Say goodbye to vintage brick buildings and hello to metal and glass.
The Portland State department of architecture is currently presenting a lecture series called “Firsts,” wherein scholars share their most innovative ideas and breakthroughs with students and the public. In so doing, they widen the conversation about architectural possibilities here in Portland.
The latest speaker, John Ochsendorf, associate professor for the department of civil and environmental engineering at MIT, will present Oct. 20. Ochsendorf will cover a broad range of architectural topics.
“My group at MIT works on a wide range of problems across the fields of engineering, architecture and archaeology,” Ochsendorf said. “The lecture will share our discoveries on the technology of historical buildings, including some architectural secrets in Portland, as well as several award-winning designs for new buildings around the world.”
As the title suggests, the theme of the series is the concept of “firsts.” The ancient Greek word “arche,” which means “first cause,” is the root word for architecture, and the guests speakers will discuss their own first causes—that is, the inspirations that led to their discoveries.
“The speakers represent a diverse array of positions addressing architectural implications in urban design, structural innovation, art practice and spatial agency, as well as insight into some unique design philosophies,” said Clive Knights, chairman of the department of architecture.
The speakers “mark our department’s coming of age” and will give the students insight into what’s to come in this architectural era, said Karen Stein, communications and student services coordinator for the department.
“This academic session represents our first year with the full gamut of exceptional faculty we’ve been searching for and attracting over the past five years,” Knights said. “Last June marked the graduation of our first master architect students.”
The lecture series will span the year and feature six academic speakers.
“This city is wonderful, but it can always benefit from an injection of alternative points of view from beyond the limitations of the region,” Knights said.
The lectures begin at 7 p.m. in the Shattuck Hall Annex (at Southwest Broadway and Hall). They are free and open to the public.