On Wednesday, November 19 the Distinguished Lecture Series will present New York based and internationally acclaimed architects Tod Williams and Billie Tsien, whose design of the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia is critically acclaimed. Williams and Tsien were recently awarded the National Medal of Arts, which recognized their contributions to architecture and arts education. “Whether public or private, their deliberate and inspired designs have a profound effect on the lives of those who interact with them, and their teaching and spirit of service have inspired young people to pursue their passions,” said President Obama.
Founded with the generous support of Gibbes Board member and philanthropist Esther Ferguson, The Distinguished Lecture Series brings outstanding, world-renowned artists, architects, art collectors, museum leaders, philanthropists, and art historians to Charleston to stimulate public discussion about the visual arts and creativity. Mrs. Ferguson says, “Tod Williams and Billie Tsien are the rock stars in architecture today.”
Their studio, located in New York City, focuses on work for cultural non-profits, particularly museums and schools; organizations that value issues of aspiration and meaning, timelessness and beauty. Their inspired buildings are carefully made and useful in ways that speak to both efficiency and the spirit. A sense of rootedness, light, texture, detail, and most of all experience are at the heart of what they build.
“We believe in a slow process, we believe in long engagements. We have to have control over our projects all the way from beginning to end. I think they’re built beautifully because we really know how to put them together,” says Williams in an interview with Architectural Digest. Tsien adds, “Every time we work with somebody on a project, it changes our lives. Tod and I have been talking about the idea of service and how serving people really makes every project better. So it’s not just about yourself, it’s about the strengths, the power, and the vision of the client you’re serving.”
This event is incredibly timely for the museum as we prepare to launch a major renovation. Williams and Tsien will join Mrs. Ferguson for a ‘hard hat’ tour of the building on Wednesday morning, followed by an intimate lunch at the Charleston Grill with sponsors of the event.
Join us on Wednesday, November 19 at 6pm at Memminger Auditorium to hear more about Tod Williams and Billie Tsien’s body of work and design philosophy.
$50 Members, $60 Non-Members
To purchase tickets, please visit gibbesmuseum.org/events or call 843.722.2706 x21
—Amy Mercer, Marketing and Communications Manager
Published November 14, 2014