The Association of Classical and Traditional Architectural Educators (ACTAE) is a newly forming professional membership organization serving the interests of educators in the field of classical and traditional architecture, urban design, landscape architecture, and building craft.
Over the past three decades, new educational programs have emerged which focus on the theories and practices of classical and traditional architecture, urban design, landscape architecture, preservation, and building craft. Different programs and teachers have different pedagogies and interests, ranging from the Western Classical tradition to many, varied vernacular traditions around the world.
The new programs, certificates, and stand-alone courses include those pioneered by the University of Notre Dame School of Architecture, University of Miami, Yale University, Judson College, Andrews College, the American College of the Building Arts, the Center for Advanced Research in Traditional Architecture at the University of Colorado Denver, Catholic University of America, Benedictine College, the Prince’s Foundation for Building Community, the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art (ICAA), the International Network for Traditional Building, Architecture, and Urbanism (INTBAU), Asociación Terrachidia, and Fox Maple, to name but a few. Additionally, there is a growing body of practitioners who seek to independently educate others in their particular area of knowledge through independent scholarship.
ACTAE is being formed to provide a network for these educators to share their resources, ideas, work, and challenges. Our mission is to improve and advance classical and traditional architectural education for the benefit of our built, natural, and cultural environment.
Our vision is increased inclusion of classical and traditional design principles and practices in university and college programs; that our members continue to advance their own knowledge, pedagogy, and standards of teaching; and that through an interconnected, worldwide network of educators with diverse ideas grounded in shared values, we might enhance our own efforts and those of the educational organizations we serve.
Members will include active and retired college and university professors and lecturers; independent scholars; non-profit instructors; and administrators of educational organizations, all of whom are dedicated to the ongoing teaching of the classical tradition. Membership is open to all educators and free for the inaugural year of ACTAE.
We value:
- Diversity of ideas, pedagogies, and practice
- Debating, improving, and refining contemporary theories and practices
- Developing and sharing educational resources to further our field of endeavor
- Professional growth as educators
- Mentoring the next generation of practitioners and educators
We will:
- Work together to create activities to best serve us as educators
- Create a forum for communication with each other
- Gather in person and virtually at conferences at which we will focus on our mission of improving classical and traditional architectural education
- Share resources and ideas to improve our own work and those of our associated organizations
ACTAE 