In 1982, Robert Kahn was awarded a Rome Prize in Architecture from the American Academy in Rome. For two years, he explored Rome in the company of other fellows and residents, all experts in their fields. Whether it be art, architecture, art history, or archaeology, they were all passionate and highly knowledgeable about the city.
Upon Robert’s return to New York, friends would often ask him to recommend his favorite not so well-known places in Rome. He compiled a list and called fellows he had met at the Academy for more places to recommend. This is how the idea of City Secrets came about.
We are passionate about the series, and always grateful when expert contributors share their insider tips and zeal for a particular city. We pride ourselves on our eclectic group of contributors: a New York City cab driver can tell you where to get the best coffee, and a Nobel prize winner might inspire you to visit an extraordinary library.
About 600 contributors have written for the series, all of whom have done so for the simple joy of sharing their secrets about the city they love. In turn, we donate a portion of the proceeds of each book to a non-profit organization that is in some way related to that city.
Robert is principal and founder of the award-winning firm Robert Kahn Architect, based in New York. His work has been featured in Architectural Digest, The New York Times Magazine, and The New York Times, among other publications. He has received numerous awards from the New York chapter of the American Institute of Architects.
Robert has taught design at Columbia University, Ohio State University, and Yale University, where he held a Davenport Chair Professorship. He was honored with the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Washington University School of Architecture, and the Glassman Prize for Design Excellence from Yale University.