He is the author of How to Build a House with an Architect (Harper & Row, 1988) and American House Styles: A Concise Guide first published in 1994 (W.W. Norton) but republished in an expanded edition in 2018.
When Better Homes and Gardens magazine Home Plan Ideas featured their “Ten Most Popular Houses of All-Time” three of them were Baker’s designs including “Our Readers’ Flexible All-Time Favorite” which they described as “one of the most universally accepted houses they ever featured.”
As an adjunct professor, Mr. Baker taught courses on The History of the American House at The New School in New York City. He has served on various boards including the Bedford Historic Building Preservation Commission and the Katonah Historic District Advisory Commission when he lived in Katonah/Bedford, New York. After moving to Kent, Connecticut, Mr. Baker served as a member Kent Affordable Housing and the Kent Architectural Review Board.
He continues to lecture on the History of the American House and continues to consult with residential clients as an emeritus member of the AIA.
" 'Brains first and then Hard Work…that’s the way to build a house,' said Eeyore."
-- A.A. Milne, The House at Pooh Corner
Mr. Baker was selected by Marquis Who's Who for the cover of the ninth edition of its Millennium Magazine. The interview was conducted several months ago and he is no longer licensed in the states listed in the article. However he continues to help residential clients as an architectural consultant.
