Robert Adam was born in Kirkaldy, Fife, Scotland on 3 July 1728. He was the son of the architect William Adam (1689-1748) under whom he trained. He also studied at Edinburgh University from 1743. Following the death of his father in 1748, Robert Adam and his elder brother, John Adam (1721-1792) formed a partnership to run his architectural and construction business in Edinburgh. By 1754 the business was profitable enough for Robert Adam to embark on a Grand Tour of Europe, He returned in January 1757 and the following year set up an architectural and decorative design practice in London. He was soon joined by his brothers, James Adam (1732-1794) and William Adam (1738-1822). Before long, Robert Adam was acknowledged as the leading architect in Britain and the Adam practice was one of the busiest in England between the 1750s and the 1780s,
He secured the patronage of the Duke of Argyll and Lord Bute and in 1761, Lord Bute obtained for him the post of Architect of the King’s Works which he held until 1769. In 1757 he became a member of the Society of Arts and in 1769 was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society. In 1765 he was appointed Surveyor to Chelsea Hospital, a position he held until his death. Robert Adam died in London, England on 3 March 1792.
For a detailed list of architectural projects by Robert Adam see Colvin, 4th edition, 2008 pp. 47-55
See also:
Historic England [link below]
Historic Environment Scotland [link below]
Wikipedia [link below]
Dictionary of Scottish Architects 1660-1980 [link below]
British Listed Buildings [link below]
Allinson, Ken. Architects and architecture of London. London: Routledge, 2008
Bolton, Arthur T. The architecture of Robert & James Adam (1785-1794). 2 vols. London; New York: Country Life; Charles Scribner's Sons, 1922
Bolton, Arthur T. Cantor lectures on the architecture and decoration of Robert Adam and Sir John Soane, R.A. (1758-1837). London : W. Clowes & Sons, Ltd. 1920 [Delivered before the Royal Society of Arts on May 3rd, 10th, and 17th, 1920]
Colvin, Howard, A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840. New Haven, Connecticut and London: Yale University Press, 4th edition, 2008
Fleming, John. Robert Adam and his circle, in Edinburgh & Rome. London: Murray, 1962.
Graham, Roderick. Arbiter of elegance: a biography of Robert Adam. Edinburgh : Birlinn 2009
Harris, Eileen. The country houses of Robert Adam : from the archives of Country Life, London: Aurum Press 2007
Harris, Eileen. The Furniture of Robert Adam. London: Alec Tiranti, 1963
Harris, Eileen. The Genius of Robert Adam : his Interiors. New Haven, Conn.; London: Yale University Press, 2001
Lees-Milne, James. The Age of Adam. London: Batsford, 1947
Page, Frances Sands. Robert Adam's London. Oxford: Archaeopress, 2016
Stillman, Damie. The Decorative Work of Robert Adam. London: Tiranti, 1966.
Stillman, Damie. 'Roberet Adam' in Macmillan Encyclopedia of Architects Volume 1. Edited by Adolf K. Plakzek. New York and London: Macmillan and Free Press, 1982 p. 20-32
Tames, Richard. Robert Adam: an Illustrated Life of Robert Adam, 1728-92. Princes Risborough : Shire Publications, 2004.
Thom, Colin. Robert Adam and his Brothers. New light on Britain's leading architectural family. London: Historic England, 2019
Yarwood, Doreen. Robert Adam. London: Dent, 1970