Courses

The magnificent Filoli Estate in Woodside stands as a testament to the Gilded Age of American history and the grandeur often associated with the California industrialists. Completed in 1917, the property is known for its ornate gardens and also features a magnificent mansion designed in the Beaux Arts architectural style by a prominent architect of the time, Willis Polk. This course uses the Filoli Estate, recently the setting for a historic diplomatic summit between President Biden and President Xi Jinping of China, as an immersive classroom to explore architecture as visual art.

Led by Stanford’s director of architecture, participants will journey through Filoli’s enchanting grounds to delve into the functional aspects of its architecture. The estate's design is characterized by classical elements, symmetry, and grandeur and boasts intricate architectural details, including ornate moldings and decorative carvings. The mansion's rooms showcase a mix of styles, from Georgian and Regency to Louis XVI, adding to the estate's architectural diversity. Engaging in presentations, discussions, and debates at carefully selected locations throughout the property, students will examine how architectural elements and styles creatively converge to shape a harmonious whole in an ingenious combination of form and function. We will also discover how a utilitarian house transcends its functionality to become a culturally significant and aesthetically captivating object that now illustrates the heritage of the San Francisco Peninsula.