Building Philadelphia: Architecture, History, + Politics

$150 - Includes all 10 lectures!
(early Bird discount valid through Tuesday, April 24th)
10 Tuesday evenings, 6-8pm, March 10 - May 19
For more detailed info about each lecture, click on "MORE INFO" under each ticket type.

MARCH 10 - Penn’s Plan and the Founding of the City
John Gallery, Former Executive Director of the Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia, investigates William Penn's plans for the grand city in his colony of Pennsylvania. Did you know that Pennsylvania was given to William Penn's father by the King of England to pay off a personal debt? It remains the largest grant of land to an individual in history. Learn how Penn took his inheritance and created plans for a major city that would take over 200 years to match his vision. And learn how Philadelphia's current-day form reflects his philosophical ideals and business plans.

MARCH 17 - From Colonial Capitol to the Athens of America: Georgian, Federal, Greek Revival
Richard Webster, PhD, and Professor Emeritus at West Chester University presents a survey of the classic architectural styles of early Philadelphia, including Georgian, Federal, and Greek Revival. Explore how these styles, typically all called "Colonial" by the layperson, differ from each other and how their influence can be found in classical Greece and Rome.

MARCH 24 - Romantic Philadelphia: Eclecticism of Style
Richard Webster, PhD, and Professor Emeritus at West Chester University explores the architectural styles of Philadelphia that were popular after the "colonial" era, but before the Victorian era. In this talk Webster presents the eclectic mix of styles, often intermixed in one building, that make up this fascinating period of Philadelphia's architectural history. A must-see lecture for those interested in Philadelphia's unique, older buildings.

MARCH 31 - The Hidden City: Archaeology of Philadelphia
Rebecca Yamin, PhD, takes us on a trip down Alice's rabbit hole - digging underneath parking lots, National Park sites, and demolished buildings, she uncovers Philadelphia hidden past through fragments and trash left by our predecessors. Recent sites covered during her talk include the President's house in Independence Mall, Revolutionary camp sites in Valley Forge, and workers' houses where the Pennsylvania Convention Center now stands.

APRIL 14 - Immigration to the City
Join Caroline Golab, PhD at Thomas Jefferson University, for this insightful talk about Philadelphia's various populations and how, why, and when they made their way to Philadelphia - and what they did once they arrived here. From early Swedish and German settlers to Italian and Irish immigrants, to modern-day influxes from Mexico and South-East Asia, this lecture explores who Philadelphia is and how the various waves of immigration have and continue to shape its citizenry.

APRIL 21 - The Victorian City
Jeffrey Cohen, PhD at Bryn Mawr College, surveys the nearly 40-year reign of Queen Victoria and the three distinctive styles that are now collectively considered "Victorian." From early Victorian through High Gothic, this talk explores which styles crossed the Atlantic Ocean during this era and presents some of the most impressive and stunning architecture in Philadelphia's collection.

APRIL 28 - Going on Stilts: The Tall Building in 19th Century Philadelphia
Paula Spilner, PhD at Drexel University, presents this fun look at Philadelphia's earliest skyscrapers. Learn how historians define what a skyscraper is, what forces caused high-rise buildings to emerge in 19th century Philadelphia, and how their effect on Philadelphia's skyline helped to set the stage for Philadelphia to have one the most impressive skylines in the world.

MAY 05 - Philadelphia’s Modern Architectures: The Heroes and the Misfits
William Whitaker, Curator at the University of Pennsylvania's Architectural Archives, presents the remaining examples of modernist architecture scattered around the Greater Philadelphia area. These buildings are only now beginning to be appreciated for their architectural achievements just as many of them have been or are being demolished. Come explore the buildings we grew up with before they are gone forever.

MAY 12 - Making Philadelphia Modern: The Benjamin Franklin Parkway and Art Deco
David Brownlee, professor at the University of Pennsylvania, takes us through the political, aesthetic, and social movements that dramatically reshaped Philadelphia in the early 20th Century. He tracks the long-fought battle to build the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, re-organizing the old industrial city around a new axis of culture and commerce, and he tells Philadelphia's chapter of the story of "Art Deco," the colorful, invented modern style that arose as an alternative to functionalism in the 1920s and 30s.

MAY 19 - Ed Bacon and the Future of Philadelphia
Alan Greenberger, Deputy Director of Economic Development and Director of Commerce for the City of Philadelphia
Since the mid-20th century, Philadelphia has faced the same challenges as most post-industrial cities in the world, namely loss of manufacturing jobs, residents, and taxes. Scott Gabriel Knowles explores how Philadelphia has faced these challenges, in what ways it has succeeded, where we still need to make progress, and what the future holds for our fair city. Current and future public and private development projects will round out our lecture series.