SPARC | Stone, Ancient Craft to Modern Mastery
Join us for an in-person presentation at AIA Seattle’s downtown venue, the Center for Architecture & Design (CfAD). Local author, stone sculptor, and design principal of Rhodesworks Design Studio, Richard Rhodes, will share his research for his forthcoming book, Stone, Ancient Craft to Modern Mastery.
This lecture will address the philosophical and design considerations for using stone for architecture in contemporary practice. It will describe the use of stone for architecture over the past 5000 years, and provide illustrations of these uses via more than 100 medium format transparencies taken in 29 countries.
Much of the focus of the session will be spent sharing the long-secret “Rules of Bondwork” which were revealed to the speaker, Richard Rhodes, during his formal apprenticeship in Italy. Rhodes apprenticed as a stonemason and carver in Siena, Italy after graduate studies in London.
As it turns out, the Rules of Bondwork were foundational knowledge of the guild and offer profound insights for the use of stone in the 21st century. The session identifies these rules and shares examples of how different civilizations (including our own) have followed or ignored this critical ruleset.
Please note: this event will take place on the TUESDAY preceding the 3rd Thursday of the month – our regularly scheduled day of the month for SPARC meetings. It is also an in-person presentation only. Online attendance will not be available this time.
- GUEST SPEAKER: Richard Rhodes
- DATE: TUESDAY, June 17th, 2025
- TIME: 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM
- LOCATION: Center for Architecture and Design at 1010 Western Ave Seattle, WA 98101
- COVID/SAFETY: AIA Seattle recommends masking as a demonstration of community care. Please stay home if you are sick or experiencing symptoms.
- ACCESSIBILITY: The Center for Architecture and Design has accessible street-level entry and parking. Please note on your registration if you have specific access needs.
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