Bruce D. Beinfield

Bruce D. Beinfield, Norwalk architect and Fellow of the American Institute of Architecture, passed away on Friday, June 27th, after a hard-fought battle against pancreatic cancer. He was 73 years old. He is survived by his wife Carol; his three children, Alex, Carolyn, Suzanne, and their spouses; seven grandchildren; his sisters Harriet and Liz; his first wife, Kathleen; and a beloved community of extended family and friends. He was predeceased by his sister, Lynn.
He was born on February 12th, 1952 to Marjorie and Dr. Malcolm Beinfield, a renowned surgeon. He was raised in Westport, CT and after graduating from Staples High School in 1970, he began his western chapter, heading to the University of Colorado, Boulder for his undergraduate degree, then to the University of Colorado, Denver where he earned a Masters of Architecture with Honors in 1977. He carried his Colorado years with him all his life. It was there that he discovered how architecture could channel and create emotional energy; it was where he obtained the illustrious Colorado ID that he carried in his wallet until his last day; and he would forever remain a diehard Colorado Buffs football fan.
In 1983, Bruce and his wife Kathleen moved "home", to Rowayton, Connecticut, and that same year, he founded Beinfield Architecture. He devoted his life to harnessing architecture to make a positive impact on his community. He never designed merely for convenience or efficiency, but for people and context, using architecture to honor the traditions, rituals and mythology of a place. Norwalk, particularly Rowayton and South Norwalk, was the greatest beneficiary of his vision, and most recently, he dedicated his efforts to redesigning Darien's Corbin District. He designed hundreds of homes, offices, apartment buildings, and museums, endowing each place with some Bruce magic. Beinfield Architecture has received more than 100 design awards, including 44 AIA awards, each a testament to the creativity and unyielding dedication of Bruce and his team. He was at his desk, drawing and designing, until the very end.
He was funny, creative, expansive and he always thought for himself. He was often a man of few words, but when he spoke, people listened. He loved Pink Floyd, clams and rare cheeseburgers. He loved his family, gardening, nature, his home, his rituals and the life he built for himself. His work will forever be his greatest passion, and the world is more beautiful because of it. He will be so missed, and we are so proud of him. For as long as we can, and to the best of our ability, we will honor his legacy of thoughtfulness, place making and living fully in this world, while gently challenging it, too. He is forever in our hearts.
A memorial service will be held at The Platform Sono, on Sunday, July 20th, 4pm.