| Philip Birnbaum | |
| Birth Place: | Manhattan, New York City, U.S. |
| Death Date: | (aged 89) |
| Death Place: | Manhattan, New York City, U.S. |
| Alma Mater: | Columbia University |
| Children: | Dara Birnbaum |
| Practice: | Philip Birnbaum & Associates |
Philip Birnbaum (1907 – November 27, 1996) was an American architect. His work was described as "[exceeding] just about any other architect in recent decades."[1]
Birnbaum was born in the northern part of the borough of Manhattan in New York City in 1907 and grew up in Washington Heights, living in crowded tenements. He attended Stuyvesant High School and graduated in Architecture from Columbia University.[2] Although he was accepted into Princeton University, he was told by the institution itself that he might "not fit into the environment" due to his religion and heritage.
Birnbaum designed about 300 buildings over the course of his career. Most of his major projects were in Manhattan and include 1 Lincoln Plaza, Hotel Parker Meridien, and Trump Plaza. According to The New York Times, his buildings were notable for "virtually no wasted floor space". Outside of Manhattan, Birnbaum was involved in the design of several buildings in the Forest Hills and Kew Gardens neighborhoods of Queens, many of which were for developer Alfred Kaskel.[3] The Dara Gardens complex in Kew Gardens Hills was named after his daughter Dara.[3] Birnbaum's work for Alfred Kaskel also brought him to South Florida; along with architect Melvin Grossman, he designed the Doral Beach Hotel in Miami Beach.[4] [5] He also worked on the Doral Country Club in Doral.
Birnbaum died in Manhattan on November 27, 1996 at the age of 89.