2022 Christopher H. Browne Edinburgh Drawing Tour

Please note that this program is currently at capacity. Please email [email protected] if you would like to be added to a waiting list for the course.

The ICAA is excited to announce its first drawing tour to Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland and one of the great classical cities of the world.

At the centre of the Scottish Enlightenment in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Edinburgh was remodeled as ‘the Athens of the North’. Grand new public buildings were inspired by the antiquities of Greece and Rome, and the city was expanded by the building of the New Town, later praised by Henry-Russell Hitchcock as ‘the most extensive example of a Romantic Classical city in the world’. A graceful sequence of streets, squares, crescents and circuses were laid out, all built in the local warm-grey sandstone and brought to life by the distinctive Scottish light.

The tour will focus on Edinburgh’s classical heritage and its relationship with the picturesque and romantic traditions. Among particular buildings of interest will be works by William Chambers (1723-1796), Robert Adam (1728-1792), Thomas Hamilton (1784-1858) and William Playfair (1790-1857).

The Christopher H. Browne Edinburgh Drawing Tour provides participants with practical and theoretical knowledge of the classical tradition as manifest in the architecture, urbanism and landscapes of Scotland’s capital city.

The program focuses study on the enduring vitality and continuity of the classical tradition through the means of observational and analytical drawing, and wash and watercolor. Each day is spent drawing, in situ, at sites that underscore the relationship between buildings, the human figure, and their built and natural environment. The course has been structured thematically to examine the classical tradition from a range of viewpoints, encompassing not only the study of antique precedents but also an awareness of the picturesque and romantic traditions.

Photograph: View over Edinburgh, with the Dugald Stewart Monument in the foreground. By Ajay Suresh | CC BY 2.0 | recolored from original

Itinerary

A draft itinerary for the 2022 Christopher H. Browne Edinburgh Drawing Tour is now available here. Please note that this is a current draft, and is subject to minor changes. For more information about this program, please contact [email protected].

Health and Safety Guidelines

The ICAA is committed to the safety of our students and instructors during our programs. To that end, we will follow all CDC guidelines during the program. All participants must agree to follow the ICAA's health and safety policies for the program, which are available to review here. Should you have any questions about the ICAA's policies, please contact us at [email protected].

By registering for this event, I represent that (a) I have not tested positive for COVID-19 within 10 days of the event, (b) If I test positive for COVID-19 within 10 days of the event, or if I am showing signs of COVID-19, I will not attend, (c) I have not been exposed within 10 days of the event to somebody who has tested positive for COVID-19 and (d) I am fully vaccinated against COVID-19. In addition, I understand the risks associated with attending this event, assume those risks, and waive any and all claims of liability against ICAA for any damages or harm suffered as a result of attending.

About the Instructors

Lead Instructor George Saumarez Smith is one of the leading classical architects of his generation. George’s work has ranged in scale from new country houses and garden buildings to large housing schemes. Much of his inspiration comes from the appreciation and study of historic buildings, combined with a keen interest in the continued use of the techniques of classical design handed down through history. George has written several books on architecture and regularly teaches classicism at schools across Europe and North America. He is also known for producing large scale drawings, a selection of which formed the basis of the exhibition ‘Measure, Draw, Build’, held at the RIBA in October 2017.

Teaching Assistant Martin Burns graduated from Notre Dame with a Bachelor of Architecture. He works at Ferguson & Shamamian Architects in New York. As an ICAA instructor, Martin’s focus is on the development of coursework in analytical and measured drawing. Martin is a painter as well as draftsman, and works as an artist outside of the office.

AIA Provider Information

Please click here for additional AIA Continuing Education Provider Information:

Instructional Delivery Method: Live In-Person Learning Program

Program Level: Introductory

Prerequisites: None required

AIA CES Program Approval Expiration Date: May 4, 2025

Provider Number: G193

Provider Statement: The Institute of Classical Architecture & Art is a registered provider of AIA-approved continuing education under Provider Number G193. All registered AIA CES Providers must comply with the AIA Standards for Continuing Education Programs. Any questions or concerns about this provider or this learning program may be sent to AIA CES ([email protected] or (800) AIA 3837, Option 3).

This learning program is registered with AIA CES for continuing professional education. As such, it does not include content that may be deemed or construed to be an approval or endorsement by the AIA of any material of construction or any method or manner of handling, using, distributing, or dealing in any material or product.

AIA continuing education credit has been reviewed and approved by AIA CES. Learners must complete the entire learning program to receive continuing education credit. AIA continuing education Learning Units earned upon completion of this course will be reported to AIA CES for AIA members. Certificates of Completion for both AIA members and non-AIA members are available upon request.