Deceased April 15, 2017
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In Memory
Brian Taylor died April 15. I learned this through a mutual friend, Tony Schuman (Wesleyan ’65).
Brian and I lived on the second floor of Morrow our freshman year, and, while memories can be slippery things when looked at 56 years later, I remember a bright, engaged person who enjoyed some antics but seemed serious about the intellectual side of our daily pursuits. Brian always sought the interesting challenge—the challenge that might bring an additional insight or new way of looking at the world. This was true academically and personally. I remember that he convinced Bill Kates ’65 to join him during the summer after freshman year on a drive across the country to Alaska, where they fished salmon commercially.
Brian received a doctorate in architectural history from Harvard and was a professor in Paris and New York. Tony Schuman adds: “Brian was a longtime professor of architectural history at New York Institute of Technology, where he was a beloved figure. He was widely respected as a scholar, notably of the works of Le Corbusier. His knowledge of French language and architecture led to his role as associate editor of l’Architecture d’Aujourd’hui, the preeminent French architecture magazine, and a teaching position at the École Nationale Supérieure d’Architecture de Paris-Belleville.” Tony adds that Brian was a scholar of Pierre Chareau, who designed the Maison de Verre (“Glass House”), an iconic early modern residence in Paris. In fact, Brian played a significant role in the recent sale of the house to new owners dedicated to its preservation. “His interests in world culture led to his cofounding of Mimar, a magazine devoted to the architecture of the developing world. He was the author of several monographs on non-Western architects.”
A resident of Montclair, N.J., Brian is survived by wife Teresa; sons David and Leith; and brother Kerry.
Chris Reid ’65