Journal 6

I went to the Joseph Urban Lecture on Friday in the auditorium of 66 West 12th Street. The lecture was Janis Staggs about the significant modernist designer who designed the building we were in! The Austrian designer also designed other significant structures including Mar a Lago in West Palm Beach, FL and the Ziegfeld Theatre in Manhattan, NY. Something I found thought provoking is that he did a significant amount of set and stage design in his busy career. I hadn’t thought of architecture or interior architecture leading into set and stage design. However, when I think about the fact that all of the above are designing a space it makes complete sense. I spent a decent amount of time in high school involved in stage performances in many different roles behind the scenes. I directed a one act play and though it was more simple I designed the stage for the play. I never considered this as a career path until this lecture and it opened my mind. I was also inspired by the design of the auditorium of the lecture on the main floor of 66 West 12th Street. Janis Staggs, the lecturer, highlighted the design of the space and how it came to be what it was and is to this day. She showed photos of the drawings and design which I have attached below. She mentioned that the egg shape of the space wasn’t conducive to acoustics and that Urban worked to make sure it was the best it could be. I had been in this space before but after hearing this lecture and understanding the design I gained a new appreciation for it. I really enjoyed this lecture about Joseph Urban, I found it very inspiring learning about his career and the structures he designed.