Internationalism and the Twin Cities: The Work of Architect A. Richard Williams

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The Old House Society will be hosting the Museum's Librarian, Bill Kemp, for a program on the architecture of A. Richard Williams. This free, public program will be held at Oakland Elementary School on Thursday, November 16 at 6:00 p.m.

Raised in Bloomington-Normal, A. Richard “Dick” Williams (1914-2016) was a longtime professor at the University of Illinois’ School of Architecture, serving as director of the Graduate Architectural Design Program from 1957 to 1970. His influence as a design architect and teacher carried through the Midwest and beyond. In the 1950s, Williams associated with Bloomington architects Edgar E. Lundeen and Dean F. Hilfinger on a series of local projects, including Oakland School (1951), Wesley Methodist Church (1952), the Baby Fold campus (1950s), Bloomington Federal Savings & Loan (1957), and Bloomington High School (1959). We tend to forget how revolutionary these buildings were at the time. Often underappreciated, these and other International Style-inspired works dotting the built environment of Bloomington-Normal remain exemplars of a striking period in American architecture.

For more information, please contact the Old House Society at ohs.mcleancounty@gmail.com.

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