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Adam Vandepeer – A Classic Architectural Vision
New York-based Australian architect Adam Vandepeer’s work reflects a quiet conviction – that beauty, clarity and craft are timeless values, and that the classical tradition still has something vital to say in the 21st century.
Adam Vandepeer’s entry into architecture began not with buildings but with art. “My passion for painting, sculpture and other artistic disciplines has profoundly shaped my understanding of composition, form and spatial relationships,” he says. This visual sensitivity laid the groundwork for a deeper engagement with classical architecture, which he sees not as a static style but as a living, evolving language. “It captivated me with its ability to communicate profound meaning and beauty.”
Educated in Australia, the US and Europe – including the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art (ICAA) in New York and INTBAU in Sweden – Vandepeer’s worldview is broad, yet his focus is precise. He describes classicism as “a framework that allows for creative evolution and interpretation.” This clarity of thought is echoed in his built work, where proportion, materiality and harmony are carefully composed to elevate both form and function.
In recent years, Vandepeer’s work has ranged from residential commissions to commercial interiors, but one project in particular stands out. A matcha cafe in New York’s Soho features a custom-designed white oak table – a piece he speaks of with particular pride. “It’s simple yet sophisticated… a gathering place, not merely an object,” he says. “It exemplifies my belief that cohesion in design should exist at all scales.” It’s an ethos that runs through all of his work: that architecture is not just about structures but about settings that shape experience.
Beyond the physical, Vandepeer sees his role as part designer, part custodian. “Classicism is a timeless attitude,” he reflects. “It is not merely a style to be applied to a building, but a way of thinking.” That way of thinking is rooted in enduring principles – order, beauty and clarity, but always with room for adaptation. “Once you become aware of the rules,” he adds, “they can be challenged and modified in countless ways.”
His architectural language is defined not by nostalgia but by purpose. “Sustainability, for me, goes beyond technological solutions. It’s about creating enduring designs that age gracefully and remain culturally and socially relevant over time.” In this, Vandepeer articulates a belief that architecture, at its best, is about more than utility – it’s about legacy.
In a world often fixated on novelty, Adam Vandepeer offers an alternate lens, one grounded in tradition yet oriented towards the future. His work invites us to pause, to consider the past not as constraint but as foundation, and to imagine what can be built when we listen closely to the quiet wisdom of what has come before.
