XI XI XI / XI XII XI : Reconsidering Postmodernism

A message from our President, Paul Gunther

A TWO-DAY CONFERENCE IN NEW YORK CITY
November 11 and 12, 2011

We invite you to sign up now for this important international gathering, which we are pleased to present in partnership with the Schools Of Architecture at the Universities of Miami and Notre Dame. The conference was conceived by trustee Gary Brewer, who has been assisted by a hard-working committee of staff and volunteers alike.

For the full schedule and online registration visit the Web site www.classicist.org and click the Reconsidering Postmodernism homepage link, or call David Ludwig at (212) 730-9646 ext. 104.  This conference in its entirety affords 13 AIA/CES LUs; indicate need when reserving.

The conference is dedicated to both a rigorous examination of Postmodernism as expressed in theory and as put into practice in the fourth quarter of the 20th century in America and abroad. Attention will be paid to as well as others who followed whether to reject, reinterpret, or reapply the central tenets. An historic overview will thus conjoin with contemporary appraisal. Attention will be paid to links to contemporary classicism.

Architects, scholars, and critics will discuss why and how Postmodernism occurred, why and how it was soon largely eclipsed, and why and how it has nonetheless had continued influence in the field – including its lasting impact on the theory and application of urban design.  Besides a passionate public, the program is designed for those patrons and practitioners at the forefront of experience and appreciation as well as those least affected or engaged in what was once the predominant aspect in design discovery and pedagogy. This conference will include lectures and moderated panel discussions with questions encouraged throughout.  Tom Wolfe will deliver a keynote address coinciding as it does with the thirtieth anniversary of his seminal book, From Bauhaus to Our House.

The conference will take place at the Proshansky Auditorium at The CUNY Graduate Center, located in mid-town Manhattan in the refurbished Trowbridge and Livingston Beaux-Arts B. Altman’s landmark. The auditorium seats up to 400, and has additional common space to house reception activities.

We thank the donors to date who are making this overdue academic conference possible, including the Arthur Ross Foundation, Elise Jaffe + Jeffrey Brown, Balmer Architectural Mouldings, and public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs. The Architect’s Newspaper is the official media sponsor of the conference and their imprimatur lends what we believe is due affirmation.

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In addition, I am pleased to announce the following important upcoming prize deadlines:

• November 1: The Rieger Graham Prize for an Architecture Fellowship at the American Academy in Rome.
• December 15: The 31st annual Arthur Ross Awards for Excellence in the Classical Tradition.

They are explained on the homepage and questions can be directed in either case to our new colleague Gay Giordano at (212) 730-9646 ext. 111.

• November 23: The 2012 Palladio Awards: Honoring Excellence in Traditional Design sponsored by our friends at Restore Media, and in particular, Clem Labine’s Traditional Building and Period Homes. Click here for more details.

Restore Media, with our embrace, is also holding an important two-day conference entitled Sustainable Building: Design, Craft, and Tradition scheduled in New York, downstairs from the ICAA headquarters office in the library of the General Society of Mechanics and Tradesmen on October 21 and 22 and then again in Washington DC on December 1 and 2. Many ICAA colleagues are presenting and attending. Consider joining them there. Additional details can be found here.

As you have discovered in your recent issue of The Forum newsletter, the ICAA is pleased with the new alliance forged with the Traditional Architecture Group (TAG)—A Linked Society of the Royal Institute of British Architects. TAG is the only organization of its kind in the UK with more than 400 members. Together, the goal is to promote shared values that enliven our respective like-minded missions. Peter Pennoyer joined with TAG’s chairman, Alireza Sagharchi, “ Our intention is to develop joint educational programs on both sides of the Atlantic including courses, symposia, drawing programs, and debates.”

In that spirit, we announce the upcoming TAG DEBATE on October 20 at London’s Kings College in the Old Anatomy Theatre featuring the two brilliant contemporary British philosophers, Alain de Botton and Roger Scruton. From distinctly passionate perspectives, they will consider modernism and traditionalism as competing methodologies for enlivening of our shared built future. To learn more and reserve, visit www.traditionalarchitecture.co.uk.

Finally, congratulations go to the Texas Chapter for its first-ever John Staub Awards to be presented in Houston on October 15 and to the New England Chapter for its second annual Bulfinch Awards to be held in Boston on November 30. The Tennessee Chapter is holding its annual meeting in Nashville November 3 and 4. I look forward to joining them to salute friends and donors. Again, the Web site tells much more. Plan to attend these programs if your travels allow.

I look forward to seeing you soon and often during this dense season of fulfilling our unique mission on your generous behalf.