Gensler Hosts Classical Architecture Exhibit

by Ian Volner | Friday, July 8, 2011 | 1 Comment

The New York offices of Gensler, the global design-and-consulting über-firm, will act as a temporary gallery for an unusual exhibition staged by the Institute for Classical Architecture & Art. Curated by fellows of the ICAA—an organization created in 2002 to support the activities of scholarly nostalgists nationwide—, “The Classical Ideal” features models and drawings pulled from the grand old treasure chest of pre-modern design.

So what, exactly, does an international contemporary practice like Gensler—a team not generally known for extravagantly classical buildings—have in common with the ionic-loving Greco-Roman enthusiasts of the ICAA? Well, says firm principal Tom Vecchione, “Gensler’s art program and educational platform is built on establishing a diverse appreciation of the arts. We learn from both contemporary ideas and historical influences. Classical architecture reminds us of the rigor of our profession and the role it has played in the foundation of culture and design.”

The work in the show ranges from plaster casts of Phidias’ frieze, to soft-hued perspectival images of arcadian landscapes, to ideal schemes for pavilions, pantheons, villas, tholoi, tempietti, piazetti, and so on. Open as of yesterday, the show is viewable by appointment only.