Ann Dumas-Swanson’s Post

🏛️ Discover the Unexplored Facts about the History of the White House! Dive into our latest blog to uncover hidden stories and surprising details about this iconic landmark. 📰 https://lnkd.in/dkJZgFrE #WhiteHouse #History #UnexploredFacts #BlogPost

"The Chalice and the Church: Exploring the Oxymoron of Moral Temperance through Architectural Metaphors" In the architectural tapestry of morality, the chalice and the church stand as paradoxical symbols. The chalice, often associated with indulgence and temptation, becomes an oxymoron when juxtaposed with the sanctity of the church—a space traditionally regarded as a haven for moral reflection and spiritual introspection. Architectural structures, with their towering spires and solemn halls, are the silent narrators of ethical discourse. The church, as a sanctuary maker, becomes the canvas upon which moral paradoxes unfold. The juxtaposition of opulent chalices within these sacred spaces sparks contemplation on the interplay between material indulgence and spiritual austerity. Enter the poisoned chalice, a metaphor immortalized in Shakespeare's "Macbeth." Here, the tainted vessel becomes a symbol of deceptive allure, challenging the very essence of moral choices. When transposed onto the architectural stage, the poisoned chalice mirrors the deceptive elements that may infiltrate the moral fabric of a revered space—a warning against the erosion of virtue within the supposed sanctity of the church. As we navigate the interwoven narratives of architecture, the chalice, and the church, we unravel the complexities of moral temperance. This exploration invites us to question the dichotomies inherent in our moral landscapes and challenges us to seek a harmonious balance between the allure of indulgence and the sanctity of moral reflection. #ChaliceAndChurch #ArchitecturalMetaphors #MoralTemperance #ShakespeareanEchoes

In this blog, we discuss a project at Yale University, where we helped to renovate and convert the Hall of Undergraduate Studies into the Center for Humanities: https://bit.ly/3GAOyF0 #Restoration #Preservation

SAH CfP deadline is tomorrow! "Colonialism, Christianity, and Modern Architectures of Occupation" This panel welcomes submissions that explore the built environments created by Christian institutions within European empires during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries that contributed to—or opposed—colonialist agendas through means beyond explicit proselytizing or conversion work. Questions one might address include: How did religious institutions serve colonizer communities and to what ends? What role did architectural design play in colonialist communication for different populations in occupied territories? How did the relationships between religious and secular institutions generate specific forms of architecture? In what ways did indigenous people and organizations engage with, and resist, such interventions? Comparative papers and those addressing structures that are not traditional church buildings are particularly encouraged, as are those that also consider, in part, the postcolonial function of extant colonial-era built environments. https://lnkd.in/esa3xjMg

Explore the art of revealing historical, cultural, and natural stories about places and learn how to plan and integrate interpretive media into a given site. https://lnkd.in/gHgjGHxJ

Unleashing the Beauty of Public Fountains: A Guide to Their Historical Significance and Contemporary Role in Community Spaces Unleashing the Beauty of Public Fountains: A Guide to Their Historical Signific... Read More - https://lnkd.in/dFYwTGPK

Modern Agora ++ "The literal meaning of the word "agora" is "gathering place" or "assembly". The agora was the center of the athletic, artistic, business, social, spiritual, and political life in the city. The Ancient Agora of Athens is the best-known example." where is your Agora in your city?

What is more important today than an Institute of Democracy? Find out about the new home for future Presidential Debates and more. #acoustics #acousticdesign #avdesign

A new edition of James Stevens Curl’s Classical Architecture will be published in 2024 by John Hudson Publishing. This is an opportunity to order a copy signed by the author and with your name included in the book as a supporting subscriber. Like previous editions, the new book describes the fundamental principles and various aspects of Classical architecture in a series of concise chapters, in clear and straightforward language. It outlines the origins of Classical architecture in Antiquity, and describes its continuous development through its various manifestations during the Renaissance, its transformations in its Baroque and Rococo phases, its re-emergence in 18th-, 19th-, and 20th-century Neo- Classicism, and its survival in renewed forms up to the present day. The volume will be profusely illustrated with black-and-white and colour photographs, and with detailed annotated line-drawings for which the author is well known. It includes an expanded illustrated glossary, almost a dictionary of Classical architecture in itself. #classicalarchitecture #traditionalarchitecture