The Classical Tradition of design embodies a worldview that is radically different from Modern assumptions and patterns. This tradition begins with Greek Democratic thought, continues through Republican Rome, rediscovered in the Humanism of the Italian Renaissance, and finally transferred in our own era to the United States. This has resulted in some of humankind’s finest built environments and artistic achievements. Knowledge of the Classical tradition is therefore essential for any student aspiring to be "well educated" and to any future architect seeking to practice architecture that is responsible and relevant to people in the Western Tradition and beyond. 

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The foundation of the United States is a continuation of the 4,000 year long Western Classical tradition of thought, politics, placemaking, design, building, and craft. The Classical tradition played an essential role in our nation’s founding, from the form of our government, to the designs of our buildings as well as in the planning of our cities. As a result, almost all communities in the United States have spaces and buildings designed in this tradition. To be a well-educated architect, urban designer, or landscape architect practicing in the United States, requires the study and understanding of this tradition, not as history but as an essential and ongoing practice.

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This studio allowed students to explore the art of traditional design by designing a Palladian villa for a family in Mount Falcon, CO.