Robert J. Schaefer

The former Wichita Central Library, designed by Schaefer, Schirmer & Eflin and completed in 1967. The Grace Memorial Chapel of Wichita State University, designed by Schaefer, Schirmer & Eflin and completed in 1964. The Mid-America All-Indian Center in Wichita, designed by Schaefer & Schirmer and completed in 1976. The Wichita Northwest High School, designed by Schaefer & Associates and completed in 1978. The Kansas Museum of History in Topeka, designed by Schaefer & Associates and completed in 1984. Robert J. Schaefer (April 15, 1925 – April 26, 2006) was an American architect in practice in Wichita, Kansas from 1957 until his retirement in 1993. Schaefer's practice, known since 2023 as Schaefer Architecture, has had a major role in the spread of modern architecture in Kansas.

Life and career Robert Jules "Schaef" Schaefer was born April 15, 1925, in Wichita to Julius Earl Schaefer and Catherine Schaefer, née Rockwell. J. Earl Schaefer (July 11, 1893 – November 23, 1978) was a long-time Boeing executive who was general manager of Boeing's Wichita division from 1938 to 1957. Schaefer was educated in the Wichita public schools and at the University of Illinois, graduating with a BA in architecture in 1949. During World War II he had served in the air force. In 1950 he returned to Wichita, where he joined the office of Lorentz Schmidt, McVay & Peddie before moving to Ramey & Himes, later Uel C. Ramey & Associates, in 1951. They introduced Brutalist architecture to Kansas with their Wichita Central Library (1967), which was the first and thus far only building in Wichita to earn a national design award from the American Institute of Architects. In 1970 Schirmer moved to Topeka, where he established a branch office of the firm. In 1971 Eflin made the decision to leave the firm to finally earn his MArch, and in 1972 the firm was reorganized as Schaefer, Schirmer & Associates PA. At this time John L. Greer and Daniel S. Kirby were made principals alongside Schaefer and Schirmer.

In 1976 Schaefer and Schirmer dissolved their partnership after nineteen years. Schaefer reorganized the Wichita office as Schaefer & Associates PA and Schirmer continued the Topeka office as a sole proprietorship. Over the next decade Schaefer completed major projects including the Mid-America All-Indian Center (1976) in Wichita and the Kansas Museum of History (1984) in Topeka. In 1984 Joseph A. Johnson , Kenton L. Cox and J. Samuel Frey were made principals and the firm was renamed Schaefer, Johnson, Cox, Frey & Associates. Schaefer retired from his leadership role in 1993 but continued in a consulting role for over a decade.

Legacy The firms led by Schaefer were frequently the recipient of design awards by AIA Kansas and other organizations. After 1993, Schaefer, Johnson, Cox, Frey & Associates was continued by Schaefer's fellow principals. It was renamed SJCF Architecture in 2011 and Schaefer Architecture in 2023.

In 2018, the Wichita Central Library was superseded as Wichita's main library by the Advanced Learning Library, leaving the old building vacant and vulnerable to demolition. As part of an effort to preserve the building, it was listed on the United States National Register of Historic Places in 2020. The same year, the work of Schaefer, Schirmer & Eflin was the subject of an essay in the Regional Spotlight series of Docomomo US. 1964 – Grace Memorial Chapel, Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas 1966 – Eastminster Presbyterian Church, 1958 N Webb Rd, Wichita, Kansas 1967 – Wichita Central Library (former), 223 S Main St, Wichita, Kansas 1968 – United States Post Office, 330 West 2nd St N, Wichita, Kansas 1969 – Cessna Aircraft Company engineering and development center, 5800 E Pawnee St, Wichita, Kansas 1970 – Pizza Hut headquarters (former), 10225 E Kellogg Dr, Wichita, Kansas 1971 – Chaparral High School, 467 N KS-14, Anthony, Kansas

Schaefer, Schirmer & Associates PA, 1972–1976 1973 – Panhandle Credit Union building, 403 N Washington Ave, Wellington, Kansas 1976 – Peoples National Bank building, 201 S 4th St, Burlington, Kansas 1976 – Wallace Hall, Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas 1978 – Wichita Northwest High School, 1220 N Tyler Rd, Wichita, Kansas 1979 – Schaefer & Associates PA office building, 220 S Hillside St, Wichita, Kansas

Schaefer, Johnson, Cox, Frey & Associates PA, from 1984 1986 – Wiedemann Hall, Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas