John James Pron

John is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, School of Fine Arts (currently PennDesign). Since 1976, he has taught in the Department of Architecture, Tyler School of Art, Temple University, where he is full professor, teaching design studios as well as lecturing on architectural history. His specialization is in the adaptive reuse of historic buildings. While based on the university’s main campus, he has led summer study tours of Italy and Greece and has taught at the campus of Temple University Rome, most recently in the spring semester of 2012.   He was the recipient of his college’s Distinguished Faculty Award (1981), a Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching (1986), and the Temple University Great Teacher Award (1995)- its highest honor.

A registered practicing architect in Pennsylvania, he is the Director of Architecture and Design for Hospitality Design Group, Architects, in Chalfont PA, a firm that specializes in hotel design- new construction as well as the renovation of older buildings of historic character. Most recently, he redesigned the interiors of the Desmond Hotel at Great Valley, Malvern, PA in a style to match the traditional Chester County vocabulary.

Also an artist, he is a member (and former director) of the Third Street Gallery in Old City, Philadelphia, regularly presenting in their group shows. At the gallery, he has exhibited in five 1- and 2-person shows:  "CITTA DI ROMA: TOUCH AND GO" 2002 (the result of a sabbatical in Rome), "CITA-DEL OF BROTHERLY LOVE" 2004, "PHORBIDDEN CITY: East West Quaker Buddhist"  2006, "PHILAPOCALYPSE: a waterlogged Delaware Valley in the age of global warming" 2008, and "ROMAN REMIX: repurposing sacred spaces in the Citta Sancta" 2010 (the result of another sabbatical taken in Rome).  He has also his shown his artwork at the Phila AIA Gallery, the Penna Academy of the Fine Arts, the Nexus Foundation for Today’s Art, the DaVinci Art Alliance, the Print Club, the Sketch Club, the Plastics Club, the Abington Art Center, the Perkins Center in Collingswood, NJ and the Arcadia University gallery.

His current show in September 2012, titled "FRACKING ROME: releasing underworld energies to re-imagine an architectural heritage" is a series of surreal charcoal drawings loosely based on the buildings and settings of that city.  

jpron@temple.edu

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Baghdad Christmas #1

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Baghdad Christmas #1 by John James Pron
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One of a series of 4 mixed media collages interpreting the clash of two cultures in one of the world's oldest cities. 

Cita-del of Brotherly Love: panel 1

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Cita-del of Brotherly Love: panel 1 by John James Pron
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One of a series of 11 mixed media collages, sardonically confronting the issue of homeland security and terrorism in Philadelphia: moving and securing the city's historic buildings and artifacts in a "gated community" accessible only to "good citizens with unblemished records and government-approved lifestyles. 

Hipster-Pilgrim

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Hipster-Pilgrim by John James Pron
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One of a series of charcoal renderings of the peoples, lifestyles and architecture of Rome Italy.   Part of the gallery show titled "Citta di Roma: Touch and Go" from September 2002.

PHILApocalpyse #11: Waterworks

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PHILApocalpyse #11: Waterworks by John James Pron
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Part of a gallery show from October 2008, celebrating (rather than lamenting) the effects of rising sea levels and increased flash flooding on the Delaware Valley, poetically interpreting the impacts of water on iconic Philadelphia settings and buildings.  

PHILApocalypse #1: Spring Garden

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PHILApocalypse #1: Spring Garden by John James Pron

Part of a gallery show from October 2008 celebrating (rather than lamenting) the rising sea levels and flashflooding resulting from global warming.  Poetically interpreting the effects of water on iconic Philadelphia sites and buildings. 

Phorbidden City #8: the Kimmel Center

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Phorbidden City #8: the Kimmel Center by John James Pron
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One of a series of mixed media collages from the gallery show Phorbidden City (Sept of 2006) combining familiar locations and images of Philadelphia with Asian architectural elements and design principles.  

Roman Remix: Repurposing Sacred Spaces

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Roman Remix: Repurposing Sacred Spaces by John James Pron
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Part of a gallery show of the same title (October 2010), this "repurposing" of the piazza in front of St Peters Basilica in Rome seeks to provide architectural reminders of alternative voices as well as construct venues for diverse commentary that would challenge the inbred decisionmaking of the Catholic bishops, providing the spaces for thoughtful dialogues rather than single-minded directives.    Supported by a sabbatical from Temple University in the fall of 2009.