Robert C. Broshar (May 20, 1931 – May 4, 2017) was an American

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs, and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

in practice in

Waterloo, Iowa Waterloo is a city in and the county seat of Black Hawk County, Iowa, Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2020 United States census the population was 67,314, making it the List of cities in Iowa, eighth-most populous city in the st ...

from 1956 to 1996; he served as president of the

American Institute of Architects The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is a professional organization for architects in the United States. It is headquartered in Washington, D.C. AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach progr ...

for 1982–1983.

Life and career

Robert Clare Broshar was born May 20, 1931, in

to Clare Broshar and Stella Mae (Scott) Broshar. He attended the Waterloo public schools and

Iowa State University Iowa State University of Science and Technology (Iowa State University, Iowa State, or ISU) is a Public university, public land-grant university, land-grant research university in Ames, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1858 as the Iowa Agricult ...

, graduating with a BArch in 1954. He then joined architects Thorson, Thorson & Madson in Waterloo. In 1960, he left to open his own office, Henry & Broshar, with Harvey W. Henry, but in 1962 returned to the Thorson firm as a principal, which was then renamed Thorson–Brom–Broshar. It became Thorson–Brom–Broshar–Snyder in 1968."Broshar, Robert Clare" in ''American Architects Directory'' (New York: R. R. Bowker Company, 1970): 107. Broshar remained a principal in the firm until his retirement in 1996."Broshar, Robert Clare" in ''Who's Who in America'' (New Providence: Marquis Who's Who, 2006): 544. In 2001, Thorson–Brom–Broshar–Snyder acquired InVision Architecture of

Des Moines Des Moines is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Iowa, most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is the county seat of Polk County, Iowa, Polk County with parts extending into Warren County, Iowa, Wa ...

and as of 2023 practices under the name INVISION Architecture. Broshar joined the

(AIA) in 1960 as a member of the Iowa chapter. He served as chapter president for 1972 and was elected to the AIA board of directors in 1975. He served as vice president in 1979 and 1981, and in the latter year was elected first vice president/president elect for 1982 and president for 1983. As president, Broshar focused on educating the public on the value of architects and emphasized public service. Broshar was elected a

fellow A fellow is a title and form of address for distinguished, learned, or skilled individuals in academia, medicine, research, and industry. The exact meaning of the term differs in each field. In learned society, learned or professional society, p ...

of the AIA in 1977 and after his presidency was elected to honorary membership in the

Royal Institute of British Architects The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is a professional body for architects primarily in the United Kingdom, but also internationally, founded for the advancement of architecture under its royal charter granted in 1837, three suppl ...

(RIBA), the

Royal Architectural Institute of Canada The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) is a not-for-profit, national organization that has represented architects and architecture for over 100 years, in existence since 1907. The RAIC is the leading voice for excellence in the built ...

(RAIC), the Colombian Society of Architects (SCA), the Federation of Colleges of Architects of the Mexican Republic (FCARM), the

New Zealand Institute of Architects Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects (NZIA) is a membership-based professional organisation that represents approximately 90 per cent of registered architects in Aotearoa New Zealand and supports and promotes architecture in ...

(NZIA) and the

Philippine Institute of Architects The Philippine Institute of Architects (PIA) is an architectural society in the Philippines and is the oldest architectural society in Asia. It is composed of noble men and women from the architectural profession of the Philippines. It was foun ...

(PIA). He was also a member and fellow of the

Construction Specifications Institute The Construction Specifications Institute (CSI) is a United States national association of more than 6,000 construction industry professionals who are experts in building construction and the materials used therein. The institute is dedicated to ...

.R. Randall Vosbeck, ''A Legacy of Leadership: The Presidents of the American Institute of Architects, 1857–2007'' (Washington: American Institute of Architects, 2008): 158-160. An advocate for the disabled, Broshar was chair of the Iowa Barrier-Free Architecture Task Force in 1973–74, the report which contributed to the passage of new legislation in congress to ensure compliance with the

Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 The Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 ("ABA", , codified at et seq.) is an Act of Congress, enacted by President Lyndon B. Johnson. The ABA requires that facilities designed, built, altered, or leased with funds supplied by the United States Fe ...

. He was also a member of the Iowa Governor's Committee on Employment of the Handicapped from 1975 to 1979. For his work, in 1983 he was the recipient of the Leon Chatelain Award of the Easterseals. Named for architect and disability advocate Leon Chatelain Jr., this award was given for "outstanding leadership in advancing barrier-free environments for people with handicaps."

Personal life

Broshar was married in 1953 to Joyce Elaine Lukes. They had five children, four sons and one daughter. In retirement, they lived first in

Clear Lake, Iowa Clear Lake is a city in Cerro Gordo County, Iowa, United States. The population was 7,687 at the 2020 census. The city is named for the large lake on which it is located. It is the home of a number of marinas, state parks and tourism-related ...

and later in

Green Valley, Arizona Green Valley is an Unincorporated area#United States, unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Pima County, Arizona, Pima County, Arizona, United States. The population was 22,616 at the 2020 census. Geography Green Valley i ...

. Broshar died May 4, 2017, in Green Valley at the age of 85. Broshar's children include Michael Broshar, who also became an architect and was a partner in his father's firm from 1991 until his retirement in 2019. He was elected a fellow of the AIA in 2006.

Architectural works

* Britt United Methodist Church, 707 4th St SW,

Britt, Iowa Britt is a city in Hancock County, Iowa, United States, and is the home of the National Hobo Convention and the Hobo Museum. The population was 2,044 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. History A train depot was built at Britt in 187 ...

(1965) * Waterloo Center for the Arts, 225 Commercial St,

(1966) * Schindler Education Center,

University of Northern Iowa The University of Northern Iowa (UNI) is a public university in Cedar Falls, Iowa, United States. UNI offers more than 90 majors across five colleges. The fall 2024 total enrollment was 9,283 students. The university was initially founded in 1 ...

Cedar Falls, Iowa Cedar Falls is a city in Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the city population was 40,713. Cedar Falls is home to the University of Northern Iowa, a public university. Cedar Falls along with neighbori ...

(1972)David Gebhard and Gerald Mansheim, ''Buildings of Iowa'' (New York: Oxford University Press, 1993) * Waterloo Savings Bank Building, 425 Cedar St,

(1973) * Waterloo Convention Center, 200 W 4th St,

(1975) *

UNI-Dome UNI-Dome (pronounced "YOU-nih-dome") is a multi-purpose stadium on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa, United States. It opened in 1976 as the home of the UNI Panthers basketball and football teams. The facility' ...

(1976) * Becker Communications Studies Building,

University of Iowa The University of Iowa (U of I, UIowa, or Iowa) is a public university, public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is organized int ...

Iowa City, Iowa Iowa City is the largest city in Johnson County, Iowa, United States, and its county seat. At the time of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census the population was 74,828, making it the state's List of cities in Iowa, fifth-most populous c ...

(1984)John Beldon Scott and Rodney P. Lehnertz,
The University of Iowa Guide to Campus Architecture
' (Iowa City: University of Iowa Press, 2016): 98-100. *

Young Arena Young Arena is a 3,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Waterloo, Iowa, United States, and was built in 1994. It is home to the Waterloo Black Hawks of the United States Hockey League, the Waterloo Warriors of the Midwest High School Hockey League, t ...

, 125 Commercial St,

(1994) * Black Hawk County Jail, 225 E 6th St,

(no date)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Broshar, Robert C. 1931 births 2017 deaths Architects from Iowa 20th-century American architects Fellows of the American Institute of Architects Presidents of the American Institute of Architects Iowa State University alumni People from Waterloo, Iowa