For the inaugural presentation of its new Friday Fireworks Lecture Series, the University of Hawai‘i School of Architecture is pleased to present:

The Sky Court: a viable alternative civic space for the 21st century?

The city square has for centuries been a place for social interaction, trade/commerce, informa-tion exchange, religious/political address, festiv-ities/sporting events, and an urban hub that can embody a multiplicity of functions and adapt over time through changing socio-economic needs. The effects of industrial capitalism and secular-ism, however, have not only seen the fall of pub-lic man, but the slow disintegration of the public realm. If we continue to build dense and high, should we not be creating recreational spaces in the sky as viable alternative civic spaces for the 21st century to replenish the loss of public domain and civic realm?

This presentation will put forward an argument for sky courts as a viable alternative space as an accompaniment, rather than a replacement, to the traditional street and square. It will exam-ine whether there are any similarities, conflicts or common traits between the established semi-public domains of the privately owned square and arcade with the sky courts, and draw con-clusions as to their viability as alternative civic spaces in dense (highrise) urban developments of today.

by Jason Pomeroy5:30 PM, Friday, August 24, 2007School of Architecture, room 215

Homer L. Williams, FAIA, NCARB, is chairman and principal of Williams Sprugeon Kuhl & Freshnock Architects, Inc. (WSKF) of Kansas City, Missouri. Over a 45-year ca-reer, he has led the firm of WSKF to design prominence and has achieved wide recog-nition for his professional involvement both nationally and internationally. His architec-tural work has been featured in numerous publications such as Architectural Record, Hospitality Design, Interiors Magazine, Contemporary Stone Design, and Bank News. Strongly committed to both professional and public service, he has actively served the Missouri Council of the AIA (Distinguished Service Award, 1992), the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB President, 1995), and the National Archi-tectural Accrediting Board (NAAB, 1996-1997). Currently he is teaching part-time at the UHM School of Architecture while completing his Doctor of Architecture degree.

Living in the Wright House Frank Lloyd Wright’s Bott House: an owner’s memoir of living in, renovating, and preserving an architectural landmark

The Bott House is one of the last homes de-signed (1956-57) by Frank Lloyd Wright. Lo-cated in Kansas City, Missouri, it sits on a bluff

and enjoys a spectacular view of the downtown KC skyline and the Missouri River. It is one of the few extant FLW houses with all of the original furniture, the original signed drawings and renderings, and the original construction largely intact.

Construction was completed in 1963, four years after Wright’s death in 1959. The wood framed structure features “desert stone,” the same mate-rial used at Taliesin West, plaster on metal lath and Honduras mahogany paneling.

Williams will discuss the special challenges of living in and maintaining a Frank Lloyd Wright residence, especially the technical problems involved in reno-vating it in order to preserve the original building’s structural integrity, design intent, and unique use of materials.

Homer L. Williams, FAIA

5:00 PM, Friday, February 1, 2008

School of Architecture Auditorium

CURRENTS Spring 2008 Lecture Series • School of Architecture • University of Hawai‘i at M-anoa