Centerbrook Architects Lecture Series Presents–Architect Jim Childress, FAIA “The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming!”
October 19, 2017
Image: Garage Museum of Contemporary Art, Moscow, designed by Rem Koolhaas (OMA, 2015).
Friday, October 20 at 7 p.m. in The Cube at Centerbrook Architects, 67 Main St., Centerbrook
Centerbrook Architects Principal Jim Childress, FAIA takes the audience on a whirlwind illustrated tour of some of the best architecture, new and old, from Cuba, St. Petersburg and Moscow. Enjoy images of wonderful examples of mid-century modern houses in Cuba, and some of the best contemporary architecture in Russia including the Boris Eifman Dance Academy, the Garage Museum of Contemporary Art and the renovated French Impressionist wing of the Hermitage Museum.
Jim Childress has won more than 60 design awards including the American Institute of Architects 1998 Architecture Firm Award. In 1994, he was selected as one of the decade’s “40 National Architects under 40” by the Architectural League of New York and Interior Magazine. He was invested, for design, into the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects in 2001 and recognized for Professional Achievement by the Rhode Island School of Design at their 2005 Commencement. He is a long-standing member the National AIA Committee on Design, serving on its Advisory Group and as the 2015 Chair.
Centerbrook Architects Lecture Series Presents Stephen Wanta, AIA
September 21, 2016
Friday, September 23 at 7 p.m. at Centerbrook Architects, 67 Main St. in Centerbrook
What do a former Vermont residence of a Phish band member, a 96-foot custom motor yacht, a loft inspired by the relationship between Judaic Mysticism and Quantum Mechanics, law offices using strategies similar to those of architect/artist Gordon Matta-Clark (with a bit of the “Terminator” thrown in) and a penthouse combination in “one of the 10 most haunted buildings in New York” have in common? The answer is New York-based architect Stephen Wanta, who will begin the ninth year of the Library’s Architecture Lecture Series on Friday, September 23 at 7 p.m. in The Cube at Centerbrook Architects, 67 Main St. in Centerbrook. This program is free and open to all. There is parking behind the office and also at Spencer’s Corner.
Among Mr. Wanta’s commercial projects are film and sound production facilities, restaurants, numerous private law offices, and showrooms and trade show exhibition booths for the home furnishings industry. The firm has also designed several museum stores, their pop-up locations and retail outlets. Mr. Wanta has designed and executed well over 100 residential projects with budgets from less than $100,000 to over $5 million in New York City, with a number of others across the country and in Europe. The firm is just completing its second long-range motor yacht project; built in Xiamen China and commissioned in Florida.
Stephen Wanta received his Bachelor of Architecture Degree from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1980 where he received the Reynolds Aluminum School Prize in 1979 and 1980 and The American Institute of Architects Certificate of Merit. He has worked at the offices of Machado & Silvetti, Rafael Vinoly Architects, and at Peter Marino Architect and Associates. Mr. Wanta has taught and lectured at a number of schools, including Columbia University, the Rhode Island School of Design, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Please call the Essex Library to register or for more information at (860) 767-1560.
Centerbrook Architects Lecture Series Presents Norwegian Architect: Reiulf Ramstad, HFAIA
May 11, 2016
Tuesday, May 17 at 7 p.m. to be held at Centerbrook Architects 67 Main St. in Centerbrook
We are very proud to present acclaimed architect Reiulf Ramstad at Centerbrook’s office on May 17th at 7 pm. Ramstad’s firm, Reiulf Ramstad Arkitekter, has earned an international reputation for boldly simple architecture that strongly connects to its Scandinavian context and landscape.
Mr. Ramstad’s Oslo-based firm achieved notoriety for its design of the Trollstigen Visitor Centre, in Møre of Romsdal, Norway. Completed in 2012, this facility is one of the earliest and largest structures among the the now-famous Norwegian Tourist Routes. Set in a stunning natural environment, it exemplifies how the deep understanding of a place can lead to innovative modern architecture. The firm has gone on to produce a wide range of pioneering projects that have attracted international accolades, including the Architizer A+Awards Firm of the Year in 2015.
Mr. Ramstad earned professorship from The Oslo School of Architecture and was a regular thesis advisor and juror. Recognized professionally as a board member of the National Association of Norwegian Architects, he has served on juries for domestic and international architectural competitions. In recent years, following awards and publicity of his firm’s projects, he has lectured around the world. He will receive an Honorary Fellowship into the American Institute of Architects’ College of Fellows at the AIA National Convention in Philadelphia this May.
The lecture will be held at Centerbrook’s office, located at 67 Main Street in Centerbrook, Connecticut. Space is limited, so please call the Essex Library at (860) 767-1560 to register.
Historic Barns/Modern Farms with Architect Charlotte Hitchcock
February 11, 2016
The Centerbrook Architects Lecture Series continues its eighth season with Architect Charlotte Hitchcock presenting: “Historic Barns / Modern Farms” on Friday, February 19 at 7 p.m. at the Essex Town Hall.
Architect Charlotte Hitchcock helped pioneer a survey of historic barns beginning in 2005 with the goal of finding and documenting barns around the state, which were thought of as endangered relics of a vanished way of life. They discovered that farming in Connecticut is alive and well in this time of local food movements. And historic barns are an integral part of the trend. This illustrated talk will draw on Charlotte’s experience with Historic Barns of Connecticut, a project of the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation made possible by support from the State Historic Preservation Office, Department of Economic and Community Development, and funds from the Community Investment Act of the State of Connecticut. Charlotte will focus on barns that are in use on working farms – dairy and egg farms, grass-fed beef, and CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farms growing vegetables and fruits.
Charlotte Hitchcock is recently retired from her job with the Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation after working at the state-wide non-profit preservation organization since 2009. During two years as a volunteer and six years on the staff, she visited most of the 169 towns and many of the smaller village centers in Connecticut in search of barns and other historic places. Charlotte has worked in various roles as an architect, parent, high school teacher, and architectural historian. She has earned degrees in art history, architecture, and mathematics education. She lives in the Westville neighborhood of New Haven, in a 104-year-old Craftsman cottage.
This program is free and open to the public though advance registration is highly recommended for this event; please call the Essex Library at (860) 767-1560. The Essex Town Hall is located at 29 West Avenue in Essex.
“SS United States, Hallmark of Twentieth Century Design” with Chad Floyd, FAIA
Friday, January 29th at 7 p.m. at the Essex Town Hall
Chad Floyd will tell the story of the great ocean liner SS United States, designed by marine architect Francis Gibbs and interior designer Dorothy Marckwald. He will show how this little-known pair reimagined ocean liners and invented a new Mid-Century aesthetic that married function with glamour and changed American design forever.
An award-winning architect, Floyd has designed buildings nationwide for colleges and universities, independent schools, and civic and cultural entities. Signature projects include the Palmer Events Center in Austin, Texas; the Liberty Memorial in Virginia that honors those who lost their lives on 9/11; the Nessel Wing of the Norton Art Center in Florida; an expansion and renovation of the Addison Gallery of American Art at Phillips Academy Andover in Massachusetts; and the Krieble Gallery at the Florence Griswold Museum in Old Lyme.
Chairman of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and Architect Fred Bland, FAIA will present an illustrated talk this Friday, May 8th at 7 p.m. at the Essex Town Hall entitled: The Making of A Garden(er): an urbanist architect in the garden as part of the Centerbrook Architects Lecture Series.
His garden in Stony Creek, CT has been published and is a regular offering in the Garden Conservancy’s Open Days calendar. Come hear the talk and then go see his garden at the Open Days event on Saturday, June 6th. For more info see our website: http://www.youressexlibrary.org/adult-services/adults-featured-events/#centerbrook4
Fred Bland, FAIA will highlight the garden he designed for his Stony Creek home. He chronicles his development as both an internationally known architect and a local horticulturalist, and the connection between the two strivings.
A partner in Beyer Blinder Belle and Chairman of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Bland’s design portfolio includes: the Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, Kentucky, Minnesota’s St. Paul Union Depot, and the Shanghai Cultural Center in China. His Stony Creek garden was featured in the book “Private Gardens of Connecticut.”
Bland earned his Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in architecture at Yale University, and as a Commissioner on the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission he plays an active role in shaping the future of America’s largest metropolis. An adjunct professor in the Art History Department at New York University, he also has served as a visiting lecturer at Columbia University, Yale University, and Pratt Institute.
Chad Floyd, a partner in Centerbrook Architects, will examine the times, the tall tales, and the design of the historic (and haunted) General William Harts House in Madison. His illustrated presentation will be at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 30, at the Essex Town Hall. “A Haunted Tale of Architecture, Mayhem, and Geopolitics” will explore the historic context of the 1759 house and the fascinating people who lived in it.
The house’s design typifies the transition between the Colonial and Federal eras, but with some odd architectural twists. Built by Ensign Nathaniel Dudley, the building was sold to Captain Edward Griffin, a schooner master who sailed between Madison and the West Indies. A slave owner, Griffin engaged in considerable mischief inside the house, which is why it is said to be haunted. During the twentieth century the house was owned by a US Army General who became a key player at in historic events around the globe.
Floyd’s design credits include academic, cultural, and civic projects, among them the Palmer Events Center in Austin, Texas; the 9/11 Liberty Memorial in Virginia, and the Norton Museum of Art in Florida. Locally, his work includes the Florence Griswold Museum, the Garde Arts Center, the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, the Norma Terris Theater, Lyme Art association, the Connecticut River Museum, Hill-Stead Museum, Manchester Community College, and Mystic Seaport Museum.
Byron Dean Kuth, FAIA and Elizabeth Ranieri, FAIA Present “Curious Scales” For The Centerbrook Architects Lecture Series
April 17, 2015
Friday, April 17th at 7 p.m. at the Essex Town Hall
Since co-founding Kuth Ranieri Architects, Byron & Elizabeth have been committed to balancing a building practice with research projects to stretch and experiment with design across many scales. They will present works that vary from custom fabrications to visionary infrastructure.
Over two decades their firm has produced a broad spectrum of work, from small-scaled objects and installations to buildings and urban design proposals. They have earned a regional and national reputation for innovative works that integrate current cultural discourse with contemporary issues of design, technology and the environment. Their projects include an installation for the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, Soundhenge, and the Harvey Milk Memorial Streetcar.
A Fine Arts and Architecture graduate of Rhode Island School of Design, Kuth has taught at California College of the Arts, the Harvard Graduate School of Design, and as a Friedman Professors at the College of Environmental Design at UC Berkeley. He launched the Deep Green Design Alliance (DGDA), a multidisciplinary think tank for sustainable strategies in architecture and urban design.
Ranieri holds degrees in Architecture and Fine Arts from the Rhode Island School of Design and has taught at the California College of the Arts, the Harvard Graduate School of Design, and as a Friedman Professor at UC Berkeley’s College of Environmental Design. She has earned a national reputation for innovative expressions of sustainable systems at a building and planning scale. She has led the firm’s research and development on infrastructural approaches to water conservation, water treatment, and adaptive strategies to rising seas.
Centerbrook Architects Lecture Series Hosts Architectural Historian Professor Chuck Benson
March 16, 2015
Architectural Historian Professor Chuck Benson presents “Great Women Architects and Designers of the 20th and 21st Centuries” at the Essex Town Hall on Friday, March 27 at 7 p.m.
His illustrated presentation focuses on historical luminaries, such as Marion Mahoney Griffin and Mary Colter, as well as prominent contemporary architects like Billy Tsien, Zaha Hadid, and Jeanne Gang. By rising to the topmost level of a historically male-dominated profession, these women and many others like them have blazed the trail for others to follow.
Dr. Benson has been teaching Art and Architectural History for more than twenty five years at various universities and has led groups to explore iconic places and buildings in America, Italy, England, France, Germany, Greece, Turkey, and elsewhere. His lecture credits include MOMA, Getty Museum in Los Angeles, and the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. He studied the history of art and architecture at Yale, and holds advanced degrees from Columbia University. He also has studied at Cambridge and Oxford.
His talk is free and part of the Centerbrook Architects Lecture Series, which is one of many programs that are offered regularly by the Essex Library. Please call the library at (860) 767-1560 to register. Sponsored by Centerbrook Architects, the series is in its seventh year.
Centerbrook Architects Lecture Series Welcomes Architects Taryn Christoff and Martin Finio of Christoff : Finio in New York
February 11, 2015
Friday, February 27 at 7 p.m. at the Essex Town Hall
The Essex Library is honored to continue offering some of the best programming in Connecticut. We are grateful to Centerbrook Architects for sponsoring this lecture series. Please call the Library to reserve your seat. The lecture is free and open to the public.
The Christoff : Finio Partners will look at several projects through a domestic lens – from a new house, to a former townhouse converted to offices, to a new urban school that uses a domestic scale to relate to ts context. Upon selecting them for a 2014 Arts and Letters Award, the American Academy of Arts and Letters said of Christoff : Finio: “Their work is characterized by a quiet intelligence that manifests itself in spaces that are both beautiful and humane. There is a balance between the exquisite control of their finely tuned details and the whoop of joy that comes when one discovers their subtle inventions. It is like watching a prima ballerina – all is in equilibrium and then she…leaps.”
Taryn Christoff received her undergraduate degree from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 1984, where she drew her strength and inspiration from the design legacy of Mies van der Rohe. Working with her husband Martin Finio since 1999, Christoff has led design and consultant teams to construct corporate and commercial interiors, institutional projects and new residential projects. Her experience includes retail design for Steven Alan and Calypso, headquarter design for the Heckscher Foundation and Todd Hase, and several residences located in urban and natural environments. She has been a practicing New York Architect since 1992.
Martin Finio is a 1988 graduate of the Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture at the Cooper Union. A registered New York Architect since 1993, Finio spent nearly a decade at the office of Tod Williams and Billie Tsien. His experience there included the Cranbrook Natatorium, the Neurosciences Institute in La Jolla, and the Hunter Science Center at the Emma Willard School. Since 1999, he has been partnered with his wife Taryn Christoff and taught both design and studio courses at Yale University, where he teaches and tests a design philosophy rooted in the integration of building performance and spatial clarity. He has been recognized by Esquire magazine as “one of America’s most promising young architects.”
The Short List 