During and even before his notable career as an architect, Philip Johnson was both a critic and historian. He was born in Cleveland , Ohio in 1906 and went on to study at Harvard University where he earned a degree in the classics. Johnson traveled throughout Europe after graduating in 1927, where he developed a strong interest in European architecture. He was greatly influenced by three remarkable architects: Karl Friedrich, H. H. Richardson, and Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. These three men played a significant role in shaping the wit and taste of Philip Johnson. Johnson was heavily associated with the Museum of Modern Art in New York , which later turned into the beginning of his career as an architect in New York . He designed buildings such as the New York State Theater at Lincoln Center (1964) and the Seagram Building (1956), to name a few of Johnson's remarkable architectural contributions. In Providence , Johnson's work can be seen at Brown University , where he designed the computer lab (1939) and the List Art Building (1971).