Vintage architectural posters from 1970s–80s to be exhibited by Paul Rudolph Institute and SPACED Gallery of Architecture

The Paul Rudolph Institute for Modern Architecture is to present an exhibition centered on the design of architectural poster art. Titled Designing Decades: Architectural Poster Art (1972–1982) and organized in collaboration with SPACED Gallery of Architecture, the pieces on display are curated from the private collection of Judith York Newman, the American architect, educator, and owner of SPACED. 

The subject posters, sourced from around the world, originally served as announcements for architectural exhibitions, lectures, and commemorative events. Educational institutions associated with the posters include Cornell, Columbia, and Yale, while other organizations involved in the commission of the original posters include RIBA Heinz, Centre Pompidou, and the Smithsonian.

In their entirety, the posters highlight an “era of diverse stylistic expressions of architects and institutions, and collectively accentuate the experimental design choices of the 1970s–80s,” organizers say. The exhibition is also intended to serve as a testament to Newman’s own longstanding commitment to the intersection of art and architecture.

“Prior to the internet, they were an important and sometimes sole source for information about location, opening times, and special events,” Newman said about the exhibition. “This selection of 40 works not only serves as a retrospective survey of graphic design but also encapsulates a pivotal moment in time before the internet age.”

The exhibition will run between March 7th and April 7th, 2024, at the Modulightor Building 246 East 58th Street, New York. 

In other architectural poster design news, meanwhile, we just announced the results of our public vote for the best Fall ’23 architecture school lecture poster to appear as part of Archinect's ongoing Get Lectured series.