Join structural engineer Wayne Kalayjian, author of Saving Michelangelo’s Dome, for a fascinating discussion on art, architecture, and engineering in the time of Peter Harrison.
In 1742, when the legendary dome atop St. Peter’s Basilica—designed by artist and architect Michelangelo—cracks and threatens to collapse, its fate left in the hands of Pope Benedict XIV and three mathematicians. How did their revolutionary, and controversial, use of science and mathematics lead to the birth of engineering? What were their pioneering ideas? How has the profession of engineering shaped our modern society?
The story takes place while Peter Harrison was shaping his design for the Redwood Library, and it entails some of the great cultural movements of our times: the Renaissance, Scientific Revolution, the Enlightenment, and the Industrial Revolution. Pivotal characters include famous personalities like Michelangelo, Galileo, and Isaac Newton, along with a colorful supporting cast of scientists, popes, builders, and architects.
This event is free; however, we ask that you please register in advance on our website.
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