Event – Detail

Drawing on his new book, Steven Semes will discuss Gustavo Giovannoni (1873-1947), a central figure in the fields of architecture, urbanism, and historic preservation in the first half of the 20^th century in his native Italy and throughout Europe. Giovannoni's theory and practice have had a profound, if often unacknowledged, influence in these fields up to the present day. Central to his thinking was a sense of continuity between historic architecture and contemporary design, the mission of restoration to render our historic monuments as whole as possible, and a deep sense of respect for the character and meaning of historic buildings, cities, and landscapes. His focus on the urban scale led him to view the whole city as the monument, including both important public buildings and the ordinary urban fabric that forms their setting. Proponents of new traditional design, New Urbanism, historic preservation, sustainability, and environmentalism will find in Giovannoni an invaluable precursor and resource. Semes's book offers a comprehensive portrait of the architect for the first time in English.

A book signing will follow the program. Book sales are arranged with Head House Books.

Steven W. Semes is Professor of Architecture and Director of the Michael Christopher Duda Center for Preservation, Resilience, and Sustainability at the University of Notre Dame. He was Academic Director of the Notre Dame Rome Studies Program 2008-2011. He is the author of The Future of the Past: A Conservation Ethic for Architecture, Urbanism, and Historic Preservation (2009) and The Architecture of the Classical Interior (2004), as well as many articles. His new book is New Building in Old Cities: Writings by Gustavo Giovannoni on Architectural and Urban Conservation, with co-editors Francesco Siravo and Jeff Cody, (2024). Prior to joining the Notre Dame faculty in 2005, he practiced architecture for three decades in Washington, DC, San Francisco, and New York.

This event is presented with the Philadelphia Chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture and Art (ICAA). Members of the ICAA should register as "member" to receive the discounted ticket price.