Henri Jova
- January 13, 2014
- 94 years
About Henri Jova
Henri Jova, 94, American architect.
Explore other notable deaths in 2014 or deaths in January 2014.
The Deaths Archive presents
How well do you know Henri Jova?
Explore their life. Test your knowledge. Beat the challenge.
10 questions · One legacy · How much do you really know?
Challenge your friends
Play together in real-time.
Advertisement
Full Biography
|Henri Vatable Jova (1919-2014) was an American architect and preservationist. With Stanley Daniels and John Busby, he founded Jova/Daniels/Busby, a multidisciplinary design firm based in Atlanta, Georgia, which designed several notable projects in Atlanta and throughout the Southeast from 1966 to 2013. Jova is noted for his pioneering support of mixed-use development and interest in the development of Midtown Atlanta.
Background and early career
Jova was born into a prominent European/Caribbean family. His grandfather, Juan Jacinto Jova y Gonzalez-Abreu, had immigrated from Cuba to New York City in 1874 as a sugar broker, then gone into brickmaking around 1884; his father, Juan Louis Jova, was a ceramic engineer and director of the plant. His grandmother, Marie Gabrielle Vatable, originally of Basse-Terre, was a sister of Baron Louis François Vatable, the French governor-general of Guadeloupe. The Marques Sabas Marin, another great-uncle, was governor-general of Cuba and Puerto Rico. His mother, Maria Gonzalez Fernandez Cavada, was the daughter of a Spanish diplomat, and a great-great-niece to Federico Fernández Cavada, commander of the Cuban insurrectionists against Spain in the Ten Years' War.
Jova attended Cornell University, where he joined Lambda Chi Alpha. World War II interrupted his education, and he served in the U.S. Army Combat Engineers in the South Pacific theater. He became a fellow of the American Academy in Rome in 1949, winning its prestigious Rome Prize for architecture in 1951.
He worked as a designer for Harrison & Abramovitz in New York City from 1952 to 1954, then relocated to Atlanta seeking a less frantic lifestyle. He joined his first cousin's firm, Abreu & Robeson, and served as their chief of design from 1954 to 1966.
Relocation to Midtown
In 1960, Jova moved to Midtown Atlanta, at the time in decline. Seeing potential in the neighborhood, he became a major promoter, encouraging friends and colleagues to relocate there. He organized the Midtown Neighborhood Association in 1963, and sponsored a home improvement contest, judged by mayor Ivan Allen Jr., to encourage owners to invest in their properties. Jova himself bought and renovated several properties on Seventh Street and Mentelle Drive.
Jova/Daniels/Busby
In 1966, he joined fellow Midtown residents Stanley Daniels and John Busby to form Jova/Daniels/Busby, which became known for fusing classical element with modern designs.
Jova is well-known for the development of Colony Square at Peachtree Street and 14th, the first mixed-use development in the Southeastern United States, which opened in phases from 1969 to 1973. His design for the Carnegie Education Pavilion in Hardy Ivy Park (1996) and for the Carter Center (1986 and 1993) also received widespread attention. Jova was also lead designer for Atlanta City Hall (1991), Peachtree Road United Methodist Church Sanctuary (2002), the Atlanta Newspapers Building (1971), the Buckhead branch of what is now SunTrust Banks (1987), MARTA North Avenue station (1981), and the Robert Shaw Room for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (1983) as well as a number of single family homes and other projects. His work outside Atlanta includes four buildings for Southern Progress Corporation in Birmingham, Alabama (beginning in 1974), Day Butterfly Center at Callaway Gardens (1989); and the First Presbyterian Church in Dalton (1989).
His interior design work includes work for the Academy of Medicine, the corporate headquarters for BellSouth Enterprises, and for Robinson Humphrey Co. at the Atlanta Financial Center.
Jova stepped down as chair of Jova/Daniels/Busby in 2002. After retirement, he relocated to West Palm Beach, Florida with David Rinehart, his longtime partner, to whom he was wed only a few months before his death.
Content from Wikipedia — licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
Interactive
Test Your Knowledge – Trivia Challenge
How well do you know this person's life and legacy?
No account needed to play. Sign in to keep your score on the leaderboard.
Articles & News
Reported coverage of Henri Jova; each link opens the original article on the publisher's own site.
Books & Media
Find books, audiobooks and films about Henri Jova on Amazon.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.
Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henri_Jova
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- View record
- October 4, 2026
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 16 questions
Questions drawn from Henri Jova's archived record and the sources above.
1.In what year was the architect Henri Vatable Jova born?
- A.1910
- B.1925
- C.1919correct
- D.1930
The biography states that Henri Vatable Jova was born in 1919.
Source: biography introduction
2.What was the profession of Henri Vatable Jova's father, Juan Louis Jova?
- A.Sugar broker
- B.Ceramic engineercorrect
- C.Architect
- D.Diplomat
Juan Louis Jova worked as a ceramic engineer and served as the director of the plant.
Source: background and early career
3.Which university did Henri Vatable Jova attend before his studies were interrupted by World War II?
- A.Harvard University
- B.Yale University
- C.Georgia Tech
- D.Cornell Universitycorrect
Henri Vatable Jova attended Cornell University before his education was interrupted by his service in the U.S. Army Combat Engineers.
Source: background and early career
4.Which prestigious award did Henri Vatable Jova win in 1951?
- A.AIA Gold Medal
- B.Pritzker Architecture Prize
- C.Pritzker Prize
- D.Rome Prizecorrect
Henri Vatable Jova became a fellow of the American Academy in Rome in 1949 and won the Rome Prize for architecture in 1951.
Source: background and early career
5.Before co-founding his own firm, at which company did Henri Vatable Jova serve as chief of design from 1954 to 1966?
- A.Harrison & Abramovitz
- B.Abreu & Robesoncorrect
- C.Southern Progress Corporation
- D.Peachtree Associates
After moving to Atlanta, Henri Vatable Jova joined his first cousin's firm, Abreu & Robeson, where he was chief of design.
Source: background and early career
6.What organization did Henri Vatable Jova help organize in 1963 to improve the Midtown neighborhood?
- A.Midtown Neighborhood Associationcorrect
- B.Atlanta Urban League
- C.Georgia Preservation Society
- D.City Beautiful Committee
Henri Vatable Jova organized the Midtown Neighborhood Association in 1963 to encourage local investment and property renovation.
Source: relocation to Midtown
7.Who served as a judge for the home improvement contest sponsored by Henri Vatable Jova in Midtown?
- A.David Rinehart
- B.Ivan Allen Jr.correct
- C.Stanley Daniels
- D.Maynard Jackson
Henri Vatable Jova sponsored a home improvement contest that was judged by Mayor Ivan Allen Jr.
Source: relocation to Midtown
8.Which two individuals joined Henri Vatable Jova to form the firm Jova/Daniels/Busby in 1966?
- A.John Busby and David Rinehart
- B.Ivan Allen Jr. and Stanley Daniels
- C.Stanley Daniels and John Busbycorrect
- D.Juan Louis Jova and John Busby
In 1966, Henri Vatable Jova joined Stanley Daniels and John Busby to form the multidisciplinary design firm Jova/Daniels/Busby.
Source: Jova/Daniels/Busby
9.What landmark project developed by Henri Vatable Jova is considered the first mixed-use development in the Southeastern United States?
- A.Atlanta Financial Center
- B.The Carter Center
- C.Carnegie Education Pavilion
- D.Colony Squarecorrect
Henri Vatable Jova is well-known for the development of Colony Square, which was the first mixed-use development in the Southeastern United States.
Source: Jova/Daniels/Busby
10.In what year did the Carnegie Education Pavilion in Hardy Ivy Park, designed by Henri Vatable Jova, open?
- A.1993
- B.1996correct
- C.1991
- D.1986
Henri Vatable Jova's design for the Carnegie Education Pavilion in Hardy Ivy Park was completed in 1996.
Source: Jova/Daniels/Busby
11.Which of the following projects was Henri Vatable Jova the lead designer for in 1983?
- A.Atlanta Newspapers Building
- B.MARTA North Avenue station
- C.Robert Shaw Roomcorrect
- D.First Presbyterian Church
Henri Vatable Jova served as the lead designer for the Robert Shaw Room for the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra in 1983.
Source: Jova/Daniels/Busby
12.Henri Vatable Jova designed buildings outside of Atlanta for which corporation beginning in 1974?
- A.Robinson Humphrey Co.
- B.BellSouth Enterprises
- C.Southern Progress Corporationcorrect
- D.SunTrust Banks
Henri Vatable Jova designed four buildings for the Southern Progress Corporation in Birmingham, Alabama, beginning in 1974.
Source: Jova/Daniels/Busby
13.In what year did Henri Vatable Jova step down as the chair of Jova/Daniels/Busby?
- A.1996
- B.2014
- C.2002correct
- D.2013
Henri Vatable Jova officially stepped down as the chair of his firm, Jova/Daniels/Busby, in 2002.
Source: Jova/Daniels/Busby
14.To which city did Henri Vatable Jova relocate after his retirement?
- A.New York City, New York
- B.West Palm Beach, Floridacorrect
- C.Atlanta, Georgia
- D.Basse-Terre, Guadeloupe
After retiring, Henri Vatable Jova moved to West Palm Beach, Florida, with his partner David Rinehart.
Source: Jova/Daniels/Busby
15.Who was Henri Vatable Jova's longtime partner that he wed shortly before his death?
- A.John Busby
- B.David Rinehartcorrect
- C.Stanley Daniels
- D.Juan Louis Jova
Henri Vatable Jova relocated to Florida with David Rinehart, his longtime partner, whom he wed just months before he died.
Source: Jova/Daniels/Busby
16.In what year did Henri Vatable Jova pass away?
- A.2009
- B.2013
- C.2014correct
- D.2002
The biography indicates that Henri Vatable Jova lived from 1919 to 2014.
Source: biography introduction
People who died on January 13
Spotted an error?
Help us keep the archive accurate. Report a correction with a source.
Report an error for Henri Jova →Advertisement
