Book Description

The Catskills is the favored new retreat for New Yorkers. Only ninety minutes from the city, it's closer than the Hamptons and much more affordable. As a consequence, this once thriving area is having a huge revival as a weekend-vacation place. Catskills Country Style, the first book of its kind on the Catskills and its new style--what might be called urban-country-folk design--showcases this new style in the cottages and cabins of the region. Intriguing historic houses are included as well as a collection of more contemporary homes. Among these is Olana, the 1860s Moorish-style country estate of Frederic Church, the great American landscape artist and leading figure of the Hudson River School of painting. Also included is Pennyroyal Cottage, the 1880s first American woman to have her own design firm. These historic houses are the forerunners of the retreats of many current New York City-based artists, bohemians, designers, and stylists.

Current owners of Catskills country style houses are instrumental in shaping trends of today's look. These stylish innovators are creating an aesthetic with a new twist, recycling ideas as well as furniture with an individualistic philosophy that features an eclectic mix of flea market, yard sale, antique and handmade furniture, sometimes peppered with the latest international high-design avant-garde furnishings. This is a book in the tradition of Rizzoli's Charleston Style and Santa Barbara Style, and give us a glimpse into the homes and lifestyles of an influential and fascinating group of people.
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Reviews (2)

Another photog feast of architectural gems from this pair!
Steve Gross and Sue Daley have been dazzling the oft-oversaturated "coffee table" book market since their unusual and eclectic book OLD HOUSES was published more than a decade ago.

Unlike many photographic books of this genre--or photographers for that matter--Gross + Daley look for the unusual, the misplaced, the forgotten, even the sublime. Their photographic style, while crisp, is voyeuristic without being intrusive. Rarely styling their photographs, they allow the interiors or exteriors to speak in their own evocative voices.

As with their previous books, CATSKILLS COUNTRY STYLE is infused with a variety of architectural styles and unusual homes, even little-known museums and undeliberate vintage set-pieces. And, as in their other books, the houses they select are styled by their talented, often capricious, owners or the benign patterning of neglect and wear and age. This photographic team always embrace the off-beat or the discarded, forgotten time-encapsulated gems which fall away from "back road" America.

If you do not live in the Catskills or have no intention of going there, it doesn't matter. If you like unusual houses and their interiors or have always desired a place in the country, this book will delight, inspire and captivate.

With an apt, well-written introduction by Francine Prose and excellent captions--instead of text-heavy chapters--which keep the focus on the photography.

A visual feast! Check out OLD HOUSES, too, as well as Gross + Daley's other recently published book, SANTA FE COUNTRY STYLE, and AT HOME WITH PAST. All books have a similar aesthetic and approach and you will not be disappointed.

You can smell the freah air.
This book through the use of superb photograhy and simple but informative captions conveys the love the owners have for these homes in the country. From the ornate victorian to the simple country style cottage of a beekeeper this book is a pleasure to own and display. ... Read more

Book Description

When it was first published in 1968, the critically acclaimed LOST NEW YORK became an instant classic for the way it reawakened a lost city. Now expanded and updated, with 118 new photographs, the book reveals a fresh, true picture of New York as it has lived and grown, with startling reminders of how much that has vanished remains part of us. From the grandeur of the old Metropolitan Opera and Pennsylvania Station to the fabulous lost night clubs of 52nd Street and Harlem, from the opulence of the old Vanderbilt mansions to the Madison Square Garden rooftop where architect Stanford White was shot, this is both a unique testament to New York's past and a story of the vitality that makes the city continue to connect with us.

Illustrated with rare and stunning photographs and marked by engaging, lively text, this new edition of LOST NEW YORK provides a unique and unforgettable look at the places in New York that are no more. Beyond that, it evokes the significant moments in time and memory that make us reflect on our passions about change and the reasons we remain concerned about the future of cities. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

The Past Recaptured
Mr. Silver has a poetic prose style, revealing a most poetic soul, and frames his message of architectural conservation and adaptation through a highly effective personal lens of incredulity and nostalgia, articulating what most readers subconsciously knew but probably never take the time to think about: that architecture is the most accesible and inescapable reminder of urban culture at a given moment; that while culture evolves and architecture becomes artifact, these artifacts can often continue - through thoughtful planning and incentives - to live and to serve without economic detriment to their owners; and that rapacious, self-serving obliteration of our architectural past is the obliteration of cultural evolution and memory.

I would like to see Mr. Silver now produce a companion volume to LOST NEW YORK, a book about what has been saved.

A Success on Two Counts
IF the reviewer below is really Nathan Silver, I congratulate him on the shift of gears from his 1968 version of LOST NEW YORK to this one. (Even if it's not him, I congratulate him anyway.) The first edition was heavy on the preservation/conservation debate while this one is more reflective and personal. In both instances, however, Mr. Silver has made an incredible contribution to the study of New York history--not just its architecture, but to the thinking that went into the creation of these lost structures, and the lack of thinking that destroyed them.

Like Jane Jacobs, Mr. Silver shares a passion for the city and how its monuments, public buildings and spaces, and private residences have a direct and fortifying effect on its citizens. The photographs are stunning, as is the quality of the printing. Mr. Silver's text is equally powerful and just as relevant. At times the effect of seeing these representations of a lost time, and reading about their ends, can be upsetting; the sense of loss is very powerful. But there is a point to all of it beyond the seeming nostalgia: we had better start appreciating those gems of the past that are still rooted in the schist of Manhattan before they wind up in the next edition of LOST NEW YORK.

One last note: As rebuilding begins on the site of the World Trade Center (a part of lost New York that wasn't our fault), this book indirectly compels New Yorkers to participate in some forward-thinking. It makes one wonder, not only what was lost to us, but what will we give to future generations?

Rocco Dormarunno,
author of THE FIVE POINTS

Lost New York
The book Lost New York by Nathan Silver is one of the best photo and information books ever writen. Old photos and information on land marks in New York City which have been torn down. Shows you how buitiful a city is but also how little care some people can have for it's treasures

A wonderful book about lost buildings in NYC
This wonderful book gives wonderful pictures and descriptions of lost buildings. ... Read more

Book Description

A magnificant book of full-color photographs and text show the history, architecture, and beauty of the barn. BARN is a celebration of an ancient symbol of shelter and harvest, with more than two hundred full-color photographs and an informed text by two expert practitioners of the art and craft of barn restoration. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Best Ever Barn Book
Endersby and fellow authors, using an intelligent combination of pictures, drawings, and text to successfully depict both finished buildings and structural detail, have written the definitive book on barns. They trace the lineage of American barns from their European roots in a lively, readable, informative format. In addition to it's functional qualities, the book is quite handsome, a stunning addition to the library of anyone who likes barns. Quite simply, this is the best book on barns I have ever seen.

Barn, the art of a working building
This book is truely an inspiration... the images and descriptions will bring great memories of Barns to your mind, will bring tears to your eyes if you spent childhood fantasies in "the barn", and might inspire you to save, build, or restore a barn someday... thank you Elric, Alexander , and David, whoever and wherever you are for presenting such a work...It stays on the table, within easy reach... ... Read more

Amazon.com

Despite the contemporary fascination with all things classical that has fueled the recent antimodern movement, this is the first book in more than half a century to explore the career of John Russell Pope (1873-1937).And it is worth the wait as it luxuriously presents the work of the architect of the National Gallery of Art, the Jefferson Memorial, the National Archives, and dozens of other buildings that are now intrinsic to the constructed environment of the U.S. capital. Pope was an architect of such harmony, balance, and effortless grandeur that he might well be ignored by current American neoclassicists, whose ill-conceived gewgaws are put to shame by Pope's stately homes, serene monuments, authoritative collegiate buildings, and regal museums.

Architect and historian Steven McLeod Bedford began his solitary, comprehensive, and difficult research for this book during the 1980s, when proponents of the high-minded cultural imperatives of the late 19th century, including the Hudson River School painters, were in vogue. Bedford admirably analyses the strengths and weaknesses of an architect whose most famous buildings "expressed the grandiloquent aspirations of private and public patrons." He also puts Pope's contributions in historical perspective, noting that a 1961 history of American architecture published by the A.I.A. found "no merit in Pope's work." Bedford himself writes with careful objectivity that "Pope seemed to adhere to the precept that a certain set of classical forms and plans existed whose inherent beauty was immutable."

Bedford writes warmly but dispassionately about buildings that many people love, and some--such as those who listened to Martin Luther King Jr. speak on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, or visited the soaring, softly sky-lit rooms of the National Gallery--have special attachments to. Beauty of this exalted type may no longer be of interest to the architectural cognoscenti, but there is a quality of calm endurance to Pope's buildings that has lasting appeal. In spite of the author's reserve, this is an inspiring, elucidating book, filled with plans, drawings, and color photographs that do some belated justice to Pope's career. --Peggy Moorman ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great archtitect, long overdue book, writing a little dry.
This wonderful architect deserves study. his work is represented well but society context, office practice, growth in style are a little lacking and could have beenbetter . Still a great addtion to any library!

Pope rehabilitated
This carefull reappraisal of Popes work was long overdue. One would hope that it will be followed by books on Cass Gilbert and Paul Cret who with Pope were the last masters of American Classical Architecture.Their work has stood the test of time beter than many more modern buildings.

another great topic in the wrong hands
I love all architecture and I can remember when I could count on titles from Rizzoli to uphold a certain standard, but that was too long ago. J.R.P. was an extrodinatry man for his time and a classic architect whodeserves the same type of fame given to Frank Lloyd Wright. Rizzoli onceagain has failed the topic. GREAT COVER AND NO SUBSTANCE A.K.A. PAPERGARBAGE. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (7)

Best Book Available on Carmel Cottages
I am an architect. I live near Carmel and have a special fascination for these houses. Applause to the author. There are lots of beautiful photographs and the history is facinating. I would always like to see more diagrams, interesting details and floor plans, especially for the house called "Hansel". However, this is an excellent book, the best one available on the subject.

A Bouquet
I keep this book nearby, like a bouquet, to look at from time to time for the simple pleasure of it. The pages convey not only the
architecture of a period and place, but the personality of an era.
This is a companion book; to be cherished forever.

Memories of my hometown
I'm not sure how attractive this book would be to the general public. For me, it reveals the stories behind many of the houses I grew up with. As a Carmel native, I enjoyed learning the stories and histories of many of our local homes. The photographs are nicely done, and the text tells the information in an interesting presentation. I do wish that a local map had been included, to help pinpoint the location of some of these homes.

Utterly lovey!
I opened this book as one would a box of expensive hand-crafted Belgian chocolates and savored each page. The photos are luscious, the text tart and logical. Interior and exterior views of cottages and Jeffer's stone tower remind one of European villages.

Sarah Susanka's "Not So Big House" and "Creating the Not So Big House" are both good, yes, but nothing in them sets off the same resonate sensation as seeing "Cottages by the Sea." This is what real homes can be: shelters for the mind, body and spirit, places of rest, security and inspiration.

I'd write more, but excuse me---I'm booking a trip to Carmel.

Cottages by the Sea
The book was purchased for my wife, Emalie, for Mother's Day, so she is writing the reveiw.

The book, at first glance, was exciting for the photos of the homes in the Carmel area. Since our daughter and son-in-law live on Carmel Heights with a view of Point Lobos, we have become familiar with the Carmel setting. Reading the histories of homes we had seen on our jaunts through Carmel was educational and entertaining. Some of the homes have been redone, but the building and remodeling codes in Carmel are very strict, so we were interested in seeing what could be done and how remodeling changed the setting. I will value the book for the sentiment with which it was given, the content, and our connection with the area. ... Read more

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

Reviews (8)

Disappointed
I love porches. I want one on my home. I was ready to read about porches. I couldn't get through the introduction of this book. The obvious liberal slant and the use of vulgarity just turned me off. I bet there is some really great information in this book but if I have to be bombarded by the above mentioned I will find my information elsewhere.

The pictures were above average. If I could rate the book on the pictures.... give it a 5.

Very Interesting read
I was moved by the book so much that I built a porch on my house too!

Great read
Mr. Dolan's easy style make this thoughtful and thorough book a pleasure to read. This book is a great bathroom read!

Porch nostalgia
Mr. Dolan has captured my attention with a most complete writing of a very favorite place: a porch. I found its history from early Greek to present day country home porches to be most interesting and informative. The photographs and descriptions of porches brings nostalgia. The book can best be read while sitting on a porch swing, sipping hot cocoa when the weather is cool or a glass of iced tea when its warm...

The American Porch
Michael Dolan is an excellent and engaging writer who guides the reader not only on a fascinating tour of the American porch, but also traces its family history back to the Carribean, Italy, Greece, India, and Africa. He provides a wonderful history review of many of the events and people who have the shaped United States while providing a narrative on its politics, music, and movies. This book begins with Colonial days continues into commune days and lastly touches upon current issues such as "Smart Growth" initiatives. I recommend that anyone who wants to learn more about the American porch, U.S. history or ways to meet the neighbors put this book at the top of their, "To Read" list. ... 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

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 (4)

Nice presentation
The pictures alone justify the price; the commentary is standard stuff. Top quality coated paper and soft binding, too. Makes you appreciate this famous photographer.

great review of modernism
This book is made of the essence of modernism. All photos are taken during the original time period. It is a great lesson of architecture. To be read after a Frank Lloyd Wright book's and an Art & Craft anthology to discover how tasteless is the architecture of the end of the millenium.

LOST MODERNIST GEMS PHOTOGRAPHED BY MASTER PHOTOGRAPHER
Modernism Rediscovered is not just another book of gorgeous Julius Shulman photographs, but a serious and scholarly attempt to right a wrong done to each of the worthy edifices featured in this book.

To secure an enduring place in the public consciousness a new building must be photographed, and those photographs printed in a variety of publications, both professional and popular. Why do photographs of some buildings get wide exposure and others not? A history-altering book, Modernism Rediscovered explores that conundrum and, at the same time, attempts to redress the omission of these buildings from the public forum.

A fascinating convergence of elements determines which buildings are deemed editorially appealing and which fall through the cracks. Prevailing trends, editorial policy, financial considerations, the photographer's interpretation, and even personal editorial taste all contribute to the selection process and resulting exposure of a building project. Ideally, all these elements coalesce to lend the building and the architect validation and prestige, establishing recognition of the work within the profession and to the general public. As Modernism Rediscovered shows, this has often not been the case.

Now nearly ninety years of age, Julius Shulman granted access to his archives for the first and only time ever to architect Pierluigi Serraino. From this treasure trove of architectural history Serraino selected such underexposed projects as the breathtaking Spencer Residence, a steel cage cantilevered out over the Malibu coastline; the Upton Residence, an Arizona winter retreat combining the lightness of an open glass box anchored by desert stone and concrete; and the C.Y. Stephens Auditorium at Iowa State University featuring steeply cascading balconies jutting out of folded concrete side walls.

Reminders of Architecture at Its Best
This book is an elegant window back to a magnificent period of residential architecturel. Julius Shulman reminds us of not only his incredible eye for architectural drama, but of the many architects of modernism that invited us to live at the magical boundary between nature and architecture.

This is a wonderful retrospective of many, many talented architects who deserve a closer look at their work and their optimism and clarity of vision. ... 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

A lavishly illustrated survey of American Art Deco architecture.

Art deco architecture flourished in large cities and small towns throughout America in the 1920s and 1930s. Many of the best examples—office buildings, movie theaters, hotels, and churches—are still in use. Deco architects, artists, and designers drew on European styles but were most committed to a style that grew organically, as they saw it, from their native soil. Two themes bound Deco buildings and their decorative schemes together: a regional pride that tied buildings to their specific locales and functions, and a growing national symbolism that asserted the buildings' identity as uniquely, independently American.

American Art Decofeatures descriptions—and over 500 color photographs—of seventy-five lavish and innovatively designed buildings across the country that have been preserved both outside and in, giving the full scope of this beloved, exciting style. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Glorious deco detail.
Architectural photographer Carla Breeze has focussed her camera on the best seventy-five Art Deco buildings across the Nation and produced a glorious book of color photos that perfectly captures the style. I really liked this book because she concentrates on the architectural detail of each building (with 450 photos) and in many cases, when this detail is on the outside, it is just not viewable from the ground.

The introduction has an interesting eighteen-page photo section dealing with materials, metal, concrete, terra cotta, mosaic, glass, wood and stone. I found this very useful when looking at the images. Each building starts on the spread (some, rightly, have more pages) with a street address and some background text and captions for the photos. The elegant layout does not interfere with the wonderful buildings (a tip of the hat to book designer Robert Wiser) could anyone do anything to improve the photo of the stunning Niagara Mohawk Power headquarters in Syracuse on page seventy-three.

To complement this lovely book have a look at 'Rediscovering Art Deco USA' by Barbara Capitman, Michael Kinerk and Dennis Wilhelm, a methodical nationwide survey, though it does concentrate on commercial buildings rather than houses. If you are Deco spotting on the road leave a space in the glove compartment for David Gebhard's excellent 'The National Trust Guide to Art Deco in America', if it's not in this book then most likely it's not worth looking at. ... 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

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

This monograph is the first to document all of the built work by Morphosis, a Los Angeles-based practice headed by Thom Mayne and one of the most influential architecture firms of the past twenty years. Morphosis's unconventional geometries; beautifully executed, sculptural models; and complex, computer-generated drawings helped to usher in a new era of architectural experimentation in the early 1980s. This book is comprised of bold, documentary-style colour photographs of thirty-five completed buildings presented in an almost cinematic layout, and publishes for the first time together all of Morphosis's completed work, from the early residential and restaurant projects in Los Angeles to the most recent large-scale work beyond California and the United States - in Canada, Taiwan, Korea, Japan and Austria.

Thom Mayne founded Morphosis in 1972 in partnership with Michael Rotondi, who now has his own firm. Over the past twenty years, Mayne's academic posts have included teaching positions at Columbia University, Harvard University, Yale University, the Berlage Institute in the Netherlands and the Bartlett School of Architecture in London, among other institutions.

Val Warke is an associate professor of architecture at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Morphosis
Mayne has been at the forefront of LA's architectural avant garde for over thirty years, graduating from meticulously detailed houses and commercial spaces, to large-scale public projects that include two LA-area schools, the Cal Trans headquarters, a Federal office building in San Francisco, and a courthouse in Oregon. Morphosis (the firm he established with Michael Rotondi in 1972) has also built in Canada, Austria and Korea. This handsome pictorial survey of its 35 completed buildings and installations offers a thrilling ride through structures that tilt, fold, cantilever and seem to defy gravity. An essay by Mayne is gently deconstructed by Cornell architecture professor Val Warke. (Michael Webb is the book reviewer for LA Architect magazine.)

better that the others
This book unlike other morphosis books is comprehensible for the average reader. it has great pictures and his spectacular use of materials is clearly articulated. Thom Mayne does not only talk the talk but builds the talked about.

Architecture Is Beautiful
This book presents the Morphosis architecture in a series of well-executed photographs, beautifully presented. ... Read more

Book Description

Recent U.S. Census Bureau information shows that the southwest holds incredible gravitational pull for a great number of Americans, more and more of whom are moving to live among the deserts, plateaus, distinctive mountains, and glorious red and orange sunsets that only the west can provide.

Americans have been hungering for the wide-open skies of the west since the early days of this country and out of their continuing migration has sprung Santa Fe, which continues to grow in importance, in meaning, and in influence.

Santa Fe's popularity is immense. The "Santa Fe style" can now be found all over the country, manifested in clothes, furniture and furnishings, and interior design. Santa Fe: Houses and Gardens, with its sumptuous photography and lucid prose, makes clear that this popularity is well-founded.

Santa-Fe: Houses and Gardens presents the most significant and influential houses of the region, including Mabel Dodge's house of 1918, with its hand-painted windows by D. H. Lawrence; the house of Randall Davey, an artist who was influential in the movement to revive traditional adobe building techniques; and the Myrtle Stedman house, built following her injunction that it be "stretched out like a lizard in the sun." This book does not limit itself to traditional historic adobe houses, but covers many of the region's most important private homes and museum houses with their gardens.
... 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

Book Description

A comprehensive, succinct, wide-ranging, accessible reference to architecture in America. In over 2,500 definitions and nearly 1,000 illustrations, Cyril Harris covers everything to do with the built environment, from construction materials and techniques to decorative terms and practical devices, dogtrot cabin to skyscraper, covered bridge to Crystal Palace (the New York one), greenbelt to gristmill, impost to pilaster--enriched, when relevant, with intriguing historical or biographical nuggets. The rich diversity of American architecture is reflected in the 126 styles identified in these pages, a unique contribution to the field. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

needs more graphics
The book is great, but lots of definitions don't have pictures; Some house types had pictures while others did not. ... Read more