Judson symposium to explore ‘Christ and Architecture’
Educators and practitioners will convene for the Department of Architecture Spring Symposium of “Essays On Christ and Architecture” on Thursday, March 15, and Friday, March 16, at Judson University, 1151 N. State St., Elgin.
The two-day event will commence with a keynote address and discussion led by Yale University Noah Porter Professor of Philosophical Theology Emeritus Dr. Nicholas Wolterstorff, widely regarded for his work in aesthetics, justice and politics, at 7 p.m. on Thursday, March 16, in Herrick Chapel.
“Nowhere else in the country can students and faculty freely discuss matters of Christian faith and their chosen field of study in architecture without apology,” said Professor Keelan Kaiser, chair of Judson’s Architecture Department.
The second day of the symposium, beginning at 8:30 a.m., will feature moderated essays and discussions by architects and educators who share faith in Christ. Friday’s sessions will focus on themes of work and practice, justice and missions, and aesthetics and design trajectories.
Among those speaking at the lecture series are architects Marc Schiller, Jae Cha, and John Hudson. Judson professors Dr. Curtis Sartor (dean of the School of Art, Design and Architecture), Keelan Kaiser (chair of the Department of Architecture and symposium coordinator), Mark Torgerson, Darrel Cosden, Stacie Burtelson, David Ogoli, and Christopher Miller will also lead discussions on Friday.
All lectures and discussions leading up to the symposium’s conclusion will be held in Herrick Chapel.
To conclude the symposium, an exhibit of student and faculty works will be held at 5:30 p.m. in the Draewell Gallery at the Harm A. Weber Academic Center.
The symposium cost of $125 will include entry to each presentation and discussion, lunch on Friday, and one copy of the symposium proceedings. Registration is free to Judson community members. Guests can register at arch.judsonu.edu/symposium.
“I”m confident that the Judson experience in architectural education yields a more holistic education for the learner than many of the established and nationally reputable architecture programs in the United States,” Kaiser said. “As a national leader and collaborator in architecture, I observe that Judson is doing things extremely well and our proof is the ethical and moral maturity of our graduates and their regular placement in offices and postgraduate programs around the world.”
Founded in 1997, and accredited in 2004, the program is widely acknowledged for its innovative approach to architectural education including a one-year preceptorship (internship) and its context of an Evangelical Christian institution. Environmental stewardship is a design philosophy which guides the program and its approach to architecture education.
The school is housed in the Harm A. Weber Academic Center, a state-of-the-art LEED Gold building designed by international architect and Cambridge University professor C. Alan Short. Students complete their architecture education within one of the greenest buildings to study architecture in the United States.
Judson University is an Evangelical Christian liberal arts and sciences university located in Elgin at I-90 and Route 31. It also has a campus in Rockford. Since 1963, Judson University has provided the Fox River Valley with a Christian, liberal arts and sciences education by offering four-year degrees in more than 60 majors and minors; graduate programs in architecture, literacy and organizational leadership; and on line and accelerated adult degree program. To learn how you can prepare for a successful career and experience Judson’s Christian community, visit JudsonU.edu.