On Thursday, January 29 (7:30 PM, at the Freed Orman Centre of Assumption University), the Humanities Research Group at the University of Windsor are hosting “Last Harvest: From Cornfield to New Town” with University of Pennsylvania’s Professor of Urbanism Witold Rybczynnski.  This is part of their Distinguished Speakers Series.

In his latest groundbreaking book, Last Harvest, the award-winning author of Home and A Clearing in the Distance tells the compelling story of the transformation of a cornfield ino a housing development. We meet the developers whose vision for the property is just unusual enough to cause anxiety among some members of the community, local planners influenced by the design of old European towns and garden suburbs, the builders, the sellers, and the people who move into the first houses.

Rybczynski teaches classes in design and development, architectural theory, and a freshman seminar on contemporary architecture. Research interests include urbanism and housing. Previously professor of architecture at McGill University, Montreal. Honorary fellow, American Institute of Architects; Honorary member, American Society of Landscape Architects. In 2007, he was awarded the Vincent Scully Prize, the Seaside Prize, and Collaborative Honors by the American Institute of Architects. He currently serves on the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts in Washington, D.C.

Projects include: Author of many acclaimed books including Home (1986), translated into ten languages; The Most Beautiful House in the World (1989); City Life (1995); A Clearing in the Distance (1999), a biography of Frederick Law Olmsted and winner of the J. Anthony Lukas Prize; The Look of Architecture (2000), and The Perfect House, on the villas of Palladio. He contributes regularly on architecture and urbanism to the New York Times, and the New York Review of Books and is architecture critic for the on-line magazine Slate. He is also Professor of Real Estate at the Wharton School, and founding co-editor of the Wharton Real Estate Review.

Kudos must be given to the Humanities Research Group for bringing Professor Rybcznski to Windsor. Speakers of this calibre are a real treat to be exposed to, and when they are proprietors of Urbanist Theory? Wow! I can’t wait!

Tags: Architecture, event, University, Urban Design