Join Kevin Adkisson for this five-week lecture series examining the history of American architecture. In the fourth annual installment of the Center’s popular series, Adkisson will examine the past ninety years of architecture history through the framework of distinguished architects who have lectured at Cranbrook and visited the Academy of Art.

Each week, the 75-minute, image-based lecture will consider a specific moment in time in the story of architecture—and how that moment intersected with Cranbrook Academy of Art. The lectures will briefly introduce what was happening in the Academy’s architecture studios under five significant Architects-in-Residences, and then examine the importance of the Academy’s visitors—both their impact on the work of the students and their contributions to the development of modern architecture from the interwar period to the present day. How do these “Cranbrook Visitors” reflect the larger zeitgeist of each era?

Beyond each week’s featured “Cranbrook Visitors,” lectures will introduce major themes and theories that have shaped American architecture. The course will both analyze the architecture of each visiting architect and introduce you to some of the less well-known designers who have shaped the history of architecture. All levels of architecture knowledge are welcome.

Cranbrook Academy of Art has long been a center of design excellence, attracting leading figures of architecture and producing alumni who have shaped the course of architecture history. Drawing upon the resources of Cranbrook Archives, the goal of these lectures is to provide five case studies from the history of architecture that teach us more about the world in which we live.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

On the Friday prior to the lecture date, registered participants will receive an email with instructions on how to join this virtual experience; a reminder will be sent one hour prior to the start of the lecture. We are limited in the number of virtual “seats” and each registration is unique. Please do not share the login link with others. We appreciate your support of the Center by purchasing tickets for each viewer in your household.

The lectures will begin promptly at their scheduled times and will be followed by a ten-minute Q&A session. The morning and evening lecture will be the same. A supplemental reading list will be provided after the lecture series; there are no written assignments or evaluations. 

The History of American Architecture Lecture Series is presented by Cranbrook Center for Collections and Research. The fee includes admission to all five lectures. Although the lectures build on each other, attendance at all five lectures is not required. Regretfully, discounted tickets cannot be sold to individual lectures and admission cannot be transferred to other people.

This lecture series is eligible for American Institute of Architects Continuing Education credits (AIA/CES). Each lecture is one Learning Unit (LUs), for a total of five LUs. AIA/CES Self Report Forms are available online through the AIA National website. Please call the Center or your local AIA chapter for more information.