Iwan Baan Princeton: A Journey from Las Vegas

On August 6, 2025, Princeton University School of Architecture opens the U.S. debut of Iwan Baan’s exhibition “From Las Vegas to Rome,” a photographic journey that bridges two cities from vastly different worlds.

A Visual Journey That Challenges Architectural Narratives

Running through September 10th, the exhibition isn’t just about stunning visuals — it’s an invitation to think differently. Baan, known for his raw and immersive documentation of architecture and urban life, reimagines Rome by viewing it through the lens of Las Vegas. The concept stems from the seminal 1972 book Learning from Las Vegas, where the authors famously compared the Las Vegas Strip to Rome’s historic piazzas.

Here, Baan flips that comparison, asking: What can the extravagance of Las Vegas tell us about the timeless streets of Rome?

Aerial shot capturing the road grid and building density in central Las Vegas. — This view reveals Las Vegas’s distinctive grid layout and unconventional urban sprawl.

Two Cities, One Shared Stage

The photographs move between sweeping aerial shots and intimate street scenes, capturing the pulse of public space, spectacle, and human presence. Whether documenting tourists in Las Vegas or local life in Rome, Baan finds a theatrical quality shared by both cities — places where architecture serves as a backdrop for performance, power, and play.

“In the end, despite their apparent differences, both cities pull us into parallel worlds,” Baan reflects.

Panoramic aerial image showing the city’s edge blending into the surrounding desert. — This panorama captures the sharp contrast between Las Vegas’s urban footprint and its desert surroundings.

A Global Tour Before Landing in Princeton

Before arriving at Princeton, From Las Vegas to Rome toured several major venues including the American Academy in Rome, the Architectural Association in London, the 2024 Timișoara Architecture Biennial in Romania, and the Architekturgalerie München in Germany.

The exhibition coincides with the release of Rome – Las Vegas: Bread and Circuses, a new publication from Lars Müller Publishers that expands on the themes of the show through photography and critical essays.

A Collaborative Effort Behind the Scenes

The Princeton edition of the exhibition was made possible by a collaborative team led by Dean Mónica Ponce de León, with coordination by Suzanne Tóth-Pál, graphic design by Noah Beckwith, and exhibition management by Kira McDonald. The fabrication team included Marie Baretsky, John Hunter, Sean Rucewicz, and Bill Tansley.

Street scene in historic Rome showing people moving through a space framed by traditional architecture. — This image captures everyday life in Rome, emphasizing the interplay between people and timeless urban form.

✦ ArchUp Editorial Insight

This photographic exhibition offers a layered visual exploration of the architectural dialogue between Las Vegas and Rome. The imagery shifts between dense aerial views and candid human scenes, evoking a narrative where power intersects with spectacle. While the conceptual framework is clear, the exhibition falls short of unpacking the deeper urban-social dynamics of each city, favoring visual analogy over analytical depth. Nevertheless, it successfully revisits a classic architectural discourse through a contemporary photographic lens, encouraging reflection on spatial identity in a nontraditional context.

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