The AIANY Historic Buildings Committee and DOCOMOMO New York/Tri-State present a new documentary film about the career and life of architect Albert C. Ledner, a student of Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesin and one of the American South’s first modern architects. A native of New Orleans, he practiced and realized over 40 unique houses there. Ledner also designed numerous buildings across the country for the National Maritime (NMU), including their national headquarters and two other buildings in New York City.
Ledner’s distinctive works in New York are rare examples of Wrightian architecture in the city. The NMU Headquarters (1964) on Seventh Avenue, later the O’Toole Building, narrowly escaped demolition after an extended preservation battle and is today Lenox Health Greeenwich Village. His NMU Joseph Curran Plaza (1968) in Chelsea has been the Maritime Hotel since 2003 and the neighboring NMU Joseph Curran Annex (1966) is now the Dream New York Downtown Hotel.
Designing Life follows Ledner’s journey as a student of Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesin after World War II to today, as 93-year-old still working in the field of architecture. Through interviews and on-site tours of his buildings, Ledner offers personal insights for his varied, experimental designs. This special screening will be the film’s New York premiere following its world premiere in New Orleans in late August.
After the screening there will be a discussion of the film, which will include film makers Catherine Ledner and Roy Beeson with Albert Ledner himself, who will participate remotely from New Orleans.
Speakers:
Roy Beeson is a portrait photographer based in Brooklyn, New York. He holds a degree in photography from the Creative Circus in Atlanta, GA. Along with his cousin Catherine Ledner, he created Designing Life: The Modernist Legacy of Albert C. Ledner.
Albert Ledner, AIA Emeritus graduated from Tulane University School of Architecture and studied with Frank Lloyd Wright at Taliesin. In 2009, he was awarded the Medal of Honor from the Louisiana chapter of the American Institute of Architects.
Catherine Ledner is a photographer and the daughter of architect Albert Ledner. She received a BFA in film from the NYU Tisch School of the Arts and a BFA in photography from Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA. Along with her cousin Roy Beeson, she created Designing Life: The Modernist Legacy of Albert C. Ledner.
Organized by: AIANY Historic Buildings Committee and DOCOMOMO New York/Tri-State
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AIANY Historic Buildings Committee
