After graduating from Williams College in 1904, Lamb studied at the Columbia University School of Architecture and at the Atlier Delange in Paris. In 1911 he received his diploma in architecture from the French government and he subsequently returned to New York and joined the firm of Carrere and Hastings. There Lamb met Richmond H. Shreve with whom he shared numerous projects over the years. In 1924 the two architects established their own office, Shreve and Lamb, and were soon commissioned to design the General Motors Building for New York. In 1928 Shreve and Lamb were commissioned to design the Empire State Building and in the following year they were joined by Arthur L. Harmon who assisted in the final stages of the project. In addition to such major works, Lamb designed buildings for numerous colleges and universities, and during World War II he was involved in design work for the armed services. In the last years of his life he assisted in the design of the Mututal Life Insurance Building of New York. Lamb was elected an associate member of the National Academy in 1942 and an academician in 1950. He died in New York City after a prolonged illness.
