New World Utopias: Planned Cities in Colonial America

Join us on March 20th for New World Utopias: Planned Cities in Colonial America, a public program with author and architectural historian Dr. Robin Williams of the Savannah College of Art and Design. Thomas Holme’s 1683 plan for Philadelphia laid the foundation for our city’s growth for centuries, and Savannah’s claim to be the first planned city in the British colonies is a bedrock of their tourism marketing (spoiler alert: it wasn’t!). Dr. Williams’s engaging presentation on the history of planned cities, inclusive of Savannah and Philadelphia, and Q&A will expand your understanding of this fascinating topic.

Robin B. Williams chairs the Architectural History department at the Savannah College of Art and Design. A native of Toronto, Canada, he earned his B.A. in Art History at the University of Toronto before pursuing his Master’s and Ph.D. in Art History at the University of Pennsylvania with a focus on architectural history. His doctoral dissertation examined the transformation of Rome into the capital of modern Italy during the late nineteenth century. Since joining SCAD in 1993, Williams has made Savannah the focus of his research supported by state and national research grants. He was the lead author of the architectural guidebook Buildings of Savannah (2016) and he is co-author of a forthcoming book, Learning from Savannah, being published by the University of Georgia Press, that analyzes the evolution of Savannah’s famous urban plan and its influence on the city’s architecture and what lessons the city holds for other places. Separately, Williams has an on-going study of the evolution of street and sidewalk pavement in cities across North America, which he has addressed in articles, academic and public talks, including a TEDx talk in May 2017, and through his website, “historicpavement.com”. Williams actively participates in the civic arena, having served on local, state and national boards.

Presented in partnership with the Philadelphia chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians and the Southeast PA chapter of the American Planning Association. Thank you to the for providing us with imagery and maps for this event!

Host or Publisher The Carpenters' Company of the City and County of Philadelphia