Caldwell Archives and Events Farm Visit

On October 8th, Richard Polansky and Rachel Spek hosted IIT students for a day at the Caldwell Farm.Polansky, who worked with the Caldwells on the farm for several decades and continues to actively manage the site, introduced visitors to the Farm and provide guidance for the day’s activities. Following a walkabout and lunch, a thorough investigation of the site and buildings brought forth topics for discussion embodied in Caldwell's design of the home, studio, and landscape. A team of students worked with a librarian,archivist, and faculty to create a research bibliography of Caldwell’s home library as well as identify and document aspects of the successional landscape. A digital booklet will be produced for public reference consisting of sketches and photographs from students and original works with a collaborative text to illustrate the past, present, and future relationship between IIT and the Caldwell Farm.

The Caldwell Farm in Bristol, WI manifests Alfred Caldwell's philosophy that architecture and landscape architecture are not separate, but a rather a totality. His annual ritual of hosting students from IIT at the Farm, which includes his home and studio, gave personal evidence of his ambitions and passionate beliefs about architecture and landscape architecture. This workshop re-establishes the connection between the Farm and the College of Architecture at IIT, where Alfred taught thousands of students across four decades.

Photos of bibliographic workshop and discussion of Caldwell's stone choices, courtesy of Jiaming 'Jamie' Sun; photograph of visitors under dinner bell, courtesy of Kim Soss.