Lecture: "Chateau La Coste: Design in Words and Images"

Monday, February 17, 2025
6pm - 7pm
Freeman Auditorium in the Woldenburg Art Center,
Tulane's Uptown Campus

This lecture is open to the public.

This lecture "Chateau La Coste: Design in Words and Images" is presented by:

• Alan Karchmer, Associate AIA, ASMP, Architectural Photographer; Alumnus (M.Arch ‘78), Tulane School of Architecture
• Robert Ivy, FAIA , Design Advocate/Architect/Educator; former Editor-in-Chief, Architectural Record; former CEO, American Institute of Architects (AIA); Alumnus (M.Arch ‘76), Tulane School of Architecture

About the lecture:

Robert Ivy and Alan Karchmer, both graduates of the School of Architecture, will present their experiences and appreciation for an extraordinary plein-air museum of contemporary art and architecture in southern France, which is the subject of their book Château La Coste: Art and Architecture in Provence. Represented on the site are works by Tadao Ando, Renzo Piano, Jean Nouvel, Jean Prouvé, and artworks by Louise Bourgeois, Sean Scully, Andy Goldsworthy, Traci Emin, Jenny Holzer, among other artists and architects.  Their presentation will share highlights of the inspired, site-specific art and architecture, the making of a book about the constantly evolving site, and the process of communicating design in words and images.

About the speakers:

For over 40 years his photographs have been published in the architectural press in the US and abroad, and were the subject of a retrospective exhibition Alan Karchmer: The Architects’ Photographer at the National Building Museum in Washington DC. Karchmer collaborates with photo stylist Sandra Benedum to create images that capture the essence and poetry of architectural designs. He is honored to include among his clients recipients of the AIA Gold Medal and Firm of the Year, the Pritzker Prize, and the RIBA Royal Gold Medal. Karchmer’s images help architects communicate their vision, win commissions, and gain recognition through design awards. Known for his use of advanced photography equipment, including an ALPA technical camera and Phase-One digital back, Karchmer produces photographs with exceptional tonal depth and clarity. His career is marked by long-term relationships with leading architects of our time who trust him to create the images they use to represent their work. His archive is a promised gift to The National Building Museum.

Under his leadership, the AIA grew to more than 95,000 members, navigating challenges such as the pandemic, racial reckoning, and national political divisions. Ivy’s career also includes serving as editor-in-chief of Architectural Record, where he guided the magazine to international prominence and won a National Magazine Award. A prolific speaker and educator, Ivy has contributed to design discourse globally, from the White House to international architecture conferences. He has received numerous accolades, including the G.D. Crain Jr. Award, the Tau Sigma Delta Silver Medal, and recognition as a "Master Architect" by Alpha Rho Chi in 2010. His book Fay Jones: The Architecture of E. Fay Jones was honored with the George Wittenborn Memorial Book Award. Ivy has been awarded multiple lifetime achievement honors, including the Noel Polk Lifetime Achievement Award (2020) and the Mortimer M. Marshall Award (2021). He continues to teach and inspire future leaders of the profession, most recently at the University of Arkansas. Ivy holds a Master of Architecture from Tulane School of Architecture (A ‘76) and a B.A. in English from Sewanee.

Questions? Please reach out to Ben Neal, Executive Administrative Assistant, at bneal1@tulane.edu.

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