Blackboxing Banham

Consider the mysterious case of Reyner Banham. After more than three decades of staunch criticism of the status quo, Banham, on his death bed, penned “A Black Box: The Secret Profession of Architecture,” in which he succumbed to a view of architecture as improbably autonomous and possibly impenetrable, largely because it continued to live on despite numerous attacks by himself and others.

Three decades after his untimely death, Banham’s words live on too, and for equally mysterious reasons. Is it the style that remains so difficult to emulate? Is it the perceptive critical glance, always halting in its clarity? Or is it simply our continued interest in black-boxing something—something like “architecture” or “critique”—in order to consider again our collective faith in its inscrutable power?

Schedule

Wednesday, February 24

5:30 – 7:00 p.m. Keynote Anthony Vidler followed by a conversation with Todd Gannon, Dora Epstein Jones, and Lydia Kallipoliti. Stream live at YouTube

Thursday, February 25

3:00 – 4:30 p.m. Panel 1: Structures 1 Todd Gannon, introduction John Davis, Lydia Kallipoliti, Hadas Steiner Benjy Flowers, moderator Stream live at YouTube

Saturday, February 27

1 – 2:30 p.m. Panel 2: Environments 1 Michael Osman, introduction Forrest Meggers, Kiel Moe, Claire Zimmerman Lucia Allais, moderator Stream live at YouTube

Thursday, March 4

3 – 4:30 p.m. Panel 3: Structures 2 Joe Day, Sarah Deyong, Whitney Moon Dora Epstein Jones, moderator Stream live at YouTube

Saturday, March 6

1 – 2:30 p.m. Panel 4: Environments 2 Todd Gannon, introduction Daniel Barber, Andrew Cruse, Janette Kim Felicity Scott, moderator Stream live at YouTube

2:30 – 3:15 p.m. Closing Comments Michael Osman followed by a conversation with Lucia Allais, Felicity Scott, and Anthony Vidler Stream live at YouTube