Architects, artists, politicians, critics, educators, and others will gather to discuss the implications of the emerging trends in the architecture and marketing of Las Vegas resorts in an upcoming symposium presented by the UNLV College of Architecture, Construction Management, and Planning.
The symposium, titled "Urban Theatre: A New Urban Paradigm Rising in Las Vegas?" is scheduled for Sept. 30-Oct.4 on the university campus and other locations in Southern Nevada.
According to UNLV architecture professors Richard Beckman and Eric Strain, the symposium organizers, the event will be an opportunity to consider the idea that Las Vegas might be becoming a model for other cities.
The concept for the symposium grew out of the fact that several serious architectural critics have recently looked beneath the glitter of the Las Vegas image, Beckman said, and postulated that there is more to the city than marketing gimmicks. He added that one critic, Morris Newman, the Los Angeles correspondent for "Progressive Architecture," has suggested that Las Vegas "is arguably the most interesting American city of the moment, the city most informed by the current state of American mass culture."
Beckman explained that as resorts move their attractions out to the street -- creating an "urban theatre" of sorts -- a new pedestrian-oriented city is emerging.
"The urban scene here is changing. Many of the attractions are moving outside," Beckman noted, citing the pirate battle staged in front of the Treasure Island resort as perhaps the best example. "It's a change from 20 years ago when the casinos sought to get people inside and keep them there."
The symposium will include presentations by such noteworthy figures as Steven Izenour, coauthor of "Learning from Las Vegas"; Joel Bergman, the architect responsible for a number of Las Vegas resorts; Alan Hess, architect and author of "Viva Las Vegas"; and Newman.
The event is attracting national and international attention, according to Beckman. Architecture students from seven western schools of architecture will be attending the symposium and participating in a semester-long design studio project focusing on the various themes to be discussed.
The symposium is free and open to the public, but reservations are required. Seating is limited. Tickets for the banquet, scheduled for Oct. 1, cost $50. Preference for symposium reservations will be given to those who have purchased banquet tickets.
The event is being funded in part by grants from the Nevada State Council on the Arts, the Las Vegas and Reno chapters of the American Institute of Architects, and the City of Las Vegas.
For more information about the symposium or for reservations, call (702) 895-3031.
