Robert Edson Swain’s career is distinguished by the application of design process as a primary tool. He is a practicing Architect, Master Planner, Industrial Designer, Landscape Designer, and was recently appointed, Full Professor of Architecture and Innovation at the University of Naples (S.U.N.), Italy. He serves on the Board of Seattle-based Rhodes Architectural Stone, a group that sources and manufactures stone products in China. He is called on to make presentations at international conferences and serves on international design juries. Mr. Swain has received numerous design awards for projects in his diverse portfolio.
Mr. Swain’s experience ranges from master site developments to landscape design, commercial to residential, health spas to institutions, all with emphasis on environmentally conscious and sustainable design. His unique ability to conceptualize and communicate design achieves extraordinary results from the largest scale planning to precise detail. From his heritage in New England boat building to a passion for Italian design, he has perfected the utilization of limited space and developed a unique ability to transcend traditional design solutions. Functional, individualized and timeless designs have earned him an international reputation for purposeful innovation.
Work with Boeing Chairman Phil Condit has produced two residences, aircraft industrial design research and a 737 jet interior for personal/business use. Numerous project collaborations are in various stages of development with top Microsoft, Amazon and Cisco System executives and an NFL coach. Project pursuits with General Nutrition Center’s past CEO Greg Horn has reconfigured 5,800 retail stores and has also extended to a personal Florida residence. A collaborative Italian/American academic exchange program, orchestrated and instructed by Mr. Swain, is funded in part by the Kaiser Foundation. Design is underway with Nick and Markell Kaiser to develop an eco-resort in the Canadian Gulf Islands. Two mixed-use revitalization projects include: a signature 12 story gateway to the city of Athens, Greece — a defining link between the Aegean seaport and the Acropolis; and a concept proposal for The Boeing Company, evaluating Seattle, Washington as a site for Boeing’s world headquarters.
Robert Edson Swain provides visionary design and pragmatic consulting skills in numerous scenarios, from the intimate settings of residential projects to the boardrooms of global corporations. He has great experiences in design for China such as Qingdao Eden Park design (120 acres) and Langya Group design (100 km2), which won him the first prize for international competition (http://www.bobswain.com/). |
