Book Description

A colorful history of a remarkable building, the architects, politicians, and celebrities connected to it, as well as its impact on our culture, and the recent renovation. This is the story of Grand Central Terminal in New York City, a remarkable and beautiful building whose birth, survival, and restoration reflect not only the changes that have taken place in our country's history, culture, and social consciousness but also the critical role architecture plays in the expansion of our cities. It begins with the historic struggle to save Grand Central in the wake of the destruction of Penn Station and in the face of economic forces in the real-estate industry that are intent on its demise. There follows a chronological history of the previous two stations on the site; the construction of the present building; and the grand and anecdotal human stories, movies, and radio programs that involve the great building. Also chronicled is the decline of long-distance rail travel and the emergence of the MTA as the force behind Grand Central's rebirth. Chapters and photographs (50 color plates, 100 black-and-white illustrations) provide a fascinating firsthand account of the $400 million restoration. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Grand Central - Gateway to a Milion Lives
I was on a flight from London to SF, bored, and saw a copy of Business Week on the plane. I read about this book, and immediately thought of a buddy of mine who loves Grand Central Station and decided to get it for his birthday. I read it when I bought it, was blown away, its a great read, historically, architecturally, socially, etc. I kept the copy I had bought him and bought another one from Amazon.com. Great book, if you have any interest in not only NYC history, but American cultural icons, and architecture, this is your book. Well, well worth it. ... Read more

Book Description

Offering stylish yet affordable housing for the average person, the bungalow took the nation by storm in the early 20th century, and was rediscovered in earnest in 1996 with the publication of the authors' American Bungalow Style. That book, the first lavishly illustrated showcase of bungalows, reminded us all of the seductive appeal that had made these charming little homes so popular. This much-anticipated follow-up book takes readers into the living rooms, bedrooms, kitchens, and baths of the best and most characteristic bungalows from five American neighborhoods where this housing type has flourished: Washington, DC, Chicago, Seattle, Minneapolis-St. Paul, and Pasadena.

Bungalows, while modestly sized, are known for their integrity of design and craftsmanship, and their shape lends itself to a variety of stylistic treatments, from Colonial Revival to Craftsman to Tudor, all displayed in Bungalow Nation. With 350 of Alexander Vertikoff's evocative new photographs from his recent travels and Diane Maddex's reliable, fact-filled text, Bungalow Nation is sure to be an important resource for bungalow lovers and an enticing entrée for those who are just discovering these gems of American domesticity. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Love affair with the bungalow
I live in a California Craftsman bungalow and therefore gravitated immediately to this book when I saw it in Builders Booksource in Berkeley, CA. It's absolutely lovely: the story of 75 bungalows in LA, Seattle, Chicago, DC, and Minneapolis. I was surprised that Berkeley wasn't included, but the homes shows epitomize America's love affair with these cozy, well-built structures. Included are features on porches, fireplaces, numerous built-ins, furnishings, landscaping, and interior/exterior decoration. You'll love this book, as I do. ... Read more

Book Description

A dynamic new trend in residential architecture is documented in this important volume that shows how today's designers are boldly reinterpreting the work of Le Corbusier, Mies van der Rohe, and other modernist masters.Continuing a trend that became evident during the last five years of the twentieth century, architects working at the beginning of the new millennium are looking anew at modernist plan types and styles, taking advantage of new and lighter building materials, and working with a fresh range of colors to enhance the sense of space in a wide variety of residential building types. These new looks are shown in thirty case studies, each recorded extensively through splendid color photographs, detailed plans and drawings, and full descriptions of the concept and design process, written by the project architects themselves. Among the distinguished designers are Peter Gluck, Gisue Hariri and Mojgan Hariri, Hank Konig and Julie Eizenberg, and Antoine Predock. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

An orgy of art houses with hard to read floor plans
Make no mistake, TNAH3 is beautiful. I loved the photos, especially of the interiors of the homes. However the floor plans are very difficult to read:

- numbers corresponding to a legend, and not words or obvious icons (like say a table and 4 chairs to indicate a dining room) are used for each room

- it is hard to tell with some of the larger designs what is interior or exterior, what's a wall versus a fence

- dimensions are not provided for either the rooms or the overall structure

Architectural masterpieces explored in astounding detail
"The New American House 3: Innovations in Residential Design and Construction" is truly a monumental resource for those interested in home architecture. Editors James Grayson Trulove and Il Kim have assembled 30 case studies of homes built between 1996 and 2000. The homes range from a 2,200 square foot residence to mansions of 10,000 and 12,800 square feet. The houses come from locations all over the United States: Lovell, Maine; Duluth, Minnesota; Fayettevile, Arkansas; Seattle, Washington; Tucson, Arizona and many other places.

Each case study includes detailed, eye-friendly floor plans, as well as many full-color photographs (both exterior and interior). Other features found in many of the case studies include cross sections, detailed elevations, axonometric drawings, site plans, and other visual supplements. Also included are descriptions of materials used in construction.

Although the houses represent a range of design approaches, the overall flavor strikes me as modern. Some of the many highlights include the daring cantilevered elements of the Nomentana Residence; the "Y" House (shaped, unsurprisingly, like the letter "Y"); the Emerson Residence, which beautifully blends traditional-looking shingled gables with some innovative elements; the Townsend Residence, a fantastic, flowing series of interconnected circles and curves; and Ledge House, with its striking blend of rough-looking logs and stone. These are just a few of the amazing sights in this book. I recommend "NAH3" with great enthusiasm.

Probably the best book in the series yet!!
This book contains some really good work. The previous books had a few projects here and there, but this one is pretty consistent on the quality of design. I especially like the number of projects from Arizona. (Dessert architecture out there is up and coming.)

As said before, I love these books because of the inclusion of key building details and the neccessary drawings to "see" the work past just the flashy photographs. Once again, I recommend the books in this series for someone interested in contemporary residential design, and for the designer who might need some ideas to get "un-stuck." I like to use them as visual aids to clients, also. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great Promise With Plenty of Problems
This book is a great resource for those interested in architecture in Los Angeles, but it has MAJOR problems. Not only are the maps inaccurate about 50% of the time (wrong intersection, wrong place along a street, or just plain wrong), but I have also found several listings for which the street address is wrong, including one for which the wrong street name is given. I have also searched for buildings only to realize that they have been demolished. While Los Angeles has gone through a lot of changes in the last few years, several of the buildings on question were demolished before this edition came out. So if you going to use this book to discover architecturally significant buildings, bring along a good map, a great sense of direction and allow plenty of time, you're going to need all of those to overcome the mistakes made by the authors.

Additional Resources
If Amazon won't do a search, check out William Stout Architectural Books at 804 Montgomery St., San Francisco, CA 94133. tel 415/391-6757; fax 415/989-2341. I'm about to take an afternoon constitutional over there, enjoy the sunshine and mild breezes, schmooze with Bill Stout for a bit, and leave with book in hand and a smile on my face. Meanwhile, I'll be supporting one of the finest architectural bookstores in the world. Happy reading.

why won't amazon do a books search for this title?
this is a unique, one-of-a-kind guide to l.a. architecture, from the 20s (maybe earlier) to the 60s or 70s. pictures, addresses, etc. if anyone has a copy, i'll buy it. i can't find it anywhere and apparently, amazon won't do a search for it. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A bonus to any library
This is the first book ever published on Korean architecture in English. It does a remarkable job listing the salient aspects of traditional housing design from both a sociological and formal perspective. The book is illustrated with loads of gorgeous photos and helpful diagrams. Even though my knowledge of Korean architecture is fairly advanced (it is my graduate major), I still found some new information in this great volume, written by a cadre of experts in the field. ... Read more

Book Description

If the church is said to be the soul of an abbey, the cloister issurely its heart. The cloister, a space secluded—as its Latin derivationsuggests—within four galleries is at once a place of peace and a ceaselesscrossroads. As the hub of all activity, through which monks progressed from taskto task and prayer to prayer throughout the day from matins to vespers, itsclassic layout inspired some of the most extraordinary and varied architecturaltreasures of the world. Cloisters of Europe covers the cloisterthroughout western Europe—Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, and Britain—betweenthe ninth and fifteenth centuries and is a celebration of art and architecturefrom stark pre-Romanesque to flamboyant late Gothic. With an enlighteningintroduction to the history of religious orders and their devotional life, it isa magnificently illustrated monument to art, antiquity, and spiritualprofundity.

Photographs by Daniel Faure. ... Read more

Book Description

Have you ever been intrigued by a beautiful building and wondered when it was built? "Identifying American Architecture" provides the answer to such questions in a concise handbook perfect for preservationists, architects, students and tourists alike. With 214 photographs, it allows readers to associate real buildings with architectural styles, elements and orders. "Identifying American Architecture" was designed to be used--carried about and kept handy for frequent reference. Every photograph is keyed to an explanatory legend pointing out characteristic features of each building's style. Trade bookstores order from W.W. Norton, NY ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Highly recommended for students of American architecture
Enhanced with 214 photographs, John Blumenson's Identifying American Architecture: A Pictorial Guide To Styles And Terms 1600-1945 enables the reader to associate real buildings with architectural styles, elements, and orders. Every photograph is keyed to an explanatory text pointing out characteristic features of each building's style. An extremely "user friendly" identification tool, Identifying American Architecture is highly recommended for both students of American architecture and the non-specialist general reader with an interest in identifying architectural classifications of buildings they encounter on trips and excursions throughout the country or in his own neighborhood. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Very informative
Don't be put off at first by the black and white photos. This book has some color photos, and I was at first hesitant to purchase this book because it seemed to be mostly black and white photography.
However, once I began to read this book, all thoughts about photos went out of my head! This book is informative, intelligent and thorough. The author has studied his subject very well, and writes in a clear and easy to follow manner. I really do find the floorplans to be an invaluable tool towards understanding the buildings the author is describing.
I am currently using this book as a research tool for my novel, but I did buy this book just for the love of the subject and I was not disappointed.
I would recommend this book again and again to anyone with a love of history and architecture.

This will become a fixture on your nightstand
Mark Girouard, an architectural historian, has traced the roles of form and function in England's Great Houses in this densely illustrated, sensitively written book. Floor-plans, innumerable photographs and drawings (many of homes now destroyed), and portraits pepper the text, which is readability itself.

The book follows a chronological path from the Mediaval Household to the present day. The text isn't dry at all. Delicious details abound: Bess of Hardwick pacing her Great Chamber of Hardwick Hall, waiting for the royal visit that never came in the instantly-dated house she'd built for this very purpose, ... The origin of the phrase "backstairs intrigues" (both political and sexual).... the slow but persistant birth of the aristocratic ideal of "privacy"--and how it affected dining halls....the rise of the great dilettante libraries (and the rooms to house them).....and the advent of the freakish innovation of indoor plumbing (and a picture of the Duke of Wellington's elaborate WC) are just a few tidbits.

Mr. Girouard doesn't neglect the "downstairs" portion of a Great House, because he's interested in the whole institution as a functioning unit. Some of the most intriguing photos are of beloved servants' portraits, and the almost Shaker-like beauty of a working kitchen or laundry. Included, also, is a printed "Summary of Livery Men's Duties, Etc., Etc.", of Hatfield House, and darned if it doesn't sound like instructions for empoyees at an indifferent New York hotel!

This book is a delicious retrospective, and will make any red-blooded Anglophile who longs for one of these faded leviathans very happy indeed. Now, if you need me further, I will be in the Orangery. ... Read more

Book Description

Key West, a tropical island-city located 150 miles south of Miami, Florida, offers an exceptional array of residential architecture examples. Some of the styles embraced in this once-bustling southern port of entry are unique to the island and reflect changes in the economic and social environment in the United States during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Houses built in Key West range from the small cottages built for cigar-factory workers to the elaborate Victorians constructed by those who were successful in the local ship-salvaging business. Key West--the southernmost point of the continental United States--has been the site of the winter White House, and is known as a mecca for literary and artistic types such as Tennessee Williams and Ernest Hemingway. The houses of Key West have been extraordinarily restored and preserved, offering a glimpse of the romance and charm of a particularly American style of living.
... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Simultaneously defining and defined by its surroundings, the town house-- as one of the basic building blocks of the city-- has emerged at the close of the twentieth century as a symbol of architectural innovation and refinement. At one time the bastion of Park Avenue society, the American town house has now been embraced by a broader group of people: families with small children, single urban professionals, and retired couples. Drawn between the antipodes of architectural precedent and originality, the modern town house enhanced the urban landscape through both its break from and adherence to the delimitations of the typology. Within its five-story frame and two parallel walls exquisite solutions to the constraints of the form take place. Sweeping stairways, moonlit loggie, and seemingly boundless atria all comprise some of the newly realized fantasies of these structures. The playful interchange between public and private spaces, living and work quarters, and interiors and exteriors are all part of the new rhetoric of the town house.Ranging from sites in New York, Chicago, Denver, Philadelphia, Seaside, Florida, and Los Angeles, each of the buildings featured in The New American Town House represents an eloquent contribution to the form. From the funky, gritty streets of Greenwich Village to the quiet sunny walks of San Francisco, the book explores the cutting-edge designs of twenty-six recently built town houses by such celebrated young architects as Tod Williams and Billy Tsien, Mark Mack, Dan Solomon, Stanley Saitowitz, Dirk Lohan, and Alexander Gorlin. Each project is extensively illustrated with full-color and black-and-white photography, plans and drawings, providing a striking presentation of the elegance and stylistic distinction of the houses. Alexander Gorlin includes an insightful essay on the history of the town house from its origins in Pompeii to recent urban dwellings designed by twentieth-century architects. The esteemed architecture critic Paul Goldberger discusses new developments in the genre during this period of resurgence and what they portend. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Good effort
This book is simply that, a book about new American town house. It started with a description of the evolution of town house, rite from the time of Palladio & Vitruvius to the present time. The rest is 20 examples of American townhouses all seemed to be going skyward fulfilling all kinds of tastes ranging from chic, loft style, minimalistic, opulence, romantic. & so forth. There are tonnes of pictures in this book with helpful building plans. I always like variety & after browsing thru initial examples, the rest of the book I really couldn't bother with as they all look pretty much similar. Afterall, a townhouse is a townhouse. Anyhow, this book is beautifully presented & definitely worth keeping if you simply want a coffee book for show. Keep up the good work.

Inspiring antidote to urban sprawl
With the cities and suburbs spreading out into former farmland in the form of superstores, fast food chains, and garishly oversized homes reminiscent of motel conference centers, Gorlin and Goldberger present the compelling alternative: the townhouse, revamped, revitalized, and more relevant than ever. No matter what your esthetic, there is a townhouse to suit it, and you can find it in this book. It could be argued, in fact, that the townhouse represents architectural humanism at its best: inherently social, family-friendly, scaled to real human dimensions and needs. In other words, just right. An excellent introduction to an important new trend in architecture and home-building. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Wonderful Book of Contemporary Homes
I love this book. Contemporary architecture is often misunderstood and misrepresented by focusing on the extreme or most useless of structures. In this book Ojeda takes us into some of the most beautiful, yet utilitarian, contemporary homes from the Arizona desert to Manhattan. He explains the design choices made and more importantly why they were made for the different designs. Included in the book are numerous beautiful photos of the different projects and architectural sketches of the projects.

This book would be a wonderful 'idea book' for an architect, or someone like me who is looking for ideas to give to an architect in preparation for building a new house. It is also a simply beautiful book to look at and learn from, both in design concepts specifically, and in building materials as well. I highly endorse this book as one of the best illustrated generalist books available on contemporary architecture. The ideas you will get for your own home alone are worth the cost.

sweet book
While not an architect or builder, I am browsing various ideas and methods. This is a great book for getting all the flavors from concrete prefab and rammed-earth to wood-frame with copper exteriors. In one case, a pre-fabbed house is given a timeline picture page showing the construction progress to finish. The pictures are nearly perfect, both encompassing and detailed with briefs that are pretty informative for their length. It's the information that you want with little else. Materials, construction methods and in most cases, cost. Excellent diagrams and cross-sections too. Worth it for someone who wants to build but isn't sure about the materials and methods they want to use, as well as sighting some good ideas.

A must have for Architects and Do-it Yourselfers alike!
The second covering houses and one of several in a series that highlight and describe the potential of American domestic architecture. It illustrates the possibilities and alternatives to the popular Martha Stewart/Bob Villa suburban style that has taken away so much recognition from American architects. Stunning photographs and simple detail drawings illustrate several different homes; each with it's own character.

If you are a do-it-yourself type or looking to hire an architect, this is a great place to start. This book will illustrate how a much a professionally designed house stands out from the Home Depot remodel or typical "custom" suburban home designed by a contractor.

If you are an architect, this is a great reference for residential projects illustrating rigorous use of materials and simplicity of concept, without the heavy "archispeak". It is also a great primer for potential clients, exposing them to the possibilities of design. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Real McCoy!
I guess it isn't an easy thing to compose an illustrative guide on such complicated and multilayered portion of Architecture as American domestic styles, but all are included here: easily recognizable types, details, even construction methods! Special thanks to the Illustrator: the pictures are neither "overillustrated" nor of too "academic" appearance - just restrained professional still artistic graphic. As an international Architect often working for an American architectural firm I will surely make use of it.

excellent line drawings demonstrate styles
Not comprehensive enough in scope to be a true dictionary of architectural style, but certainly provides the visual images necessary to recognize the styles. Included floor plans also demonstrate the various modes. Good survey of vernacular styles, often overlooked in other texts. ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's common for Americans to stereotype the Japanese as conformist, rigidly organized, and immaculately tidy, but with Tokyo: A Certain Style Kyoichi Tsuzuki makes remarkable progress toward broadening those impressions. Tsuzuki photographed the very lived-in interiors of numerous Tokyo houses and apartments, and then jammed his piles of pictures into the format of a short-of-stature book. The result is an engrossing look at the many ways people have adapted to Tokyo's notoriously cramped living spaces. There are several common threads--indoor clotheslines are used to supplement or replace closet space in almost every home--but each dwelling brings out its owner's personality. Some are breathtakingly cluttered, with bric-a-brac piled on electronic equipment and papers stacked on every flat surface, while others show so little evidence of the debris of daily living that one feels certain sorcery must be involved. Most charming are the "design" elements that show off the owners' little quirks: ingeniously improvised hooks and shelves, major appliances banished to the outdoors, and the extensive stuffed animal collection of a grown adult. Many photos simply boggle the mind with the sheer amount of stuff that can be crammed into incredibly small spaces, while others highlight the strange beauty that is often achieved in compressed living. Highly recommended for dorm-bound college students or anyone who has ever groused about a lack of space. --Ali Davis ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Ordinary Tokyo Apartments Circa 1992
Contrary to the American media's presentation of urban Tokyo as home exclusively to Japan's wealthy, this book shows that like every city Tokyo also has room for students, artists, and young professionals who'd rather live in a cramped flat than suffer the long commutes to suburbia.

Filled with hundreds of small color photos this book shows city apartment living as it really is. Some apartments are sloppy, others tidy, some are without furntiture, others have too much, but all the flats are small and affordable.

This book is geared toward those who want to see how Tokyo urbanites really live, not those who are looking for a style guide for living in small spaces. The subjects have no better talent or budget for decorating than New Yorkers, Londoners or any other equivalent average urbanite.

While I enjoyed the book, it's worth noting that the photos appear to have been taken in 1992. of some of the more technologically focused flats, the photos already seem dated.

Possessions, setting = something other than "living space."
If there was ever an opposite to minimalism, some of the photographs in this book are perfect illustrations of it. Every page is an exploration of someone's life, as outlined by the room(s) they live in. And all of those someones are citizens living in Tokyo. Rooms range from those plastered wall to wall with bookshelves (where two professors live), to laundy lines hanging above a bed functioning almost as a curtained canopy, to one or two pieces of furniture on a hardwood-floor with an electric guitar and two windows into a green courtyard.

The book is divided into sections based on style (ranging from cluttered to semi-thought-out design to traditional bamboo-mat japanese decor) with small captions for each photograph. There are also facts and photographs about some of the buildings -- how close they are to food/shopping areas, whether there's a communal bathroom, etc. The book is small (I venture to say "pocket-size" even -- it's about as tall as the length of my hand from palm to finger), but the photographs stretch from corner to corner with no borders and no especially obstructive text.

This is a great book for people interested in how possessions can define character, how place and setting and clutter can equate to some greater good, what all this means besides just "living space." I find myself thumbing through it frequently, a little overwhelmed, but always fascinated.

Gil
I stumbled across this little book one day while souting around at my local bookstore-I flipped thru the pages, and I was intrigued by the way the small spaces were used..I did not buy the book that day, and waited months before deciding to buy a copy. When I went looking, it was no where to be found, and I regret not buying it that day. then lo and behold, I was able to order it last week, picked it up this weekned and spent most of the evening scouring thru it. I spent time in Japan myself, and was amazed at how they efficiently use the little space available to them. It is true-How many of us live in cold minimalist empty shells devoid of the company of our treasured possessions? I would venture to say very few, and I would consder those folks very unlucky people, but that's how they chose to live, and I respect them. Give me my knicknacks, Kitsch, culled items from the curb, hi-fi systems, game consoles, books, and I am a happy man. Kyoichi, I know you are probably not reading this, but if you are, PLEASE write another book. You have a loyal follower in me...Gil

It's just like home!
Well, it's just like MY home, which is crammed to the brim with books, CDs and other junk I just can't part with!

My own living conditions aside, the main reason I love this book is that it is a look into REAL homes. Not those models you see in magazines or on TV. This is how real people live and that's what makes it all the more appealing. When faced with astronomical land prices, people are forced to live in a smaller space, while trying to keep their own "style," which is what this book is about.

As one reviewer wrote, the photos are circa 1992, but over 10 years later, things haven't changed--my friend's apartment (she lives in Fukushima, though) looks just like some of these places--an organized mess. Even when I was living there a few years ago, my place had that "less is more" feel, with no furniture and piles of books and CDs lining the walls.

The photos are bright and the overall atmosphere created is one of comfort--even when faced with mountains of "mono"--and that is the idea. One man's trash is another man's treasure and while some may cringe when seeing some of these places, one must always remember that these are/were people's homes and that, to them, this is comfort! The photos are not glamorous (the author is not a professional photographer and clearly states as much), but they are not meant to be, nor do they need to be.

This is book is a great piece of nostalgia for people who lived in Japan (like myself), and a wonderful insight into the way real people live in one of the largest, most expensive cities in the world.

What's Wrong with Stuff?
I, for one, am all in favor of stuff. My own, my best friend's, my second cousin's, and even (especially) an anonymous Japanese surfer's. It's interesting. That's why I enjoy this book so much. It's almost like a "Where's Waldo? - Japanese Interior Edition." These apartments are loaded with an amazing assortment of kitsch, electronics, albums, etc. It's a visual adventure. What kind of fascinating items will I find in each picture? It's great...but it's not for everyone, as other reviewers have noted. In fairness, I do agree with those who felt the book is filled with nothing but pictures of stuff and how to cram it into very small apartments. Also, the photography is utilitarian, not "see how magical this space is." So, if you are looking for a "House Beautiful" type book, this isn't it. This is the how-NOT-to book, if anything. But if you're intrigued by the things that other people collect, enjoy, and live with, this is a book to add to YOUR stuff. ... Read more

Book Description

"Washington Through Two Centuries" presents a comprehensive history of the city, recording its changing character and suggesting future developments. Author Joseph Passonneau has devoted twenty-five years to preparing a suite of detailed maps that show the center of the city, building by building, in 1800, 1860, 1900, 1940, 1970, and 2000. The maps, presented as foldout pages, offer an exceptional graphic history of the capital's transformation. The volume is also illustrated with a great number of archival photographs. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Great Book for Architects and Planners
Joe Passonneau has combined history, planning and architecture in our nation's capitol that has a certain relevance to every serious, large city in the country. What you really learn here is how architecture and planning can work together in a creative relaltionshiip and both better for the experience. If the elected officials were crafting laws with the same care, concern and perhaps even love, that architects, planners and a host of other insightful non-professionals were using to build Washington, DC, we would all be better off today.

The maps alone are glorious and probably worth the price of the book itself. Study them and you will start to understand and appreciate the historic process by which cities either reinvent themselves or fail to do so. Architects, planners and history buffs should own this book. Period. ... Read more

Book Description

Fallingwater Rising is a biography not of a person but of the most famous house of the twentieth century. Scholars and the public have long extolled the house that Frank Lloyd Wright perched over a Pennsylvania waterfall in 1937, but the full story has never been told.

When he got the commission to design the house, Wright was nearing seventy, his youth and his early fame long gone. It was the Depression, and Wright had no work in sight. Into his orbit stepped Edgar J. Kaufmann, a Pittsburgh department-store mogul–“the smartest retailer in America”–and a philanthropist with the burning ambition to build a world-famous work of architecture. It was an unlikely collaboration: the Jewish merchant who had little concern for modern architecture and the brilliant modernist who was leery of Jews. But the two men collaborated to produce an extraordinary building of lasting architectural significance that brought international fame to them both and confirmed Wright’s position as the greatest architect of the twentieth century.

Fallingwater Rising is also an enthralling family drama, involving Kaufmann, his beautiful cousin/wife, Liliane, and their son, Edgar Jr., whose own role in the creation of Fallingwater and its ongoing reputation is central to the story. Involving such key figures of the l930s as Frida Kahlo, Albert Einstein, Henry R. Luce, William Randolph Hearst, Ayn Rand, and Franklin Roosevelt, Fallingwater Rising shows us how E. J. Kaufmann’s house became not just Wright’s masterpiece but a fundamental icon of American life.

One of the pleasures of the book is its rich evocation of the upper-crust society of Pittsburgh–Carnegie, Frick, the Mellons–a society that was socially reactionary but luxury-loving and baronial in its tastes, hobbies, and sexual attitudes (Kaufmann had so many mistresses that his store issued them distinctive charge plates they could use without paying).

Franklin Toker has been studying Fallingwater for eighteen years. No one but he could have given us this compelling saga of the most famous private house in the world and the dramatic personal story of the fascinating people who made and used it.

A major contribution to both architectural and social history. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Superb & Truly Outstanding
These days, it's a rarity to read an architectural book that is informative and entertaining at the same time.For those that have read materials from Kenneth Frampton, they are probably more cerebral.At times, I also find architectural book either to be shallow (bombarding us with glossy pictures and thus no substance) or too dry for an architectural enthusiast to go all the way.This effort by Franklin Tokler is a reaper, to much my pleasant surprise.He spent almost three years writing this book and the amount of research that he had done is truly outstanding and tangible proofs were all in the book.The book contained facts and relevant photos (both B&W and colour).Franklin digged deeper into the Fallingwater.He investigated the motivation of why Fallingwater gotten built at the first place.He discussed the personalities involved in depth and in length and naturally, we also gotten to read about the other personalities of the time and of their connection to Fallingwater as well.Gosh, there were so many to name but just as a teaser: Diego Riviera, Frida Kahlo, Rockerfeller, Mellon, Richard Neutra, Walter Gropius, Mies van de Rohe, Le Corbusier, disciples of Frank Lloyd Wright, and the list goes on and on.Franklin endeavoured to educate the world that the patron, Kauffman is just as important as Frank Lloyd Wright in the project.That's what I find the most entertaining to read about the uneasy alliance between the patron and the architect.He also disputed the claim by the young sibling of Kauffman that the credit went to him for bring his father and the architect together.Then, there were talk of their collection of arts, their Jews background and how did the American society accept them at that time, and so forth.Then, there were talk about the flawed structural system (particularly the cantilever) and how Fallingwater underwent a quiet suicide, the speculation of the origin of the name of the building itself.The book also went into explaining the rationale of why the house is so endearing to people from all over the world till now and perhaps, there would be another Fallingwater in the making somehow?A book that is written with passion and vigour, paying homage to it with utmost dignity from an author who obviously has been visiting it for hundreds of time (as mentioned).I find Franklin's high spirit contagious and I sincerely recommend this book to all architecture buff.A truly unforgettable experience.

Outstanding Book
At first glance, a book about Fallingwater might appear to be narrowly focused and of little interest to non-architects. In fact, Franklin Toker has written a thoroughly engaging book that weaves together biography, architecture, and cultural history. The story of America's most famous house becomes inextricably tied to the lives of E.J. Kaufmann, his wife, son, and, of course, Frank Lloyd Wright. In this biographical mix Toker explores relevant and fascinating components of American social and cultural history from the 1930s to the present. If you've visited Fallingwater, or are a fan of Frank Lloyd Wright, this is a must read.Even if you haven't travelled to Bear Run and know little about Wright, this volume is worth reading.Fallingwater Rising is simply a great book.

Fallingwater Rising
Being born and raised in Oak Park, Illinois where Frank Lloyd Wright did much of his early work, I developed an interest in Wright that I explored over the years by reading books on Wright and by visiting his buildings.Clearly this is the finest book I have ever read on Wright and his work.It moves beyond architecture to place Wright, his client, and the great house, Fallingwater, in a comprehensive social and historical context which makes the building both more understandable and more enjoyable.Not at all a book for the specialist. I would have read this book with great pleasure even if I knew nothing about Wright and his architecture.

First Class
I found this an engrossing read; really quite excellent. Toker places the building in a series of contexts - FLW's and Kaufman's personal and career arcs, political, economic, social etc, then leavens incredibly detail with extremely acute insights into motivations and intentions which in sum I found wonderful. Highly recommended for interested novices like me, and I'm sure great value too for open minded cognoscenti. I eagerly await Toker's next epic.

Architecture, History + Personalities -- a great combination
If you have any interest in a well-written story which weaves history, architecture, social and cultural conditions, PLUS unique personalities of wealth and power -- then this book is for YOU.
Read this engaging book, ostensibly about the creation of one of America's most famous private homes known as 'Fallingwater Rising'-- and you'll quickly discover that it is about so much more.
Professor Toker has done a wonderful job of telling this worthwhile tale. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

As the designs in this book show, Asia's most successful decorators have worked wonders with bathrooms.

Here you'll find artfully arranged tubs and basins, shower curtains adjusted just so for perfect coloring, and glass panels placed at intriguing geometric angles. These brilliant strategies prove that astute decorators consider the bathroom as important as any other room.

Shot entirely on location, Contemporary Asian Bathrooms presents the newest trends emerging in Asian home design. Gorgeous full-color photographs showcase the sexy new look and fantasy appeal of today's bathrooms. The book includes page after page of one-of-a-kind indoor and outdoor bathroom designs in 50 luxury homes and hotels across Southeast Asia, ranging from the minimalist to the exotic, and exclusive city penthouses to rural country homes. This book offers homeowners new ideas for showers, tubs, fixtures, tiles and lighting that will inspire a new approach to modern bathroom design. ... Read more