Critical Juncture: the Work of Joseph Rykwert, critic

CICA, AA and V&A organise events to mark the occasion of the RIBA Royal Gold Medal awarded to CICA President Joseph Rykwert on 21-22 February 2014

Joseph Rykwert, President of CICA, is one of the most important critics and historians of architecture alive today. His work has influenced generations of architects, and his achievements are recognised this year in the RIBA’s decision to award him the Royal Gold Medal. To commemorate his work, CICA, the V&A and the AA will host a gathering of architecture critics from around the world to reflect on the enduring importance of his books and journalistic criticism.

On February 21st, the Architectural Association will host a A CICA meeting and talk on the current state of architectural criticism by celebrated American writer Michael Sorkin, with contributions from a range of respondents, including Rowan Moore, architecture critic of the Observer and Canadian critic Trevor Boddy.

On February 22nd, the Victoria & Albert Museum will host an all-day conference about Rykwert’s work, chaired on behalf of the V&A by senior curator Kieran Long and on behalf of CICA by the Mexican critic Louise Noelle. Speakers include Kenneth Frampton, Vittorio Gregotti, David Leatherbarrow, Phyllis Lambert, Luis Fernandez-Galiano and many more.

Critical Juncture is curated by Trevor Boddy, Manuel Cuadra and Yasmin Shariff.

CICA Open Session
Friday 21 February 2014: 15:30 – 18:00
Architectural Association, 33 Bedford Square, London WC1B 3ES

Michael Sorkin, New York: Architectural Criticism Now

Respondents:
Danny Wicaksono, Jakarta
Trevor Boddy, Vancouver
Rowan Moore, London
Rafael Gómez-Moriana, Barcelona

V&A Symposium 
Saturday, 22 February 10:00-17:30
The Lydia & Manfed Gorvy Lecture Theatre, V&A Museum, South Kensington, London SW7 2RL
Book tickets here

10:00 Registration

10:30 Welcome and Introductions
Martin Roth, Director, V&A
Kieran Long, Senior curator, V&A
Louise Noelle, CICA

10:45 Adam’s House in Paradise  
Louise Noelle, Mexico (session chair)
Süha Özkan, Istanbul
Michelangelo Sabatino, Houston
Carlos Eduardo Comas, Porto Alegre
Richard Wesley, Philadelphia

11:45 Break

12:00 The Idea of a Town / The Seduction of Place
George Baird, Toronto  (session chair)
Phyllis Lambert, Montreal
Luis Fernández-Galiano, Madrid
Czeslaw Bielecki, Warsaw

13:00 Break

14:00 Critique of Buildings
Manuel Cuadra, Kassel  (session chair)
David Leatherbarrow, Philadelphia
Pippo Ciorra, Rome
Desmond Hui, Hong Kong
Vittorio Gregotti, Venice

15:00 Break

15:15 Critical Juncture
Trevor Boddy, Vancouver  (session chair)
Robert Tavernor, London
Patrick Lynch, London
George Baird, Toronto
Kenneth Frampton, New York

16:15 Concluding remarks
Yasmin Shariff, London