Sylvester Baxter Lecture: Laurie Olin, “First We Read, Then We Write”

Event Description

“First we read, then we write.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

This richly illustrated talk by Laurie Olin will discuss the stages of influence and reflection that precede and may shape subsequent creative activity. After a brief survey of his own career and encounters with the body of landscape literature, he turns to the flood of books in recent years. After considering their diverse character and purpose, he asks, “Why would a person whose creative drive has been directed to another medium choose to make a book?” He speculates upon the body of landscape architecture literature, its long if unacknowledged traditions and utility, and the possible future(s) of landscape writing, theorizing, and books.

Speaker

Laurie Olin is a distinguished teacher, author, and one of the most renowned landscape architects practicing today. From vision to realization, he has guided many of OLIN’s signature projects, which span the history of the studio, from the Washington Monument Grounds in Washington, DC, to Bryant Park in New York City. His recent projects include the AIA-award-winning Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia and the Simon and Helen Director Park in Portland, Oregon.

Olin studied civil engineering at the University of Alaska and pursued architecture at the University of Washington, where Richard Haag encouraged him to focus on landscape. He is currently a practice professor of landscape architecture at the University of Pennsylvania, where he has taught for 40 years, and is the former chair of the Department of Landscape Architecture at Harvard University. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects, and a recipient of the 1998 Award in Architecture from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. He is the recipient of the 2012 National Medal of Arts, the highest lifetime achievement award for artists and designers bestowed by the National Endowment for the Arts and the President of the United States. He also holds the 2011 American Society of Landscape Architects Medal, the society’s highest award for a landscape architect.

Harvard University welcomes individuals with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. If you would like to request accommodations or have questions about the physical access provided, please contact the Public Programs Office at (617) 496-2414 or [email protected] in advance of your participation or visit. Requests for American Sign Language interpreters and/or CART providers should be made at least two weeks in advance. Please note that the University will make every effort to secure services, but that services are subject to availability.

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