Robert Puddicombe, Related’s emissary to starchitects, resigns

Head of design is stepping down after 22 years in the firm

Bob Puddicombe
Bob Puddicombe

Robert Puddicombe, who has collaborated with the likes of Zaha Hadid and Frank Gehry, is stepping down as senior vice president for design at Related Companies.

Puddicombe spent 22 years at Related and was a partner at the firm.  His department, which started as a team of one person, is responsible for managing the architects that work on Related’s projects. During his tenure, he oversaw the aesthetics of over 50 residential developments, including Hadid’s luxury condominium project at 520 West 28th Street.

“I’ve had an amazing career at Related. I have had the opportunity to work alongside some of the most prominent architects of this generation, assisting them in realizing their vision,” Puddicombe said in a prepared statement.

Puddicombe had a hand in designing over 3,700 luxury condos and 7,200 rentals units. One of his most frequent collaborators is Robert A.M. Stern. Over the past two decades, Stern and Puddicombe completed 12 developments, including 70 Vestry in Tribeca, the Chatham on the Upper East Side and the Century in Los Angeles.

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“It’s been a pleasure to work with Bob Puddicombe over his 22 years at Related; it’s been a long and productive relationship, with Bob’s leadership key to the success of more than a dozen collaborations between Related and my firm,” said Stern.

Other architects in Puddicombe’s portfolio include Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, Morris Adjmi, Clodagh, Ismael Leyva, David Rockwell and BKSK Architects. Recent project include the Frank Gehry-designed the Grand in Los Angeles and 15 Hudson Yards, which was designed by Liz Diller of Diller Scofidio Renfro and Rockwell Group.

Puddicombe said that he will pursue consulting opportunities after his departure from Related.

Clarification: Rockwell Group is also designing 15 Hudson Yards.