The Architecture of American Cities

This series will take you on a journey through iconic places such as New York City, Philadelphia, Chicago, and Charleston, each with its own distinct architectural and cultural heritage. Please see below for the schedule of events, along with details on each event and guest speaker. 

Series Timeline:

Wednesday, August 27, 19:00 MSK: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

On Wednesday, August 27th, 2025, at 19:00 MSK, please join the American Center in Moscow for a live presentation on the architecture of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with Reid Addis, Architect and Historical Tour Guide. In this talk, Addis will discuss the materials, technologies, and architectural styles characteristic of each building’s time, introduce the people who designed, built, inhabited, and worked there, and share the major historical events connected to these sites. Great buildings and monuments give a city the illusion of being static and timeless. But cities are best seen in movement, in the everyday life of their people, and in the sinews and connective tissue that hold the organism together.

Reid Addis is a Registered Architect who has lived in the City of Philadelphia since 1978. While practicing architecture, he began teaching courses from 1980-1990 at Temple University, including a course on the History of Philadelphia Architecture. After taking a walking tour with famed City Planner Ed Bacon, Reid was inspired to give his students similar Philadelphia guided tours. Since 2016, Reid has given over 600 tours both in person and virtually and is Certified as a guide by the Association of Philadelphia Tour Guides.

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Thursday, September 4, 19:00 MSK:  New York City, New York
 

Michael Wyetzner founded Michielli + Wyetzner Architects with Frank Michielli in 2004. He has worked on a series of award-winning projects for academic, cultural and institutional clients including the Macomb’s Bridge Library for The New York Public Library, The Schiff House Daycare Center at City College of New York and the Harlem Children’s Zone, a charter school in New York City. In addition, he designed the award-winning Museum of Modern Art Film Archive in Hamlin, Pennsylvania.

Mr. Wyetzner previously worked on the EDAW Inc. offices, which received an AIA Interior Design Honor Award, and a primary care clinic in Astoria for New York Queens Hospital that was the recipient of an AIA National Healthcare Design Award. He received his Master of Architecture degree from The University of Pennsylvania in 1986 and his Bachelor of Professional Studies in Architecture from The State University of New York at Buffalo in 1983. Mr. Wyetzner is also a painter who has exhibited in numerous group shows in and around New York City. He also served as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the renowned not-for-profit City Without Walls Gallery in Newark, NJ. For the past six years, he has been creating and hosting a series of videos with Architectural Digest and Condé Nast Entertainment that explore the architecture and history of New York City and the United States at large, including the intersection of architectural design and pop culture in film and television.

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Tuesday, September 23, 19:00 MSK:  Charleston, South Carolina

On Tuesday, September 23rd, 2025, at 19:00 MSK, please join the American Center in Moscow for a live presentation on the architecture of Charleston, South Carolina with Carri Schwab, owner and lead guide of Bricks and Brushes, Charleston’s only technical tour of classical architecture and the building arts. In this talk, Schwab will introduce you to over 350 years of American design, ingenuity, and craftsmanship; along with the historically tumultuous social, economic, and environmental challenges of building and preserving the precariously beautiful classical facade of The Holy City.

Carri Schwab is the owner and lead guide of Bricks and Brushes, Charleston’s only specialty tour with a focus on history and culture through the lens of architecture and the building arts. She grew up in a rural town on the Appalachian Trail, in the Southeastern mountains of the United States. Carri went on to study Mechanical Engineering at Georgia Tech and then made a sharp turn North to attend the Juilliard School in Acting. She toured with theaters around the world, including Russia, and lived in Charleston, SC to use her engineering and construction skills to apply preservation and modern restoration techniques throughout historic residences, including her own. Now with Bricks and Brushes, she takes immense pleasure in engaging her guests and audiences with the same balance as her education: with a wide-eyed awe and appreciation for the technical and creative artisans of the past, present and, hopefully, an inspired future.

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Tuesday, September 30, 19:00 MSK: Chicago, Illinois

Ward Miller has led Preservation Chicago as its Executive Director since 2013. Previously, he was a founding board member and served as Board President of Preservation Chicago. From 2003 to 2011, he was the Executive Director of the Richard Nickel Committee, where he co-authored the highly acclaimed 2010 publication of The Complete Architecture of Adler and Sullivan and prepared the archives of the architectural photographer and preservationist Richard Nickel for the Ryerson and Burnham Library Collections at The Art Institute of Chicago. Specializing in the restoration, remodeling, and reuse of historic buildings, Miller worked for 20 years as a project architect and project manager at Vinci-Hamp Architects in Chicago.

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ALL AMERICAN CENTER IN MOSCOW EVENTS ARE FREE OF CHARGE / ALL EVENTS AT THE AMERICAN CENTER IN MOSCOW ARE FREE OF CHARGE

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To watch this event live, tune in to the American Center in Moscow’s YouTube channel and VK page. You can also watch the recording of this event on the same platforms after the event’s end.

You can register below and leave your valid email address to receive a reminder 30 minutes before the online event begins.

To join other AMC Online programs, please check the American Center’s website and TimePad calendars.