Schirmer & Eflin. Eflin, who had worked for John Carl Warnecke in San Francisco after leaving Ramey, was enticed with a partnership in place of his plan to enter the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to earn his MArch. After the addition of Eflin, he and Schaefer shared design responsibilities with the lion's share going to Eflin. Schaefer, Schirmer & Eflin was the most assertive firm in Kansas in spreading modernist architectural principles.David H. Sachs and George Ehrlich, Guide to Kansas Architecture (Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1996): 24. They introduced Brutalist architecture to Kansas with their Wichita Central Library (1967), which was the first and thus far only building in Wichita to earn a national design award from the American Institute of Architects. In 1970 Schirmer moved to Topeka, where he established a branch office of the firm.Architectural Record 148, no. 6 (December, 1970): 151. In 1971 Eflin made the decision to leave the firm to finally earn his MArch, and in 1972 the firm was reorganized as Schaefer, Schirmer & Associates PA. At this time John L. Greer and Daniel S. Kirby were made principals alongside Schaefer and Schirmer."Notices" in Progressive Architecture 53, no. 5 (June, 1972): 163.Robert J. McLaughlin, "Air Capital Modernists: Schaefer Schirmer & Eflin," Docomomo US, December 10, 2022. Accessed July 4, 2024.

In 1976 Schaefer and Schirmer dissolved their partnership after nineteen years. Schaefer reorganized the Wichita office as Schaefer & Associates PA and Schirmer continued the Topeka office as a sole proprietorship. Over the next decade Schaefer completed major projects including the Mid-America All-Indian Center (1976) in Wichita and the Kansas Museum of History (1984) in Topeka. In 1984 Joseph A. Johnson , Kenton L. Cox and J. Samuel Frey were made principals and the firm was renamed Schaefer, Johnson, Cox, Frey & Associates. Schaefer retired from his leadership role in 1993 but continued in a consulting role for over a decade.Wichita Public Library-Main Branch NRHP Registration Form (2020)

Schaefer joined the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in 1957 as a member of AIA Kansas. He was elected a Fellow of the AIA in 1981. His former partner Schirmer was also elected a Fellow in that year."91 Members Are Advanced To Fellowship in Institute" in AIA Journal 70, no. 4 (April, 1981): 19 and 22.

Legacy The firms led by Schaefer were frequently the recipient of design awards by AIA Kansas and other organizations.David H. Sachs and George Ehrlich, Guide to Kansas Architecture (Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1996): 141. After 1993, Schaefer, Johnson, Cox, Frey & Associates was continued by Schaefer's fellow principals. It was renamed SJCF Architecture in 2011 and Schaefer Architecture in 2023. Later works of this firm include Exploration Place (2000), designed with lead architect Moshe Safdie.Moshe Safdie II (Mulgrave: Images Publishing Group, 2009): 283.

In 2018, the Wichita Central Library was superseded as Wichita's main library by the Advanced Learning Library, leaving the old building vacant and vulnerable to demolition. As part of an effort to preserve the building, it was listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places in 2020. The same year, the work of Schaefer, Schirmer & Eflin was the subject of an essay in the Regional Spotlight series of Docomomo US. The city has since solicited bids for the reuse of the library, but as of 2024 its future is undetermined.

Personal life Schaefer was married in 1949 to Yvonne Wooley, and they had three children, one son and two daughters. He was a parishioner and elder of the Eastminster Presbyterian Church in Wichita, the building of which he completed in 1966. In later life Schaefer suffered from Parkinson's disease. He died April 26, 2006, in Lawrence at the age of 81."Schaefer, Robert J.," Wichita Eagle, April 29, 2006.

Architectural works Schaefer, Schirmer & Eflin, 1960–1971 1963 – Wichita Art Museum additions, 1400 Museum Blvd, Wichita, KansasDavid H. Sachs and George Ehrlich, Guide to Kansas Architecture (Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1996): 247. 1964 – Grace Memorial Chapel, Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas 1965 – Wichita Collegiate School, 9115 E 13th St N, Wichita, Kansas"Schaefer, Robert Jules" in American Architects Directory (New York: R. R. Bowker Company, 1970): 804. 1966 – Eastminster Presbyterian Church, 1958 N Webb Rd, Wichita, Kansas 1966 – Skyline High School, 20269 W Highway 54, Pratt, Kansas 1967 – Butler Community College campus, El Dorado, Kansas"Schirmer, Henry William" in American Architects Directory (New York: R. R. Bowker Company, 1970): 809. 1967 – Wichita Central Library (former), 223 S Main St, Wichita, KansasDavid H. Sachs and George Ehrlich, Guide to Kansas Architecture (Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1996): 238. 1968 – United States Post Office, 330 West 2nd St N, Wichita, Kansas 1969 – Allen Community College campus, Iola, Kansas"Eflin, Robert Dean" in American Architects Directory (New York: R. R. Bowker Company, 1970): 248. 1969 – Cessna Aircraft Company engineering and development center, 5800 E Pawnee St, Wichita, Kansas 1969 – Hesston High School, 200 N Ridge Rd, Hesston, Kansas 1969 – Schaefer, Schirmer & Eflin office building, 200 S Hillside St, Wichita, Kansas (demolished) 1969 – Seward County Community College campus, Liberal, KansasDavid H. Sachs and George Ehrlich, Guide to Kansas Architecture (Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1996): 327. 1970 – Pizza Hut headquarters (former), 10225 E Kellogg Dr, Wichita, KansasDavid H. Sachs and George Ehrlich, Guide to Kansas Architecture (Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1996): 253-254. 1971 – Chaparral High School, 467 N KS-14, Anthony, KansasDavid H. Sachs and George Ehrlich, Guide to Kansas Architecture (Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1996): 218.

Schaefer, Schirmer & Associates PA, 1972–1976 1973 – Panhandle Credit Union building, 403 N Washington Ave, Wellington, KansasDavid H. Sachs and George Ehrlich, Guide to Kansas Architecture (Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1996): 257. 1976 – Peoples National Bank building, 201 S 4th St, Burlington, KansasDavid H. Sachs and George Ehrlich, Guide to Kansas Architecture (Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1996): 142. 1976 – Wallace Hall, Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas

Schaefer & Associates PA, 1976–1984 1976 – Mid-America All-Indian Center, 650 N Seneca St, Wichita, KansasDavid H. Sachs and George Ehrlich, Guide to Kansas Architecture (Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1996): 247-248. 1978 – Wichita Northwest High School, 1220 N Tyler Rd, Wichita, KansasDavid H. Sachs and George Ehrlich, Guide to Kansas Architecture (Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1996): 246. 1979 – Schaefer & Associates PA office building, 220 S Hillside St, Wichita, Kansas 1981 – Tallgrass Country Club clubhouse, 2400 N Tallgrass St, Wichita, Kansas 1984 – Kansas Museum of History, 6425 SW 6th Ave, Topeka, KansasDavid H. Sachs and George Ehrlich, Guide to Kansas Architecture (Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1996): 128.

Schaefer, Johnson, Cox, Frey & Associates PA, from 1984 1986 – Wiedemann Hall, Wichita State University, Wichita, KansasDavid H. Sachs and George Ehrlich, Guide to Kansas Architecture (Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1996): 254-255.

Notes

References