fohh holding major symposium on architect charles goodman in september
Mark your calendars, architecture-lovers: Friends of Hollin Hills is holding an important — and long-overdue — symposium on the work of Charles Goodman, the pathbreaking architect who created the striking modernist look of Hollin Hills, and influenced housing all across postwar America. Featuring talks by top Goodman experts, receptions at Goodman-designed buildings, and tours of Goodman neighborhoods in the area, the Symposium offers a rare opportunity to learn more about one of the boldest and most innovative thinkers in modern American architecture.
The Symposium — titled “Living Modern - Building Community” — opens on Friday, September 13 with a reception and opening remarks in the Sanctuary of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington, designed by Goodman in 1963. A great place to meet the experts as well as homeowners from other Goodman communities!
The event kicks into high gear on the morning of Saturday, September 14 with a day of in-depth talks and discussions led by top Goodman experts, including Richard Guy Wilson (Commonwealth Professor Emeritus, Architectural History, University of Virginia); Joseph Dye Lahendro (Historic Preservation Architect, University of Virginia); Dennis Carmichael (Landscape Architect, FASLA); Gregory Hunt (FAIA, Architect, Dean & Professor of Architecture (retired); and many others, discussing Goodman’s innovations and continuing legacy. The talks are followed by a reception, and for those with VIP tickets, there’s a special reception that evening at Goodman’s fascinating, custom-designed “Sevareid House” in Alexandria.
The Symposium concludes on Sunday with tours of several of the Goodman-designed neighborhoods in the area, including Hickory Cluster (with an exhibit at the Reston Museum), Hammond Wood, and, of course, Hollin Hills, where a number of houses will be open for viewing.
Please join Friends for this lively and fascinating event! Despite being one of the most influential American architects of the 20th Century, Goodman largely faded from view after his death, and his legacy is only now starting to be fully appreciated. The Symposium offers a chance to fully appreciate the work of a creative genius whose houses we all love so much, and to help spread understanding of his remarkable achievements.
More information is available on the FOHH website. Tickets start at $200 and can be purchased here. Any profits from the event will support the FOHH mission in Hollin Hills, including architectural, historic, and educational initiatives.
Oh, and one more thing: you can earn up to 4.5 American Institute of Architects (AIA) Elective Learning Units, and up to 5.25 AIA Health, Safety, Welfare (HSW) Learning Units by attending the Symposium!