DEERFIELD, MA (January 28, 2021) - Historic Deerfield will present a virtual museum course, "The Vernacular Architecture of Early New England," on four Wednesday evenings beginning March 3, 2021, from 6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Join Eric Gradoia, Historic Deerfield’s Director of Historic Preservation, as he explores the early roots of New England domestic architecture and its development through the ensuing centuries. The evolution of the dwelling house will be examined with respect to changes in architectural trends, advances in construction technology, and the role social customs played in the design and arrangement of one’s home. This museum course will focus on vernacular architecture - common buildings, purpose built, that employ local building traditions and materials in their construction. Each session will cover a distinct period of architecture, starting with seventeenth century “First Period” buildings and ending in the mid-nineteenth century with Picturesque architecture.
Talks will examine typical house forms, building plans, construction practices and architectural details unique to each period, along with discussions on broader themes that directly influenced architecture and building practices of the time, such as architectural treatise and print material, the transition from craft based building practices to machine manufactured materials, and the design movements and trends that influenced the public’s taste in architecture.
Whether you're interested in architecture, a practicing tradesperson, professional in an allied discipline or simply curious about early buildings, this introductory course will change the way you look and think about the built environment that surrounds you.
Course Schedule
March 3 (6 p.m.- 8 p.m.)
First Period Architecture: English Tradition and the New World Dwelling.
March 10 (6 p.m. - 8 p.m.)
Georgian Architecture: New England Classicism and the Rural Residence.
March 17 (6 p.m. - 8 p.m.)
Federal Architecture: The Refined and Elegant House.
March 24 (6 p.m. - 8 p.m.)
Greek Revival and Picturesque Architecture: Building in the Age of Technology.
Eric Gradoia is the Director of Historic Preservation at Historic Deerfield. Prior to joining Historic Deerfield, Eric held positions at the Albany, New York firm Mesick Cohen Wilson Baker Architects and with the Massachusetts Historical Commission. He has served as an adjunct faculty member at Roger Williams University, School of Architecture, Art and Historic Preservation, and the Boston Architectural Center teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in architectural conservation, traditional building practices, and American architectural history. He holds his BA in Architectural Conservation from Roger Williams University and his MA in Historic Preservation from the University of Vermont. Eric’s primary fields of study include 17th, 18th, and 19th century New England vernacular architecture, traditional materials and construction methods, and the technology and evolution of American domestic conveniences.
Registration Information
This program will be presented live via Zoom webinar. The link to the webinar will be sent to registrants prior to the event. Recordings will be available to registrants for a period of up to 30 days after each session.
The cost for the course is $125 ($110 for members, $145 for new members*) and $80 for students. Register online at www.historic-deerfield.org. For more information, contact Julie Orvis at jorvis@historic-deerfield.org or (413) 775-7179.
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About Historic Deerfield, Inc.
Historic Deerfield is a museum of early American life situated in an authentic 18th-century New England village in the Connecticut River Valley of Massachusetts. Its historic houses and world-famous collection of early American decorative arts open doors to new perspectives that inspire people to seek a deeper understanding of themselves, their communities, and the world.
Media Contact:
Laurie Nivison
Director of Marketing
(413) 775-7127
