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Jefferson and Palladio in Virginia
April 9 – 13, 2008
Arranged by Classical Excursions
“With Mr. Jefferson I conversed at length on the subject of architecture. Palladio, he said ‘was the bible.’ You should get it and stick close to it…”
Colonel Isaac Coles in a letter to John Hartwell Cocke, 1816
There is no state in the union other than Virginia where the influence of the great Italian Renaissance architect, Andrea Palladio, is as pronounced, that is, influential by way of English Palladianism that reached its maturity in the early eighteenth century. The architect’s drawings were carefully studied by Inigo Jones in the seventeenth century. Palladio’s great book, Il Quattro Libri, which was reproduced and interpreted frequently, became an extraordinary promotional piece for classical architecture worldwide. Even before Jefferson’s time, Palladio’s works reached America through translations of his book, as well as through the writings of such eighteenth-century English architects as Colin Campbell, James Gibbs, and Robert Morris.
But it was Virginia’s own Thomas Jefferson, the architect, who greatly expanded the Palladian influence on American classical architecture. Like Palladio, Jefferson cherished the lessons to be learned from ancient Roman architecture, especially the columned temple. Thanks to him, classical architecture has been the set style for the American government from his Virginia State Capitol and his ideas for the White House and the United States Capitol to hundreds of civic and public buildings built over two centuries. Jefferson, though a man for a democratic society, could never have imagined the sheer numbers of “colonial” houses that dot the American landscape.
As part of its 2008 celebratory program for the 500th anniversary of the birth of Palladio, the Institute of Classical Architecture & Classical America is inviting you to join its four-day tour of some of the finest examples of three centuries of Palladian architecture in Virginia. The earliest buildings to be privately visited are such Tidewater plantation houses as Shirley, Brandon, and that icon of American Georgian architecture, Westover.
Central to the scheme of the excursion is time spent in the Charlottesville area with private viewings of Palladian Monticello, the University of Virginia, Edgemont, Mirador, Shack Mountain, and Farmington, as well as other sites.
In Richmond, you will see on a private basis Jefferson’s magnificent State Capitol, the elegant Federal-style Wickham House, Wilton (1753), a Georgian gem where we will have lunch, and Tuckahoe Plantation, Jefferson’s boyhood home, as well as twentieth-century American Palladian houses such as Milburne by architect William Lawrence Bottomley.
Overnight accommodations will be offered at the Beaux Arts classical-style Jefferson Hotel, designed in 1895 by none other than Carrère & Hastings, architects for the New York Public Library, and the Omni Charlottesville Hotel.
Expert lecturers and tour leaders include Calder Loth, senior architectural historian of the Virginia Department of Historic Resources; and K. Edward Lay, Cary D. Langhorne Professor Emeritus of Architecture, University of Virginia, and William Beiswanger, architectural historian for Monticello.
Tour Price
$2,050.00 per person, $375.00 Single supplement. Please contact Classical Excursions for reservations. Limited availability. 800-390-5536 or contact@classicalexcursions.com
Finland: The Classical Roots of Its Architecture and Design
May 17 – 24, 2008
Sponsored by The Institute of Classical Architecture & Classical America
Arrangements by Classical Excursions
One of the great sons of Finland, Jean Sibelius (1865–1957), was once asked what advice he would give a young aspiring composer. He replied “one should consistently avoid the use of unnecessary notes, because every note should have a life of its own.” This philosophy seems fitting in a country where waste is frowned upon and grandeur does not impress.
Whether it’s an eighteenth century manor house or twenty-first-century fabrics designed by Marimekko, Finnish design is known for a simplicity and functionalism that takes its cues from nature. Helsinki was founded in 1550 by the Swedish King Vasa and the city continued to be a major political pawn between Sweden and Russia until 1809, when Finland was lost to Sweden and later absorbed into the Russian empire. After gaining twentieth-century postwar independence, Finland has managed to reassert and advance an extraordinary, recognizable national identity in design as in so many other cultural and social pursuits.
During our week-long tour of Finland, participants will experience the beauty of the elegant and restrained eighteenth-century Sweden, and nineteenth-century Imperial Russia, culminating with Finland’s own unique twentieth-century national romantic aesthetic. Participants will enjoy five nights in Helsinki along with two nights in historic villages in south western Finland’s coastal region.
Tour Highlights
- A five night stay in Finland’s capital city Helsinki at the renowned Hotel Kamp
- A private lecture & tour at the Finnish Museum of Architecture
- Tours of the great eighteenth-century neoclassical compositions of Helsinki’s waterfront including: Market Square, The Kings Gate & The Church of St. Nicholas.
- Visits to such eighteenth-century Gustavian masterpieces as, Pukkila, Mustio, and Louhisaari manors. Architecturally linked to Sweden and erected during Swedish rule of Finland, these manors have their original interiors intact.
- Excursions to the picturesque UNESCO World Heritage villages of Porvoo & Rauma. Both retain their historic eighteenth-century town centers, cobbled public squares, and preserved wooden houses from the period.
- Visits to such national icons as Aalto Alvar’s home and studio, along with Hvittrask, the home and studio of Finnish architect, Eliel Saarinen.
- A tour of Aalto Alvar’s renowned Villa Mairea, located in western Finland near the village of Pori and considered as canonical in world architectural history as Frank Lloyd Wright’s “Fallingwater.”
Tour Price
$3,500.00 per person based on double occupancy, single supplement of $750.00 per person applies. Immediate registration suggested. Contact Classical Excursions to register, 800-390-5536 or contact@classicalexcursions.com
Brought to you by Classical Excursions.
Private Classical, Pascal Paris
Sunday, April 5 – Saturday, April 11, 2009
Tour Highlights
- Welcoming Cocktail Buffet Dinner at the Paris Residence of Juan Pablo & Pilar Molyneux
- Hôtel Lauzun Owned by the City of Paris, architect Le Vau
- Optional Attendance of Pascal Concerts, Recitals and Services
- Chancellérie and the Palais de la Legion d’Honneur, Hôtel de Salm, architect Pierre Rousseau
- Luncheon at the Residence of the Editor of Edward Andrew Zega & Bernd H. Dams
- École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux Arts and the Chapelle des Petits Augustins
- Institut de France, architect Le Vau
- Private visit with the Château’s expert guide of the Petit Trianon, the Pavillon Français, the Chapelle, the Théâtre de la Reine, the English Garden and the Hamlet of Marie-Antoinette
- Farewell Dinner Reception at the Hôtel du Duc de Gesvres, architect Antoine Lepautre
As the program will be limited to 18 participants maximum (12 minimum), your response is immediate response is kindly requested.
For reservations and information contact Email Pamela Huntington Darling at pdarling@eventsofprestige.com or by calling Events of Prestige (Paris, France) at 011 33 1 45 67 62 81.
Cost/Learning Unit: Tour price is $6,000.00 per person based on double occupancy; $1,000 single supplement applies. A tax-deductible $300 donation to ICA&CA is included in the tour price. Rate includes 6 days of private visits; 6 nights accommodation at the Hôtel des Grands Hommes; all breakfasts; 3 luncheons; 6 cocktail receptions in private residences and institutions; 3 dinners of which 2 in private residences. All costs involved in the program, including transport to and from events during tour, all private visits, expert guides, etc.
Classical Antebellum Natchez
April 15 – 19, 2009
Overlooking a broad expanse of the Mississippi River and untouched by the ravages of the Civil War, Natchez contains the Deep South’s finest array of Federal, Greek Revival and other style mansions, built between 1800 and 1860 when extravagant prosperity from cotton trade produced more millionaires per capita than any other city in America.
Brought to you by Classical Excursions.
Eighteenth-Century Sweden: The Golden Age of Gustavian Style
May 15 – 26, 2009
In 1771, the future Gustav III returned to his native Sweden from the French court at Versailles to ascend the throne as king after his father’s sudden death. The young monarch had been profoundly inspired by French Neoclassical architecture and decorative arts. Later trips to France and Italy gave further impetus to Gustav’s passion for the Classical. During his reign (1772 – 1792), Sweden rose to a level of architectural and cultural sophistication never known before.
Brought to you by Classical Excursions.
Inside-Out: Winterthur Garden and House Tour
Winterthur Museum and Country Estate, Wilmington, Delaware Saturday, May 16, 2009; 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM (includes travel time)
Presented in collaboration with the ICA&CA Philadelphia Chapter
Winterthur, an American country estate nestled in the heart of Delaware’s beautiful Brandywine Valley (halfway between New York City and Washington, DC), is the former home of Henry Francis du Pont (1880 – 1969). In the early 20th century, H. F. du Pont and his father, Henry Algernon du Pont, designed Winterthur in the spirit of 18th- and19th-century European country houses. We will begin our day at Winterthur with a tour of the estate’s grounds and extraordinary flower gardens by landscape designer Kathryn Herman. Following an alfresco boxed lunch, we will hear a talk by Thomas Jayne, Interior Designer and consummate authority on Americana, who will consider H. F. du Pont’s love of nature and how that passion informed his decorative design schemes and collecting. We will then be provided with a guided tour of the house, which contains significant period detailing and an unparalleled collection of antiques.
Lastly, to encourage drawing as an experiential practice enhancing perception and design proficiency, participants will have the option of joining a plein-air watercolor workshop led by artist, architect, and ICA&CA faculty member James Cooper.
Instructors: James Cooper, Architect, James Cooper Studio; Kathryn Herman, ICA&CA Trustee, Landscape Designer, James Doyle Design Associates, LLC; Thomas Jayne, Thomas Jayne Studio Inc.
Cost/Learning Unit: $190 ($175 members). Round-trip coach (departing from and returning to the ICA&CA midtown offices), museum admission fees, and a boxed lunch are included in the tuition price. 5 HSW AIA/CES LUs (Theory and Practice)
Rome Drawing and Painting
7 Day Tour: Saturday, June 13 – Saturday, June 20, 2009
The ICA&CA is pleased to again offer a classical architecture study program and drawing tour centered in Rome. Led by experienced faculty of the Institute and following the great tradition of Grand Tour travel, the program will include side trips to the ancient sites situated in Tivoli, Caprarola, Lazio and Ovieto. Open to both architects and artists, the program will offer instruction in Italian art and architecture history and opportunities for the observation and representation of classical architecture, with the aim of providing tour participants at all levels with practical knowledge of the classical tradition as manifested in Rome.
The program includes evening lectures and instruction in perceptual observation and rendering techniques. Tour highlights include Ancient and Renaissance Rome, the sublime Hadrian’s Villa, Tivoli and the magnificent gardens of the Villa d’Este and Rome’s great collections (Villa Borghese & Doria Pamphili). Travel arrangements to Italy are the responsibility of the participant. A tuition deposit, due by March 15, is required along with a registration form to hold a place in the program. Full payment covering outstanding tuiton and fees is due by May 1. For further details, contact Leah Aron, Academic Programs Coordinator, at la@classicist.org. Registration forms may be downloaded or completed online.
Instructors: Michael Grimaldi, Fine Artist, Instructor, Janus Art Academy; Michael Mesko, Architect, Michael Mesko Inc., John Variano, Art Historian, Professor, Mount Holyoke
Cost/Learning Unit: Tuition for the program is $1,675 which covers the cost of instruction, lecture fees, ground transport, and double accommodations. A limited number of single rooms are available for an additional supplement. Travel arrangements to Italy are the responsibility of the participant. A $400 deposit, due by March 15, is required along with a registration form to hold a place. Full Payment of the remaining cost is required by May 1. For further details, contact Leah Aron, Academic Programs Coordinator, at la@classicist.org. Registration forms may be downloaded or completed online.
Architectural Drawing Tour of London and Oxford
June 18 – 24, 2009
Christine G. H. Franck, designer and educator who developed ICA&CA’s first architectural drawing tours, will be joined by the distinguished British watercolorist, Alexander Creswell, and other architects, craftsmen and historians in contributing specialized instruction on this first drawing tour in England. The Banqueting House, St. Paul’s Covent Garden, Regent’s Park, Oxford University are just a few of the splendid drawing sites on the itinerary (dates subject to change.)
Brought to you by Classical Excursions.
Cost/Learning Unit: This tour has been cancelled.
Berlin and Potsdam: From Rococo to Karl Friederich Schinkel
September 10 – 16, 2009
The exclusive seven-day tour, planned by Classical Excursions and guided by experts on the area’s historic architecture, will include sites that were inaccessible before the 1990s reunification of Germany. Participants will tour Berlin and Postdam — two adjoining centers of stunning classical, neo-classical, and neo-gothic architecture built during the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Join the ICA&CA on this tour and experience firsthand the glorious rococo architecture and interiors ordered by — among others — King Frederick the Great, the multi-talented Prussian patron and practitioner of the classical arts during the Age of Enlightenment. The private tour will continue with visits to the influential neo-classical and neo-gothic work of Prussia’s most famous architect, Karl Friederich Schinkel, who designed public and private buildings so important that his name conjures up a whole era in Prussian culture known as the Schinkelzeit, or Schinkel period. He remains a pivotal figure in the history of architecture. His was a new Prussia with its capital at Berlin which, along with the surrounding Brandenburg countryside, most notably Potsdam, was to become in the late nineteenth century the center of imperial power and culture for a new nation called Germany.
Accommodations will at the chic five-star Hotel Sofitel Berlin Gendarmenmarkt near the Gendarmenmarkt, one of the city’s most beautiful squares, and Unter den Linden, the city’s historic grand avenue within view of the Brandenburg Gate, the quintessential symbol of Berlin.
Brought to you by Classical Excursions.
Itinerary:
Download the PDF
Cost/Learning Unit: Land tour will cost $3,845 for doubles (a single supplement of $750 applies). Price includes a private motor coach for all sightseeing, admissions, two meals per day, six nights accommodations. Enter for a chance to win a complimentary space (minus the cost of airfare) to the Institute’s upcoming Berlin and Potsdam Travel Program. The winning ticket will be drawn by board Chair Anne Fairfax on July 2, 2009. Read More »
Private Hudson River Valley: Celebrating the Quadricentennial of the Voyage of the Half Moon
September 30 – October 4, 2009
Come celebrate explorer Henry Hudson’s 1609 discovery of the river later given his name with a fabulous tour of three centuries of some of the region’s finest country-house architecture—Dutch, Georgian, Federal, Greek Revival, Hudson River Bracketed, Beaux Arts, and the latest Classical work. Experts, specialists and homeowners will lead the way.
Select Highlights:
Edgewater (c.1825), is owned by financier Richard H. Jenrette, a collector of some of the East Coast’s finest historic houses. Its proximity to the Hudson River gives it a breathtaking combination of nature and a Federal-style house fronted by a Roman Doric two-story portico. Originally owned by members of the Livingston family, an Italianate library and bay windows were added later by famed architect Alexander Jackson Davis. Mr. Jenrette has filled the house with period antiques, having bought it in 1969 from writer Gore Vidal.
Astor Courts (1906), now a stunningly restored and decorated private home, was originally the 40,000 square-foot sports and guest pavilion for the Ferncliff estate owned by John Jacob Astor IV, who hired Stanford White to design the pavilion. The consulting architect for the restoration and revamping was Samuel G. White, Stanford’s great-grandson. The owners will host a reception for the group.
Teviotdale (c.1773), possesses both Georgian and Federal characteristics, built of stone and brick construction. Owned originally by Walter Livingston, it later was the home of Robert Fulton, inventor of the steamboat, who married Livingston’s daughter, Harriet, in 1808. Of the few 18th century estates located along the Hudson, Teviotdale is the most prominent and intact example of its style and period. The present owner will show us through.
Haight-Gantley House (ca. 1812) stands on a knoll with a commanding view of the river. Legend has it that the mistress of the planned house wanted an oval ballroom and had it constructed while her husband was away fighting the British in the War of 1812. Exquisite detail, from the unusual recessed entrance doorway to the most minor of interior finishes, reveals the sure taste of the builder. We will be given an exclusive tour.
Anson Pratt House (ca.1802-12) has been restored and wonderfully decorated with antique furnishings, colors and materials under the professional hand of one of the owners. Not to be overlooked is the extensive collection of late 19th century and early 20th century paintings. The beautiful details of this charming American Federal country house reflect the style of Robert Adam. The owners will host a lunch for us.
Drumlin Hall was recently built by Peter Pennoyer Architects and decorated by the Thomas Jayne Studio to house a collection of Federal style furniture and Hudson River School and American Impressionist paintings. The pedimented south façade of this spectacular Classical country house commands the long approach from the south, while the north elevation is more romantic in character and heroic in scale. One passes through the front door through a groined vaulted hall, past the spiral staircase and library, to the parlor. Mr. Pennoyer will be our guide.
Additional highlights:
Springwood, Vanderbilt Mansion, Staatsburgh, Howard Hall, Plumb Bronson House, Olana, Crow Hill, Luykas Van Alen House, Lindenwald, James Vanderpoel House, Longfield Farm (newly built and designed by ICA&CA board member Gil Schafer), and Middlefield (architect Gil Schafer’s own Classical home where he will host a brunch). For more information, click here.
Brought to you by Classical Excursions. Reservations and Information: Lani Sternerup (contact@classicalexcursions.com) at Classical Excursions or by calling (800) 390-5536.
Cost/Learning Unit: $1,875 per person; double hotel occupancy (single supplement, $300). A tax-deductible $300 donation to ICA&CA is included in the tour price. Registration deadline: Monday, August 24, 2009. Please register early, as this tour will sell out long before the registration deadline.
Private Washington, D.C.
December 2 – 6, 2009
From its restrained Federal infancy to later flamboyant Beaux Arts opulence, the architecture of Washington DC rose from the ranks of colonial outpost to an international center of diplomacy and society. The Institute of Classical Architecture & Classical America is pleased to present an exclusive viewing of some of Washington’s most extraordinary historic and architecturally significant buildings and interiors. Many of these locations which are normally not open to the public include works by McKim Meade & White, John Russell Pope, Horace Trumbauer, and Carrere & Hastings to name a few.
Several magnificent Embassy residences representing nations of Europe, the Middle East, and South America will be visited. Also featured will be entrance to eminent classical rooms of private institutions as well as viewings of some of the most opulent interiors of Government buildings from the city’s 200-year history. We are privileged that the doors of significant private Georgetown, Kalorama, and Embassy Row homes and apartments—many by current acclaimed architects and designers—will be opened to the participants. Various historic private clubs will be host to meals and programs during the tour.
Brought to you by Classical Excursions.
Southern Classicism in Kentucky’s Bluegrass Region
April 14 – 18, 2010
Arranged by Classical Excursions
As the United States was gaining independence at the end of the 18th century, pioneers were settling in the Bluegrass Region of Kentucky. The area offered rich soil, abundant land, and a temperate climate. Lexington emerged as the commercial and economic center of a region of great wealth, despite the decision to make nearby Frankfort the capital of the state in 1792.
Kentucky resembled Virginia with its large farms, formal gardens, and grand mansions—all radiating from Lexington. The genteel residents of the region remained current to East Coast fashions from dress to architecture. Horse breeding and racing quickly became an integral part of life in the bluegrass as horses were imported from Virginia and England.
Today, the Bluegrass Region still retains much of its picturesque natural beauty of gently rolling hills. There are many surviving examples of Georgian, Federal and Greek Revival architecture from the 18th and 19th centuries and newer classical architecture of the 20th century in the 15 counties that presently define the region.
The Institute of Classical Architecture & Classical America, in collaboration with the Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation, is pleased to announce a spring tour of Southern Classicism in Kentucky’s Bluegrass Region April 14 – 18, 2010, a unique excursion of discovery of fabulous classical architecture and interiors. The itinerary will range from the Pope Villa, a rare surviving residence by the great Benjamin Latrobe and now owned by the Blue Grass Trust, to Pin Oak Farm, one of two houses in America designed by England’s eminent classicist Quinlan Terry and an elegant private residence by the New York architectural firm of Fairfax and Sammons.
An abundance of residences and country estates will be opened to us along with privately hosted get-togethers. Participants will have the unique experience of visiting during Lexington’s spring racing season the famed Keeneland Racetrack, whose club house was decorated by the legendary Billy Baldwin. Accommodations for four nights have been reserved at the Gratz Park Inn, a charmingly decorated boutique hotel.
For further information contact Classical Excursions Director Tom Hayes at (413) 243-4155 or tom@classicalexcursions.com.
Exclusive Provence: Private Residences, Gardens & Gallo-Roman Discoveries
April 25 – May 1, 2010
Arranged by Pamela Huntington Darling, Exclusive Cultural Travel Programs
This exclusive tour, designed for enthusiasts of Provence and its celebrated French Art of Living, offers private visits and receptions with their hosts at remarkable 17th and 18th century chateaux, residences and gardens, most inaccessible to the public, as well as private, expert-guided visits to outstanding Gallo-Roman sites, an inspiration to Classical Architecture, many recently and admirably restored.
We will travel through beautiful Provence and be welcomed by the proprietors of outstanding private residences and chateaux, several owned by members of the French nobility, some of which were built on Gallo-Roman sites, most inaccessible to the public. These residences feature unique architecture, décor, and noteworthy collections of art. We will visit some of the most impressive private gardens in Europe, cited by the French government as “Jardins Remarquables.”
We will discover with experts the major Gallo-Roman sites of the world and their latest revelations, some listed UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites, many recently and splendidly restored. Perhaps in no other colony of the Roman Empire did the Roman civilization achieve such astounding results as in Provence, priding major, remarkably preserved monuments of the Roman world. During the last 20 years, these Gallo-Roman sites have been extensively researched by experts.
To date, little or nothing has been published for the layman of the last 20 years of research. However, thanks to the experts who will guide us on our visits, we will gain first-hand knowledge of the latest discoveries and a more accurate understanding of Gallo-Roman civilization, the use of their monuments, their building techniques, and their meaning. Among our significant visits, we will view the unique Roman treasures discovered in 2007 in the Rhone River during archaeological excavations carried out by the French government, now on exhibit in Arles.
We will stay at the Château des Alpilles in Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, a 19th century former private residence set in a vast park, and at La Mirande in Avignon, housed in an 18th century private mansion next to the Palace of the Popes. Both 4-star luxury hotels offer refined detail and décor, spacious rooms and excellent service.
NEW! Reduced Tour Price: $6,750 $6,000 per person based on double occupancy; $750 $600 single supplement applies, based on an exchange rate of $1.50 $1.38/1 Euro, and a minimum of 12 participants (maximum 15 participants), plus a tax-deductible $300 donation to ICA&CA.
Rate includes: 6 days of private visits; 6 nights of accommodation in 4-star luxury hotels; all breakfasts; 5 luncheons and 5 dinners; costs involved in the program, including transport to and from events during tour, all private visits, expert guides, etc. For more information and to reserve, please email or call Pamela Huntington Darling at your earliest convenience. E-mail: pdarling@eventsofprestige.com. Tel: Paris: 011 33 1 45 67 62 81.
Tour highlights by clicking here.
Private Buenos Aires: Paris on the Plata
Saturday, May 15 – Saturday, May 22, 2010
Arranged by Classical Excursions
“Buenos Aires, just as a mistress, when you are far away it is better to love you, and to say, all life through, I’d rather die than forget you.” –Lyrics from the tango Buenos Aires
Nostalgically described as la Reina del Plata (The Queen of the River of Silver), Buenos Aires, with its humble beginnings as a 16th century Spanish outpost, has with time undergone extraordinary transformations politically (often contentious during the 20th century), economically (stability and stagnation) and architecturally (a world-renowned city of great beauty). Considered South America’s most cosmopolitan city, the sprawling Argentine capital is an irresistible blend of politics, history and culture, uniting European style with Latin passion.
The city’s portenos or port residents have an infectious love of life. You will find a richness and variety of its population, its cuisine, its architecture ranging from Spanish Colonial to an amazing wealth of Beaux Arts and Art Deco rivaling none other than Paris itself. From the grand boulevards, the imposing Belle Epoque buildings fronting Avenida de Mayo (the political center of Argentina), the opulent barrios or neighborhoods of Retiro and Recoleta, to the cobbled stoned plazas and tango clubs of old San Telmo, Buenos Aries never refrains from enticing the visitor.
This and more make up the Institute of Classical Architecture and Classical America’s Private Buenos Aires: Paris on the Rio de la Plata tour, the organization’s first travel foray to South America. You will be guests for seven nights at the very elegant boutique hotel, Casa Sur Art, located in the chic Recoleta neighborhood. The hotel owner has planned special accommodations and will host a welcoming wine tasting reception.
Selected Highlights
A private walking tour led by one of Buenos Aires’ celebrated architects, exploring the neighborhoods of Recoleta, the Micro center, San Telmo, Puerto Madero and colorful La Boca.
A tour and cocktail reception of a privately owned Recoleta penthouse apartment.
A private luncheon at the exclusive Buenos Aires Yacht Club, a renowned Art Deco building located harbor side.
Visits to several private homes, apartments and art collections within the city.
Exclusive tours of the Brazilian and French embassies, two architectural masterpieces.
A day trip by private boat to the town of Tigris with a tour of the Parana Delta system and lunch at a local island restaurant. Tigris is known for its boating clubs, regattas and the famous fruit market.
A day trip to the historic Spanish colonial town of San Antonio de Areco, the gaucho capital of Argentina. Included will be an asada or barbecue at a privately owned enstancia (gaucho ranch) and gaucho demonstration.
A seven night stay at the boutique hotel Casa Sur Art, located in the chic Recoleta neighborhood. Our stay includes a complimentary Argentine wine tasting reception.
An evening Tango performance and dinner at a local club.
Register
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Arranged by Classical Excursions.
Rome Drawing and PaintingRegister Now!
Seven Day Program: Saturday, June 12 – Saturday, June 19, 2010
The ICA&CA is pleased to once again offer a classical architecture study program and drawing tour in Rome. Led by experienced faculty of the Institute and affiliated institutions, the program is open to architects, artists, and like-minded individuals. This signature tour will offer instruction in Italian art and architecture history, and opportunities for the observation and representation of classical architecture. Instructors will aim to provide participants at all levels with a practical knowledge of the classical tradition as manifested in Rome. Tour highlights include Ancient and Renaissance Rome, Villa Lante, Caprarola, and Rome’s great collections (Villa Borghese & Doria Pamphili). Travel arrangements to Italy are the responsibility of the participant. A tuition deposit, due by March 1, is required along with a registration form to hold a place in the program. Full payment covering outstanding tuition and fees is due by May 1. For further details, contact Leah Aron, Managing Director of Education, at laron@classicist.org.
Instructors: Michael Mesko, Architect and ICA&CA Fellow; John Woodrow Kelley, Fine Artist and ICA&CA Fellow; John Varriano, Art Historian, Professor, Mount Holyoke College
Cost/Learning Unit: $2200 ($1,980 Members) Includes cost of instruction, lecture fees, ground transport, and double accommodations. A limited number of single rooms are available for an additional supplement. Prices are subject to change due to currency exchange rates; 40 AIA/CES LUs (15 HSW AIA/CES LUs) (Theory and Manual Skills)
Private Classical Paris
September 12–18, 2010
Arranged by Pamela Huntington Darling, Exclusive Cultural Travel Programs
In view of the success of the Private Classical Paris tour in 2008 and 2009, offering a rich variety of decorative arts and architecture, we are pleased to announce an exclusive 6-day, 6-night program of exceptional private visits and receptions with their prominent hosts and experts, to take place during the renowned international art and antiques fair, the “Biennale des Antiquaires.”
During six extraordinary days, Private Classical Paris will offer participants exemplary, behind-the-scenes visits to sites representing the most significant examples of French classical architecture, designed by François Mansart, Louis Le Vau, Antoine Lepautre, Jules Hardouin Mansart, Jacques-Ange Gabriel, and Claude-Nicolas Ledoux; as well as outstanding private residences.
Guests will enjoy private access to ambassadorial residences, to renowned French institutions, to private residences and châteaux of distinction owned by members of the French nobility and private art collectors, many inaccessible to the public, housing the highest level of décor, rare and extensive collections of artwork, lead by knowledgeable experts, as well as private receptions and dinners at remarkable residences with the proprietors.
Participants will reside at the sister hotels that are next to each other, located in the aristocratic area of Saint-Germain-des-Près, both favourite hotels of interior designers: Double occupancy Superior Rooms: Hotel Saint Vincent; 5, rue du Pré aux Clercs; 75007 Paris; www.hotelsdufaubourgsaintgermain.com. Single occupancy Deluxe Rooms: Hotel Lenox Saint Germain; 9, rue de l’Université; 75007 Paris; next to Hotel Saint Vincent; www.hotelparislenoxsaintgermain.com. The rooms in both hotels are very nicely furnished, spacious and have marble bathrooms. You can visualize them on the websites.
In order to assure participants full enjoyment of this significant program and to recuperate from transatlantic travel, we suggest arrival a day in advance. Extra nights at the hotel can be arranged for you at negotiated rates.
NEW LOWER PRICE! Tour Price: $6,000 $6,200 per person based on double occupancy; $600 single supplement applies; $5,250 $5,500 without hotel; based on an exchange rate of $1.30/1 Euro (originally $1.35); on a minimum of 12 participants (maximum 18 participants); plus a tax-deductible $300 donation to ICA&CA.
Rate includes: 6 days of private visits and receptions; 6 nights of accommodation in a 3-star luxury boutique hotel; all breakfasts, all luncheons, cocktail receptions, and 3 dinners in private residences; costs involved in the program, transport to and from events during the tour, all private visits, historian, etc.
For more information and to reserve, please email or call Pamela Huntington Darling at your earliest convenience. Email: pdarling@eventsofprestige.com Tel.: Paris: 011 33 1 45 67 62 81
To assure availability, please reserve before June 15, 2010.
The program is limited to 18 participants (12 participants minimum). Reservations will be treated according to the reception date of participant registration.
Tour highlights by clicking here.
Private New York 2010 – SOLD OUT
December 2-5, 2010
New York City has been a canvas for celebrated architects, designers and craftspeople for centuries. It continues to be a metropolis whose evolution is mentored by a steadfast legacy of those who have contributed to the lifetime of the city. We must therefore keep coming back to see and be inspired. The 2010 Private New York educational tour continues the tradition of seeing first hand remarkable architecture and interiors of the past and present.
As a highlight of this year’s tour we will be given a special tour of the Woolworth Building designed as a neo-gothic “Cathedral of Commerce” in 1910 by Cass Gilbert. As a monument to his empire, Frank W. Woolworth spared no expense in building the, then, tallest building in the world. Located just blocks from what is now known as “ground zero,” The Woolworth Building remains one of the greatest treasures of New York City.
As with past years we are pleased to be granted access to several classic houses and apartments where private patronage meets individual style. Places we will see include works by past greats John Russell Pope, Warren & Wetmore, and Rosario Candela. And by current architects and designers Fairfax & Sammons, Cullman & Kravis, Steven Gambrel. We will also visit a Riverside Drive mansion, built in an era where houses here were being built to rival the best houses of Fifth Avenue.
While the tour largely exhibits traditional design we are also seeing some very special residence showing more contemporary interpretations on architecture and design within framework of older buildings. These will include an Upper East Side apartment designed wholly by the great modernist architect Paul Rudolph, a Greenwich Village house done by a collaboration of DD Pei and Calvin Tsao, and the Soho loft residence and office of designer Robert Couturier.
New York City’s private club’s represent another splendid product of design patronage. This year we are pleased to be hosted in several of these distinguished clubs for tours and meals. These will include the beautiful 1915 home of the Knickerbockers Club, designed by society architects Delano & Aldrich. This is considered by some to be one of the most beautiful Georgian style buildings in America. Our club visit will also take of to the National Arts Club, located on Gramercy Square, the last remaining private park in New York City. The club is housed in the 1840 Tilden Mansion which was later “Victorianized” by architect Calvert Vaux who designed many of the structures in Central Park.
Members at the Contributor or Individual ~ Professional level or higher are welcome to attend our tours. Members at the Donor level and higher receive Priority Registration E-alerts before the general public. Join online today or call (212) 730-9646, extension 104 to upgrade your membership.
In addition, participants are required to make a contribution to the Institute’s Annual Fund—which help to further our mission of advancing the practice and appreciation of the classical tradition in architecture and the allied arts. This contribution is fully tax-deductible.