Architecture, Preservation & Building Aesthetics in Europe

Illustrated Presentation

Thursday, October 9
6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

The Frick Pittsburgh Art Museum Auditorium
7227 Reynolds St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15208

$25 per person

This program is limited to 100 participants.

Purchase a ticket below. Tickets will not be available after 11:30 p.m. on October 8.

Recently back from a summer of exploring Italy and other parts of Europe by bike, on foot, and through its buildings, Eric Fisher and Bea Spolidoro, the brains behind Pittsburgh’s Fisher ARCHitecture, will share insights into what American architects can learn from their European counterparts in this lecture.

Whether trekking the hills of their adopted summer home in the northern Italian province of Como or biking from Vienna to Budapest, the Shadyside-based architects are keen students of the historic structures that have formed the context of their remote practice for the past five summers. They are inspired in particular by the responsiveness of European buildings to their climate and historic context, and they believe American designers need to be more accommodating in this regard.

Whether constructing new buildings or renovating old ones, Spolidoro and Fisher believe that it is possible to “design for the future, preserving the past while embracing innovation and reinvention.” In this presentation, they will explore how the design, construction, and space of the best European new buildings and renovations respond to their historic settings and a changing climate.

This lecture is part of Pittsburgh Architecture Week 2025, happening from October 3 to October 10. Click here to learn more and register for the various events.

About the presenters:

Bea Spolidoro, RA WELL AP, is an Owner/Principal of Fisher ARCHitecure. An Italian architect registered in Pennsylvania and the 2022 President of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Pittsburgh. Bea is passionate about building sustainable, healthy environments at any scale and has worked on commercial and residential projects, from multi-family affordable housing to high-end residential.

Eric Fisher, AIA LEED AP, is an Owner/ Principal of Fisher ARCHitecture. A fourth generation Pittsburgher, Eric is a Harvard-educated architect who puts that experience he has gained working for renowned architects around the world to use in his hometown. While in Los Angeles, he assisted with the design of the Getty Museum for Richard Meier and Partners. Eric has a vast portfolio of residential, commercial, and institutional projects.

Please arrive 15 minutes before start time in order to ensure that the tour gets underway on time.

Accessibility: This tour is handicap accessible. Please notify us of your needs two business days in advance of the tour.

_________________________________________________________________________________

All tour participants under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Children under the age of 13 may attend tours free of charge. By purchasing a ticket for this tour, you acknowledge that you are physically able to undertake the tour, assume all personal risk during the tour, consent to being photographed during the tour, and permit PHLF to use your image in our communications.

All ticket sales are final.