We continue our discussion of the theoretical works of Robert Venturi with this episode on ‘Learning from Las Vegas — The Forgotten Symbolism of Architectural Form’ — researched and written with Denise Scott-Brown and Steven Izenour, and published in 1972.

The book, which examines the architecture of the Vegas strip, is the origin of the famous ‘Duck vs Decorated Shed’ comparison, and contains a lot else besides, including denunciations of the cult of Space, praise for the ‘ugly and ordinary,’ a certain amount of ostentatiously-wielded erudition, and so on.

Music: Al Smith 'Road House' https://archive.org/details/78_road-house_al-smith-a-smith-c-carter_gbia0054635a

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Edited by Matthew Lloyd Roberts.

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47 — Venturi Scott-Brown & Learning From...