Robert L. Ziegelman
Robert L. Ziegelman FAIA, developed a love of art at an early age; today he is an award-winning architect.
“As a child, I was actually more interested in art than building. And I played basketball and tennis. I went to Cass Tech in Detroit. I had already decided I wanted to be an architect at 13-years-old. They had an architectural curriculum and basketball at Cass Tech. So, it filled both desires.”
Ziegelman went on to get his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and his masters in architecture from Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
In 1975, Ziegelman moved his architectural firm into the 555 building in Birmingham.
“I was the first tenant in the 555 building in ‘75,” he said.
Ziegelman’s firm focuses on civic, commercial, religious and residential projects.
“We do any interesting project we can get our hands on,” he said. “We’ve been in the business since 1962.”
Ziegelman and his colleagues have received a bevy of awards over the years. In 2026, he was given the Lifetime Achievement Award from Birmingham Bloomfield Cultural Arts.
“Winning that award was very satisfying,” he said. “It’s like a confirmation of all your hard work. It validates that somebody likes my work and thinks it’s good. Clinton Baller was kind enough to nominate me for that award. It was very gratifying to be recognized for all the time spent working on, and in, Birmingham.”
Twenty-four of Ziegelman’s projects in Birmingham have won AIA (American Institute of Architects) Michigan awards. He has spent much of his career working within the confines of Birmingham.
“I love the whole environment in Birmingham,” he said. “Our goal was to make Birmingham a walkable community. I was the first one to suggest, and implement, the first outdoor cafe in Birmingham. Outdoor dining is one of the nicest things about Birmingham. The environment basically makes you feel good. It’s become a very comfortable, nice place to be. That’s something I’m very proud of.”
Ziegelman also worked on the Lubavitch Synagogue in West Bloomfield, which is considered one of the 40 best-designed synagogues in the history of the United States by American Synagogues: A Photographic Journey.
“We created an environment for people to pray, meditate and worship in the quiet comfort of being in nature,” he explained.
Ziegelman has journeyed all over the world, bringing his architectural expertise to other countries.
“We’ve traveled to areas that were very dangerous to help people by building sustainable buildings and using nature, and natural things, for the city. That in itself has been a wonderful adventure.”
Of his many successful projects, he is most proud of the work he has done with prefabricated buildings.
“That has been the most gratifying,” he said. “We were truly changing people’s lives by creating beautiful architecture and giving them hospitals and clinics they otherwise wouldn’t have. We’ve responded to natural disasters, civil unrest and economic hardship. It’s been very satisfying in terms of award-winning architecture and working around the world with different people. Creating prefabricated buildings was the most imaginative idea I’ve ever had.”
The accomplished architect has spent decades creating beautiful, sustainable structures and is now looking forward to retiring and writing a book.
“I’m currently writing a book on prefabrication and ecological urbanism,” he said. “That’s my short-term goal. I’ve been working on the book for four years. I’m writing that with the former dean of the University of Detroit Mercy Architecture school, Steve Vogel. I hope to have it finished in about a year.”
Story: Katey Meisner
Photo: Laurie Tennent
