This special lecture takes us outside Canada to look at how the Bauhaus — founded over 100 years ago — spread internationally and in particular, how it took root in Tel Aviv under the British Mandate in Palestine.

The White City area of Tel Aviv, constructed mainly in the 1920s and 1930s, is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, designated for its “outstanding architectural ensemble of the Modern Movement in a new cultural context.”

The presentation will introduce the pioneering architects who brought modernist ideals from Europe and adapted them to climate, topography and social structures, helping to ensure the style’s success while reflecting modernist aspirations of a new architecture for a future nation.

The use of local materials, the creative use of balconies, and adherence to the innovative urban planning principles of Sir Patrick Geddes, one of the foremost theorists in the early modern period, all contributed to a sustainable outcome which has permanently shaped Tel Aviv’s urban life and streetscapes.

SPEAKER:
Ian C. Ferguson is an independent scholar and curator who earned an M.A. in Art History at Carleton University in 2014. He had previously served in the Canadian diplomatic service. After visiting Tel Aviv in 2016, he was inspired to research its architectural history. Ian has lectured on this topic in co-sponsorship with the World Congress of Art Deco Societies, the Art Deco Society of Montreal, the Toronto Architectural Conservancy and the Toronto Society of Architects. He has published articles in the Journal of Canadian Art History and the National Gallery of Canada’s online magazine. Ian also serves on the Board of Heritage Ottawa and as a docent at the National Gallery of Canada.

Pre-registration is required.