Paul Hirshorn: White Towers Revisited / LECTURE

Taking on the subject of architectural symbolism and communication during the late 1960s was a radical move that opened up new avenues of artist expression and narratives about the development of roadside commercial architecture in the United States. Steven Izenour and Paul Hirshorn had been sensitized to the subject through their work with Denise Scott Brown and Robert Venturi and found themselves attracted to the strong architectural character of the White Tower hamburger chain. In this talk, Paul Hirshorn will share his insights into this remarkable example of architectural ingenuity tied to a corporate purpose and the role that he and Izenour played in uncovering its enduring significance.

Paul Hirshorn was Head of the Department of Architecture at Drexel University from 1986 to 2012, and a member of the faculty since 1974. Following architectural studies at the University of Pennsylvania and Cambridge University, he worked for the firm of Venturi and Rauch. As an architect for Ueland and Junker in Philadelphia, he designed the New Year’s Shooters and Mummer’s Museum on Washington Avenue, a work completed in 1976.

This lecture is presented in conjunction with the exhibition White Towers Revisted.