2012 Tours to the Heart of Texas and Brazil
RDA is pleased to announce its 2012 Hometown tour destinations:
BRAZIL: The Escola Carioca: Modern Architecture in Rio de Janeiro and Brasilia, June 12 – 19, 2012.
$3,999 pp dbl; $625 single supplement
Modern Architecture in Brazil made a first timid appearance in the city of São Paulo, yet it was in the city of Rio de Janeiro that a particular, and internationally recognized, brand of architecture was forged. The brand consisted of a Brazilian twist on modern architecture, which had been theorized by such architects as Lucio Costa, and prolifically practiced by Oscar Niemeyer, Affonso Reidy, and the Roberto Brothers. Unlike its counterparts in Europe and North America, early 20th-century architecture in Brazil sought no rupture with tradition even if it paradoxically resisted four centuries of colonial influence. This subsequently required the construction of an identity that was able to connect the virtues of Brazil’s perceived primitivism with the promise of a technically advanced future. The state was finally convinced to construct an image for the nation that would heavily rely on modern architecture, beginning with the 1936 projects for a Federal University (unbuilt) and the Ministry of Education Building (built), both having had Le Corbusier act as a consultant. At the apex of this architectural movement is, of course, Brasilia designed by Lucio Costa within the very architectural culture of Rio de Janeiro to the sound of Bossa Nova music.
Rice University Professor Farès el-Dahdah, who grew up in Brasilia, and architecture historian Stephen Fox will be our guides.
Registration is open for Brazil and a completed reservation card, a signed responsibility statement, and the full trip fare is required to confirm your reservation.
For more information, please contact Lynn Kelly, lynnkellyrda@gmail.com.
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SAN ANTONIO — March 8-11, 2012
$1,275 pp dbl; $200 single supplement; $1,020 tour only (without hotel)
San Antonio, founded in 1731 adjacent to the Mission of San Antonio de Valero, is the oldest city in Texas. It is also the most magical. The enchantment of San Antonio is embedded in its architecture. The Rice Design Alliance will experience the architecture and history of San Antonio as we visit some of the most remarkable buildings, sites, and neighborhoods that give the city its exceptional character.
Our visit will include a walking tour of downtown San Antonio and historical sites such as the River Walk. We will visit eighteenth-century Franciscan missions that preserve the Spanish frontier culture of San Antonio. We will tour the King William neighborhood, the most intact elite Victorian neighborhood in Texas. And we will have opportunities to visit special works by San Antonio’s greatest architects, both historic and contemporary.
Architectural historian Stephen Fox along with local architects and designers will be your tour guides. The Rice Design Alliance will conclude with a survey of historic and modern ranch architecture on the outskirts of San Antonio. Registration is open for San Antonio and a completed reservation card, a signed responsibility statement, and a deposit are required to confirm your reservation.
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Katie Plocheck writes:
02.07.12
3:16 pm
Hi Suzanne, Have you officially registered? If not, I can help you. Please call 713.348.4876. Thanks!
Katie Plocheck writes:
02.07.12
3:16 pm
Hi Olive, Have you officially registered? If not, I can help you. Please call 713.348.4876. Thanks!