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The Top Places To Watch Architectural Lectures Online

The online lecture, similar to the podcast, is an easy, often entertaining way of absorbing knowledge and the opinions of thinkers and practitioners from around the world. We’ve gathered together some of our favourite sources for watching architectural lectures online. Ranging from Barbaralee Diamonstein-Spielvogel’s famous American Architecture Now interviews with Frank Gehry in 1980 and Robert Venturi and Denise Scott-Brown in 1984, to Sir Peter Cook speaking at Frankfurt’s Staedelschule in 2012, these open-source films provide invaluable insights into architects and architects throughout recent history.

Check out our favourite sources after the break.

A Post-Modernist Utopia: the American Architecture Now lectures (USA)

Featuring conversations with Peter Eisenman and Jack Robertson, Michael Graves, Philip Johnson, Richard Meier, and Kevin Roche – to name only a few – Barbaralee Diamonstein-Spielvogel’s interviews with some of the giants of American post-modernism mark a particular moment in recent architectural history. Diamonstein-Spielvogel’s calm, intelligent interview style is matched only by the responses from her acclaimed interviewees.

Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown, 1984:

Contemporary Archive: Staedelschule Architektur Class Lectures (Städelscule, Frankfurt am Main)

SAC’s collection of lectures (ranging from 1:30 to 2:00 hours long) bring together some of the most influential practitioners and academics in architecture today. Patrick Schumacher (Zaha Hadid Architects), Sir Peter Cook (CRAB Studio), Ben van Berkel (UNStudio), Mark Wigley, and Bill Pearson have all spoken from their lectern.

Ben van Berkel, 2014:

Master Collection: Harvard Graduate School of Design (USA)

The Harvard GSD’s extensive collection of lectures, conversations and interviews are unmatched. They not only attract ‘big names’ but also successfully incorporate influential startups and fresh minds into their ever expanding collection. It may take you hours to trawl through but the gems that lie within are worth the effort.

Jacques Herzog, Herzog & de Meuron:

Thematic: Syracuse Architecture (USA)

Syracuse’s publicly accessible lectures are either thematically organised (i.e. Fundamentals), or arranged by era. Their collections feature lectures by Jimenez Lai (Bureau Spectacular), Sarah Wigglesworth, and Peter Eisenman. They have also uploaded entire symposiums which can provide days of educational watching!

Sarah Wigglesworth, 2014:

Seminal Talks: The Berlage Institute on ArchDaily (The Netherlands)

The Berlage is a Dutch postgraduate international institute where some of the world’s most renowned architects, thinkers, designers, photographers and other professionals come to share, exchange and critically reflect upon their ideas. Over the last 23 years, they have built up an extensive archive of seminal lectures, of which is now ArchDaily sharing their newly digitised collections.

Rem Koolhaas and Kenneth Frampton:

Breakfast Lectures: CreativeMornings (USA)

Although not strictly architecture related, the lectures uploaded by CreativeMornings are inspiring nonetheless. Originally set up as “a breakfast lecture series for the creative community” in New York City, their compendium of lectures – filmed in places from Amsterdam and Auckland to Berlin and Oslo – are both accessible and extensive.

Bre Pettis (Makerbot):

Through the Years: Architectural Association (UK)

This is a real treasure trove of architectural talks, student presentations, and films. London’s AA have committed to making their entire archive available, for free, online. If their collection doesn’t have it, it’s not worth watching!

Bjarke Ingels (2015):

Other excellent sources of online architectural lectures include (in random order):

Do you know of anymore great sources of architectural lectures?

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