Upon graduation from Haverford, he studied architecture with Paul Philippe Cret at the University of Pennsylvania.
[2] Ayres spent a year with an architectural firm in New York City before returning to San Antonio.
In 1921, his father announced he had joined his firm, partnering as Atlee B. and Robert M. Ayres, Architects.
[3] He worked on a number of projects with his father, including the following:[4] He was president of the San Antonio chapter of the American Institute of Architects.
[2] On December 2, 1925, he married San Antonio socialite and community organizer Florence Collett.