June 21, 2022

A Classical Overture

This three-hour lecture course, broken into two parts on the 21st and 28th, is a primer on the language and rationale of classical architecture, led by Erik Evens. As an introduction to the classical orders, this course is an overview of the elements of classical architecture for beginners and interested laypersons. It offers an excellent prequel for students who intend to continue their education with more focused study of the individual orders as offered by the Institute. This lecture provides an overview of the core canonical reference literature on classical architecture, exposure to the basic rules, measurements, and proportions used in the classical architectural language, and an overview of the canon of the Orders of Architecture. The second half of the course concludes with an exploration of the enduring appeal of classical architecture, helping the student to discover reasons to employ the language in their work, and to answer the question, “Why Classicism?”

Erik Evens is a Principal of Evens Architects, a boutique studio within the KAA Design Group, which specializes in architecture and landscape design based on great traditions. Erik has been instrumental as KAA Design has built and nurtured a loyal and discriminating clientele and has helped promote the firm’s holistic vision of combining architecture and landscape to shape unique, carefully crafted solutions for clients with high expectations. His work has been published in a wide array of publications, including Architectural Digest, Luxe, Milieu, Traditional Home and Western Interiors. Erik received his architecture degree from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo in 1982 and is a licensed architect in the State of California, with over 35 years of experience in custom residential, commercial and institutional architecture. Erik is a founding member, and past President of the Southern California Chapter of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art. He is a national Fellow of the ICAA, and sits on the national Education and Governance Committees.

With Erik Evens