Preservation of Modern
Architecture
Theodore H. M. Prudon
John Wiley & Sons,
Inc.
c
2008
ISBN 978-0-471-66294-5
Hardcover 592 pgs
$99.00
In recent times, the
growing preservation movement has risen (deservedly so)
to the forefront of public consciousness. This trend has
spawned numerous local and national organizations,
annual alert lists, debates and lectures. Arguably,
most of the public’s focus and preservationists’ zeal
has been limited to structures pre-dating 1950. Yet,
the uninformed disregard of buildings considered modern
architecture has put many of this country’s mid-century
masterpieces at risk of the wrecking ball. To help bring
clarity to what’s become one of the more critical issues
facing the integrity of our built environment, Industry
leader Wiley & Sons, Inc. has joined with author
Theodore H.M. Prudon to publish Preservation of Modern
Architecture. Prudon demonstrates a credible record in
the field of architecture which includes a Ph.D. from
Columbia, FAIA, and President of DOCOMOMO, which is an
organization dedicated to studying significant works in
the field of modern architecture. In Preservation of
Modern Architecture, his passion for modern architecture
is easily discernable. The book focuses on the specific
topic of restoration efforts of architecture built from
the 1920’s to the 1970’s, with the idea that modern has
become historical. Prudon discusses the relevance of how
modern architecture revolutionized the way architects
think and design. An additional focus in this work
highlights many of the specifics of modern architecture
such as ideology, construction techniques, floor plans,
preservation efforts, failures/ successes, and basically
everything one needs to know about modern design. The
book is separated into two parts. First, the book
discusses the style and general preservation efforts of
modern architecture; second, the book goes into more
detailed case studies which address the specific styles
and techniques used in today’s restoration projects.
Although this book is extremely factual, it tends to
read like a big textbook. In short, Preservation of
Modern Architecture is very heavy with text and dense
with material. Pictures are used sparingly, which is a
shame because architecture is such a visual art in which
the reader wants to see, not read. Another drawback is
that a large majority of the pictures are black and
white, which blend in with the text creating really no
visual draw or diversity. Overall, Preservation of
Modern Architecture looks to be a legitimate source to
bolster one’s knowledge or gain foundational information
about modern architecture. Unfortunately, the book does
not have the draw to read for pleasure, unless one is
unusually fascinated with this topic. They say a picture
is worth 1000 words, and this project is a clear example
of how many words are necessary to describe a visual
art.
Ross Renjilian
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Dream Homes Chicago
An Exclusive Showcase
of Chicago's Finest Architects
Panache Partners. LLC
c
2007 Dallas, TX
ISBN 978-1-933415-34-5
Hard cover 256 pgs
$34.95
Most any book of this
nature with a focus on select eye-popping homes of a
particular locale tend to typically to be nothing more
than a "look-at-our-photos!" type "book-zine." Of
course, we shouldn't disparage that if that's all their
aiming for, because they often do it exceptionally well.
Yet, their are readers of a bit more discerning taste
who prefer to have a little meatier portions among their
courses. Although Dream Homes Chicago is not
steak, it does offer a bit more insight into design
philosophies from the architects featured throughout.
The book is beautifully illustrated with several shots
defining the seminal work of 46 architects who have
designed and built throughout the Chicago area. Homes
are highlighted in some of Chicago's great neighborhoods
like Lincoln Park and the Gold Coast as well as several
suburban communities with Burr Ridge, Oak Brook and some
North Shore municipalities among others. Slipped in
among these is a residence from Wisconsin and one as far
away as Arizona which the architect must have been
awfully proud to include as a example of his work among
what are supposed to be Chicago dream homes.
A good variety of housing
styles is represented among the works of Chicago's
finest including bungalows and greystones accompanying
the typical fare of traditional and contemporary
palatial mansions. Initial photos tightly frame exciting
interior spaces. In many instances, powerful simplicity
aptly describes these spaces such as an indoor pool by
Optima which gives the illusion of swimming outdoors as
it is framed on one side by floor-to-ceiling glass walls
and the same treatment in mirrors on the opposite wall
reflecting the outside foliage in. Exterior photos are
accompanied by several key visually commanding interior
ones. While the photos are broken down through brief
synopsis below the picture, the main text of each
chapter serves as a kind of biographical introduction
for each firm. This text focuses on the inspiration,
thoughts, philosophy and guiding design principles in
the context of the firm's experience and practice. Some
of the more notable firms contributing to this effort
are Wilkinson Blender Architecture, Tigerman McCurry
Architects, Searl & Associates and Burns + Beyerl
Architects.
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The Architect's Handbook of
Professional Practice
14th Edition
Joseph A. Demkin, AIA
Executive Editor
John Wiley & Sons,
Inc.
March 2008
ISBN 978-0-470-00957-4
Hardcover 1040 pgs
$250.00
Architects must be
proficient in a variety of business practices to
contribute to, manage, or launch a successful firm.
Knowledge of legal, financial, marketing, management,
and administrative responsibilities, as well as
architect-specific professional standards and AIA
contract documents, is essential for the profession. In
response to how practice is rapidly changing at the
start of the twenty-first century, The American
Institute of Architects (AIA) has authored a
significantly revised Fourteenth Edition of The
Architect's Handbook of Professional Practice.
Published by Jon Wiley & Sons, a leading publisher for
architects, this reference continues to be the
definitive guide to running an architectural practice.
Now revised and fully updated, the book covers
everything from project delivery methods to professional
development and firm management.
First published in 1920,
The Architect's Handbook of Professional Practice
was written by a team and edited by a team of leading
architects as well as experts in law and business. Wiley
and the AIA worked closely to develop this edition,
starting with an extensive survey of readers of the
previous edition to gain feedback on information that
architects need in their practices. With this insight,
the AIA carefully evaluated, topic by topic, the entire
content of the previous edition.
Now completely updated
with one-third new content and substantial revisions
throughout, The Architect's Handbook of Professional
Practice includes major new information on
programming, project management, construction contract
administration, risk management, and ethics. All content
makes reference to the latest AIA Contract Documents,
including those released in 2007. Two CD-ROMS now
accompany the book with the complete searchable text of
the book as well as more than 100 sample PDFs of all
current AIA Contract Documents, including those released
in 2007. Plus, it features:
-
Coverage of
sustainable design, managing multiple offices,
lifelong learning, mentoring,, and team building
-
Considerations for
small firms as well as emerging issues such as
integrated practice
-
Useful appendices with
lists of related organizations, copies of the 2007
versions of the A201 general conditions, and the
B101 owner-architect agreement, and more.
Released
from Wiley News
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Great Houses of Chicago
1871-1921
By Susan S. Benjamin
and Stuart Earl Cohen
Acanthus Press
c
2008
ISBN 0926494392
Hard cover 336 pgs
$75.00
With Chicago's world
renown reputation for its innovation in high-rise
buildings, its no wonder that comparatively minimal
focus-Wright's prairie-style designs excepted-has been
afforded to it's high-style residences. Great Houses
of Chicago: 1871-1921 by Susan Benjamin and Stuart
Cohen aims to bring a bit more balance to that perceived
inequity. The essence of Great Houses of Chicago is an
in-depth profile of 34 of Chicago's signature
residences, most of them being mansions of the area's
wealthy business magnets from the 19th and early 20th
centuries. These profiles are highlighted by often rare
collections of archival photographs, drawing and floor
plans. The only qualms here being the absence of color
photography when surely it was possible. Perhaps the
exclusive use of black and white photos were meant to
establish a strong sense of visible continuity
throughout.
As would be expected by
anyone familiar with Chicago's legacy of architectural
demolition, we are well beyond several profiles before
the emergence of any which are still standing today-the
Nickerson House being one and the Glessner and Charnley
House being two others. The introduction chronicles "the
wheels of progress" which ran roughshod over most of the
mansions along Lake Shore Drive designed by famous
architects in order to replace them with the
non-descript plethora of apartments we see standing
today. One of the more jarring illustrations shows the
photo of an elegant mansion at the corner of Fullerton
and Lakeview juxtaposition with a photo of an apartment
which replaced it even though it was a Mies van der
Rohe-designed building. Nevertheless, this book gives a
fun and informative look at many of the mansions of the
regional titans of commerce most are quite familiar
with. These would include Marshall Field's residence,
the Palmer's, the Armour's and the McCormick's to name a
few.
As stated in the Forward,
"the authors follow several lines of dramatic tension
from the aping of European tastes to attempts to define
new national regional styles." The reader can join
the authors in "tracking shifts in those tastes and
style cycles from avant-garde to passé."
Throughout the introduction, the authors ponder the
question of whether Chicago had a distinctive style not
unlike New York, Boston and Washington D.C.?
Thought-provoking reflections are also entertained like
"why the progression of French-influenced homes during
this era when it seemed like the skeleton-frame
construction and prairie school should have redefined
the architectural tenor of the entire city?"
Additionally, the authors boldly theorize that the
dominant architectural form of 19th Century
Chicago-Richardsonian-Romanesque- might indeed be the
reality of the architectural progression and modernity
in design that Louis Sullivan referred to in his
commentary on the future of American architecture during
the 1893 World's Fair.
With the inclusion of an
appendix for a biographical list of the architects
referenced and a list of all landmarked profiles, Great
Houses of Chicago: 1871-1921 would be a good addition to
the library of anyone who enjoys history and
architecture.
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Biophilic Design
The Theory, Science, and Practice of Bringing Buildings to
Life
Edited By: Stephen R. Kellert, Judith H. Heerwagen,
Martin L. Mador
Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New
Jersey
Published simultaneously in Canada
c 2008
ISBN 978-0-470-16334-3 (cloth)
Hard cover 385 pgs $75.00
In many ways, architects
have been making up new ways to incorporate green into
there masterpieces. No, I’m not talking about money; I
am talking about latest term in today’s “sustainable”
vocabulary—Biophilic design. Biophilia has been defined
as the “love of life or living systems.” In the slightly
overwhelming words of the authors of Biophilic
Design: The Theory, Science, and Practice of Bringing
Buildings to Life the theme is easy to pick up—build
to the theme of green. Even though the term may seem new
to many, the reality is that biophilic design has been
among us and is an ever-growing trend of contemporary
architectural design. Every time you walk through the
streets of a city you can actually just stop for a
second and look around at how many new buildings are
using this philosophy of design. This unique practice of
marrying our built structures to their environments has
been revealed in the work of many great architects like
Frank Lloyd Wright who brought the principle of “organic
design” to public consciousness near the early part of
the 20th century.
Biophilic design is used
in many fields like landscape architecture, contracting,
planning and interior designing. Biophilic design is
being used more and more in this present day in age than
ever before in our lives. Biophilic doesn’t just mean to
design a building or house to look like a tree or
something related; it could actually be just some minor
detail or some sustainable amenity you wouldn’t even
pick up unless you were paying close attention. There
are small details in the Chicago area that represent
this design concept in ways you may have never taken
note of before. An example might be the shade trees,
hedges and berms we walk by daily. These naturally
protective and aesthetic amenities may not seem like
much at first glance as we’re so accustomed to their
presence, but if you think about it for a second,
without these trees and hedges we would truly be living
in a “concrete jungle” with the result being a
deleterious effect on our mental and physical health.
From his treatment in this
work, Frank Lloyd Wright seems to hold a place as a
pioneer in this type of design. As was stated earlier,
he has been incorporating the principles and practices
of Biophilic design since before many others during his
time were even aware of the need and advantages to
“bringing their buildings to life” so to speak. He
utilized his own design methods to build some of the
most beautifully designed houses imaginable like the
house he had designed near Pittsburgh Pennsylvania,
Falling Water. Although the material in Biophilic Design
can appear to be a bit much for the average
non-professional and the presentation of it often reads
fairly dense, this book will nevertheless help you gain
an in-depth knowledge of this contemporary design trend
and will provide a pretty good sample of visuals to
begin to bring this area of design to life.
Illustrations of work from other noteworthy architects
like, Fay Jones, Louis Khan, the
Cook+Fox Architects who have utilized this line of
thinking, along with many other timely references in
this book can’t help but to provide you with a good head
start in beginning to grasp the world of Biophilic
design.
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Urban Loft:
How Chicago Redefined
the Architecture
By Christina Noelle
Forward by Jim
Plunkard, Principal Hartshorne and Plunkard
Architects, Ltd.
Bridge House
Publishing, Inc., Miami
c
2008
ISBN 978-0-9672215-5-7
Hard cover 168 pgs $44.96
In recent times, Chicago
has seen a noticeable growth in the proliferation of a
unique urban housing style referred to as lofts.
Primarily the domain of a typically artist-oriented
community throughout New York's manufacturing and
warehousing districts, the urban loft has attained a
greater level of popularity around the country. It is
this trend, the history behind it, and its emergence
upon the Chicagoland cityscape which Urban Loft:
How Chicago Redefined the Architecture seeks to
address.
According to the author,
Christina Noelle, the architecture firm of MCZ
Development, first took on the idea of loft conversion
in Chicago over 25 years ago. MCZ Development's
forward-thinking in this area of urban design has been
ahead of a surge in local residential and commercial
loft development. Quoting MCZ Development on their role
in this market, "we're not geniuses, just responding to
a demand. It was the idea that it had to be cheaper to
start out with a building that was standing than to
build something new."
Urban Loft begins
with an historical overview of the evolution of the
modern loft. It traces its origins to Parisian artists'
lofts as affordable spaces and follows its development
through the Industrial Revolution when there was a
flurry of factory construction. From there, the journey
ends up in New York which has been credited by many as
the the birthplace of the modern loft. It was here that
it became "the territory of the cool, successful, and
beautiful where everyone who was anyone wanted to live."
Additional themes explored
in Urban Lofts include those entitled: "Daniel
Burnham, The Godfather of Chicago Architecture," "The
South Loop," and an intriguing chapter titled,
"Bucktown, The Beatles, and Chicago Urban Lofts."
Scattered throughout are small boxed sections called
Architects Tales and Urban Tales which highlight
testimonials on the featured subjects within each
chapter. Although most of the books photographs profile
work developed from the author's firm, they are
nonetheless informative and visually appealing. Finally,
Noelle takes a closing look at the use of lofts for
office space throughout the city. For an introduction to
lofts and insights into the history behind this trend in
living space, Urban Lofts seems to us as a good
place to start.
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International Practice
for Architects
By Bradford Perkins,
FAIA, MRAIC, AICP
Perkins Eastman
Architects
John Wiley & Sons,
Inc.
c
2008
ISBN
978-0-471-76087-0
Text 374 pages $75.00
If you've ever questioned
whether your firm should pursue work overseas or
wondered if a small or medium-sized firm could
successfully pursue international work and what do you
do to to start, International Practice for Architects
was written for you. The 374-page book focuses on the
many rewards and issues facing North American-based
architects, planners, landscape architects, interior
designers and other design professionals in more than a
dozen disciplines when practicing overseas. The
author shares his personal experiences from a career
that spans 38 years and has involved projects in more
than 30 countries, as well as insights from other
leading design principals to provide readers with a
comprehensive introduction to international practice.
According to Mr. Perkins,
"Virtually every aspect of the North American economy
has been affected by globalization. For many in our
industry, international practice is professionally
gratifying and profitable-for others it is a serious
drain on their firm's human and financial resources.
This book is intended to demystify global practice,
serving as a guide for those contemplating international
work as well as providing a current overview of the
international climate for those already engaged
overseas."
Said John E. Czarnecki,
Acquisitions Editor, Architecture and Design, John Wiley
& Sons, Inc.: International Practice for Architects
synthesizes the myriad issues to architectural practice
across the globe. Whether a firm is considering
the following in another country: opening an office,
going for a project, or partnering with another firm,
Bradford Perkin's book is an essential read for
practitioners. Perkins's expertise in growing a
respected international firm coupled with his body of
Wiley-published work, including a contribution to the
upcoming 14th edition of The Architect's Handbook of
Professional Practice, made him a natural choice to
write this book."
Added Mr. Perkins, "I have
found that some of the most essential lessons and
experiences relevant to the future of my own practice
can be found overseas. Here in the U.S., it is
virtually impossible for an architect to plan on a grand
scale--but that doesn't hold true in China, India, the
Middle East and many other places abroad--in fact in
China, the government is developing a string of
'eco-cities,' self-sustaining urban centers the size of
large western capitals. In Beijing, a one million
square-foot, five-level mall was planned, designed and
built in less than three years.
"But having said that, it
is important to approach these opportunities with
caution--the book explores the potential pitfalls of
practicing overseas as well."
The majority of the book
is dedicated to introducing the reader to over 185
countries and overseas territories around the
world--many of which have used North American design
services. The author highlights the most pressing issues
facing North American design professionals working in
the regions/countries that have most frequently employed
international architects for significant projects,
including Latin American, Western Europe, Eastern
Europe, Russia and the States of the Former Soviet
Union, Africa, The Middle East and South Asia.
Other chapters include: Eight reasons to consider
international practice--and 10 reasons to be cautious,
How to plan an international practice and The nuts and
bolts of running an international practice. With
numerous case studies, highlighted box sections of
importance, illustrations and an appendix of helpful
documents and guidelines, International Practice for
Architects will become an valuable too for industry
professionals.
Portions of this review
are reprinted from A Wiley press release
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Inspired by Nature:
The Garfield Park
Conservatory and
Chicago's West Side
By Julia S. Bachrach
and Jo Ann Nathan
Forward by Alex
Kotlowitz
University of Chicago
Press
c
2007
ISBN
978-0-9794125-0-9
Soft cover 150 pgs $25.00
Few places in Chicago
have such a rich and long historical heritage and
yet still be a hidden gem to so many as the Garfield
Park Conservatory on the Westside of the city.
Inspired by Nature: The Garfield Park Conservatory
and Chicago's West Side by Julia S. Bachrach
and Jo Ann Nathan does its part to remedy that.
These authors do a commendable job here of
recounting the design, political, and architectural
history of the park, conservatory and the city's
west side in a thorough manner that doesn't bog down
the reader with laborious information framed in
dense blocks of endless text.
The book, on the
contrary, is broken down into 3 simple sections: The
Park, The Conservatory, and The Community. Using
phrases to describe the park like "a living
landmark" and " a community prairie with a seductive
quality," the authors demonstrate a deep sense of
appreciation and respect for this public expanse
which we're told is nearly the size of Brookfield
Zoo. A wealth of fascinating facts and rarely
seen photos of the park environs from its origins to
the present are scattered throughout Inspired by
Nature. One such fact was how Chicago's 19th
century residents desperately sought to carve out
"green space" against the fury of development and
result of their victory is a reward that is a
"tapestry if lagoons, landscapes and diverse
architecture."
The roles of iconic
architectural designers of the day like William Le
Baron Jenny and famed landscaper master Jens Jenson
are highlighted in the early discussions about the
genesis and early evolution of the park and the
conservatory. In addition, the book also traces the
beginnings of large scale public and private
greenhouse projects from Europe to their
counterparts eventually arriving in the United
States. Of note is the section on the park's
fieldhouses' evolving function over the years which
saw it re-fitted as civil defense facility during
World War II and the expand its connection to the
community via offering educational programs for kids
as well as adults up to this present day. We think
that its a good bet you'll probably want to make
that first visit or return trip to the park and
conservatory after finishing this book.
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The Architecture
Handbook:
A Student Guide to
Understanding Buildings
By Jennifer Masengarb
and Krisann Rehbein
Chicago Architecture
Foundation
c
2007
ISBN 0-9620562-7-8
Soft cover 460 pgs $75.00
Never has a text been
so necessary and so long overdue. Such is the
case with the Chicago Architecture Foundation's
release of their new student and instructor's
manual-The Architecture Handbook: A Student Guide
to Understanding Buildings. Since 1951,
Chicago Public School students have utilized a
78-page architectural drafting manual with example
exercises of farmer Brown's plot, a one-story summer
home, and a small brick garage. Needless-to-say most
teachers in the system turned to other more
contemporary texts long ago to more adequately
address the current technological and design
innovations of a post modern world.
The Architecture
Handbook is a collaborative work of educators,
architectural professionals, and students over a
2-year period. The new text is designed to
shift the focus from away from mastery of basic
drafting principles to encouraging students to
develop a broader scope of architecture while giving
them a contemporary framework to engage their
environment through problem solving, group dynamics,
and industry design practices. “It shows us
examples of architecture that are relevant to our
lives,” says one student involved with the formation
of the text.
The student text is
divided into 6 projects consisting of The Block
Plan, the Site Plan, the Floor Plan, the Elevation,
the Building Section, and the Design Project.
Within each project section are vocabulary,
professional testimonials, contextual math problems,
color visuals of local structures relevant to the
problem, simple skills tasks and more complex design
project situations. One of the more prominent design
examples used in the text is the F19 House, an 1800
sq. ft. award-winning green home in Chicago.
Contemporary design trends such as green
architecture, sustainability and re-adaptability are
prominently present throughout the book. A 600-page
teacher's manual is also available with a CD-ROM
containing more than 60 hands-on classroom
activities and a full set of construction drawings
for the case study home. For more
information on this text visit
www.architecture.org/archhandbook or contact the
CAF at 312-922-3432 x246.
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Downtown Chicago in
Transition
By Eric Bronsky and
Neal Samors
Chicago's Books
Press c 2007
ISBN: 0-9797892-0-6
Hardcover 256 pages $39.50
Inspired by the recent
closings and conversions of Marshall Fields to New
York-based Macy's and the State Street flagship store of
Carson Pirie Scott's to its next re-adaptation, authors
Eric Bronsky and Neal Samors dusted off an "ever growing
collection of [vintage] photos" to put their reflections
in "tangible form". Downtown Chicago in Transition
is the result of that project. As historians and free
lance writers, Bronsky and Samors endeavor to share with
the reader the culmination of their work to
"preserve the memory" of
some of Chicago's lost civic treasures. In the midst of
many such literary efforts along the same vein, Downtown
Chicago in Transition states its case for uniqueness in
that its aim as stated in the introduction is "to convey
a sense of time and place [of the city's central
district's growing pains over the years] based more on
[the] first-hand experience" of the authors.
It didn't take very long
for this book to stir emotional recollections of my past
as the very first photo of old State and Lake theater
reminded me of trips to the Loop as a youth to see the
latest Hollywood offering at the time. Downtown
Chicago in Transition is divided up into four main
parts: The Rise Skyward, Two Challenging Decades, The
Construction Boom and Renaissance. Testimonial
quotes from personal accounts by notable and Chicagoans
and others throughout add a personal touch to the images
and historical detail contained in each section. One
example within the text clearly in step with the book's
title is the photographs showing throngs flocking to the
new Sears, Roebuck & Co. flagship store at State and Van
Buren, 1932 taken in consideration with the present
reality of the seemingly invisible presence of Sears
today on State Street. Additional photos of old
and new buildings are juxtaposed for contrast between
times past and present day. Some of the major
topics of transition covered here include the effects of
the State Street mall, the civil rights movement, and
the construction of the "L."
Any primarily photographic
treatment of an urban transition is not likely to be an
in-depth analysis of factors critical to these
changes-this being no exception- nevertheless, this
project works as a nostalgic look back at an area of the
nation's third largest city that has become a
focal point of interest to not only Chicagoans but the
world.
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Building a Century
of Progress
The Architecture of
Chicago's 1933-34 World's Fair
By Lisa D. Schrenk
University of Minnesota
Press c 2007
Minneapolis and London
Hardcover 357 pages $39.95
In light of the renewed
attention brought to the 1893 World's Columbian
Exposition through the best seller The Devil in the
White City by Erik Larson, it only stands to reason
that someone would follow up that successful effort with
a book focusing on Chicago's other world's
fair-the 1933-34 Columbian Exposition. Although
not a work of fiction like the afore-mentioned
historical novel, Lisa D. Schrenk's Building a Century
of Progress: The Architecture of Chicago's 1933-34
World's Fair is nonetheless a fascinating read for
anyone who has more than a passing interest on the
foundations of Chicago's and modern America's
architectural legacy. In over 250 pages, Schrenk-an
associate professor of architectural history at Norwich
University in Northfield, Vermont-gives a thorough
overview of not only one of the least publicized of the
two Chicago fairs, but more significantly, its impact on
modern and post-modernist practices in the Chicago and
around the nation. This focus and its historical
relevance can be summarized in a quote within the
introduction: ..."the architecture of the 1933-34
Chicago's World's Fair reflected the underlying goals
among its designers to create a distinctly American
modern architecture that was clearly relevant to the
times. The result was a wide range of innovative
designs." The innovative structural and building
materials themselves make a strong case for this
premise. These included the suspension roof, the
concrete shell roof, gypsum board, masonite, and glass
blocks as standouts among others. Throughout her
seven chapters, Schrenk takes the reader on a methodical
journey from inception to conclusion of what was said to
have been the "largest architectural undertaking put
forth during the Great Depression." Schrenk
discusses the incorporation of the sciences into the
fair's structural and building innovations and
residential design trends introduced at the fair.
Additionally, the author lets us in some of the
controversial elements of this momentous event through
including some of the thoughts, feelings and
interactions of some the times most famous
contemporaries like Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Sullivan,
George F. Keck and Norman Geddes. Some of the most
delightful inclusions in this book are the many vintage
posters which promoted the fair. Also, Building a
Century of Progress makes available a full array of
photos of the pavilions and buildings which help to
connect the reader to the period visually. This is
literary effort would be a nice addition to a collector
of books on Chicago and its architectural roots.
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Chicago's Urban
Nature
A Guide to the
City's Architecture + Landscape
By Sally A. Kitt
Chappell
University of Chicago
Press c 2007
Chicago and London
Softcover 253 pages $20.00
It's not often that we get
a book on Chicago's built environment whose primary aim
is not only just the well-documented, historical
architectural structures but purposes to rightfully
complete that conversation with the landscape around it.
Chicago's Urban Nature: A Guide to the City's
Architecture + Landscape is a refreshingly insightful
look into some of the city's most compelling "green
spaces" and plazas. Sally A. Kitt Chappell embarks upon
a mission to re-focus our perception of architecture in
the context of the outdoor environs we interact with
daily for better or worse. Introducing the phrase
"Urban Nature," Chappell hopes to lead the reader away
from the compartmentalization of architecture and
landscaping toward a more holistic understanding in
consideration of our buildings and their natural
settings. Within the preface, we're given a fairly
clear direction of this work and that is to be as much a
"pedagogical" guide to visitors, natives, and
professionals as much as a tourist tool to the same.
In examining historical and contemporary designs in area
parks, plazas, promenades, etc., Chappell wants the
reader to see the less distinct boundaries between the
natural world and its built environment and landscape
architecture and infrastructure. The book is broken down
into 8 major subject areas as parts covering such topics
as Chicago's river walks, educational and cultural
architecture, public and private spaces, sanctuaries and
so on. Many of the sites chosen demonstrate
effective ways of connecting residential buildings to
each other and to the city. A good number of full
color photography and evaluative commentary add to all
that makes this guide a worthwhile resource to have.
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Chicagoland
City
and Suburbs in the Railroad Age
By Ann Durkin Keating
University of Chicago
Press c 2005
Softcover 262 pages $25.00
Don't let
the title of this work fool you. Even though at first
glance this appears to be a study based entirely on the
theme of railroading with a regional focus on
Chicagoland. Yet, that doesn't even begin to
indicate the feast of historically significant public
and private dwellings-each with their own story to
tell-contained within its pages. The book opens by
informing us that the Dearborn Street Station is the
last remaining of the major rail terminals in downtown
Chicago. It goes on to give us the design and functional
history of this and many others structures which are are
now designated historical landmarks in the city and
suburbs. A sample of the buildings highlighted
here are homes, schools, churches, railroad buildings,
breweries and institutions. Many of the subjects
highlighted are obscure but interesting residential and
public structures which tell a story of the earliest
beginnings of a host of Chicago neighborhoods and
suburban communities in the `9th and 20th century.
Keating
methodically and skillfully unearths the origins of many
of our well-known suburbs themselves such as Skokie and
Warrenville which trace their history to agricultural
settlements and others like Downers Grove which have
their beginnings as rail centers.
Within the
book's 8 chapters, the author discusses Daniel Burnham's
Plan of Chicago and how the railroads defined our metro
area and influenced how it was laid out. Also, addressed
in this discussion are issues of historical
preservation. Overall one will find a depth of
unexpected architectural information and photos of
Chicago's past glories now existing only in our memories
and present treasures recognizable to most. If you pick
this up, be prepared to sit awhile.
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New Sustainable
Homes
Designs For Healthy Living
By James Grayson
Trulove
Collins Design c 2006
Hardcover 175 pages $35.00
Trulove's book New
Sustainable Homes: Designs For Healthy Living, tackles
the trend of sustainable design and construction with
the perspective of an property salesman. In his
recent recent work, this notable author on contemporary
design showcases some of the best residential examples
of incorporating "green design" principles in diverse
eye-catching projects all around the country, including
one in South Africa. Many of these projects are located
in Texas and the East Coast with a few West Coast
examples and one Southern-with a glaring omission of
entries from the Midwest. What, are there no worthy
examples anywhere in the Midwest? Despite that slight,
these selected homes have all-star fingerprints all over
them, several being designed by the likes of such
architectural standouts as Pugh+Scarpa Architecture, E.
Cobb Architects, James Grose, and Steven Erlich.
Also conspicuous by its
absence is a cost breakdown of many of these innovations
along with an overall cost for the home which possibly
would have kept things on a realistic level allowing for
any pragmatic decisions which will inevitably have to be
made by anyone considering these extras as an option.
New Sustainable Homes is
at is essence an illustrated advertisement for this
direction of design and does that exceptionally well.
Along with the descriptive photos of the selected homes'
interiors and exteriors, Trulove provides a summary
description of each house, plan and sectional drawings,
along with a list of its sustainable features. If
you're curious about how the incorporation of
sustainable concepts have worked in the best of
residential projects across the country, this is a book
you might want to check out.
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Unexpected Chicagoland
By: Camilo Jose Vergara
and Timothy J Samuelson
The New Press, New York c 2001
Hardcover 164 pages $49.95
lf you have an eye for
architectural detail in the urban streetscapes you
encounter, Unexpected Chicagoland is a work you
should consider looking in to. Timothy Samuelson
-currently historian for the Chicago Department of
Cultural Affairs-and Camilo Jose Vergara take the reader
on what is akin to an up close and personal tour of a
select number of Chicago's uncelebrated neighborhood
treasures. Many of these structures stand in a
sense as our city's ancient ruins in that they exist
often obscured, defaced or crumbling, victims of urban
neglect, blight or excessive commercialization.
The book's flyleaf
succinctly states its purpose as "document[ing] the
effects of time, technology, commercialism, traditional
culture, and disinvestment on a built environment.."
The authors accomplish this by focusing the reader's
attention on the uniqueness and profundity of buildings
and the architectural details of those buildings in some
of Chicago's ethnic enclaves. Unexpected
Chicago accomplishes this with 18 chapters of
diverse topics running the gamut from Victorian turrets
to Lithuanian Art Deco to treasures found in the
Bohemian National Cemetery. Additionally, there
are 200 full-color photos of architectural structures
throughout Chicago and into Northwest Indiana. Each
illustration is attended with helpful information on the
architect, style, location, and the year of
construction along with a brief historical perspective
and the insightful commentary on each object of
interest. We feel that Unexpected Chicago
will provide a continual awareness of the uniqueness of
our built environment each time you make an excursion
into this great urban environment.
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Historic Photos of Chicago
By: Russell Lewis
Turner Publishing c 2006
Hardcover 216 pages $39.95
Although not as extensive
or detailed as Richard Nickel's Lost Chicago, Russell
Lewis' Historic Photos of Chicago offers a compelling
visual time capsule of memories of interest and
excellence which would would be fading by now if it
weren't for works such as this. Lewis captures the
city's architectural and personality past through a
selection of gripping pictures taken from the archives
of the Chicago History Museum. The book is divided
in 5 major chapters covering such periods as Chicago
Before the Fire, Reconstruction, the Depression and the
city's violent episodes. The book is true to its title
in that is a collection of historically significant
photographs, but Lewis lets the photos tell the story
themselves with just enough narrative to fill in the
necessary informational holes. The book begins with a
photo of Potter Palmer's Gold Coast mansion in 1914
which opened the door to that area as the toney address
that it would eventually become. Typical subjects
throughout the book include mansions, churches, civic
and commercial buildings, streetscapes and educational
institutions. The last chapter deals with a modern
period from 1940 to 1970, but comes across as a cursory
treatment of that period mentioning only the Prudential
Building, Civic Center and Water Tower Place-which was
completed in 1973. This book would would be a fine
addition to your library to express Chicago's rich and
ravaged architectural past.
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Workplace Skills for
Success with AutoCAD 2007
A Layered Learning
Approach
By: Dean Zirwas and Gary
Koser
Prentice Hall
Softcover Manual $60.00
If you're one of the few
who've already upgraded to AutoCAD 2007 or are
planning to soon, this helpful text is appropriate
for introductory courses or basic training
situations. Projects, assignments, examples, and
tutorials draw from the architectural, civil and
mechanical industries. An instructor's disk and
student companion are included.
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The Next Architect
A
New Twist on the Future of Design
By James P. Cramer and
Scott Simpson
Greenway Communications
June c 2006
Softcover 155 pages $39.95
Sitting down to peruse
what the title alludes to be a forward-looking if
not insightful analysis of how the future might
shape and be shaped by the professional architect, I
was struck by the simplicity of the book’s structure
and its content. Depending on who you are in
relationship to the industry that might either be
good or bad.
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The Politics of Place: A History of Zoning in
Chicago
Joseph P. Schwieterman
and Dan M Caspall
Lake Claremont Press,
c 2006, Chicago
Softcover, 13
chapters, 191 pgs $19.95 |
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The first
paragraph of chapter 1 gives immediate clarity
to the focus and direction of this ambitious
project. The authors inform us that their
purpose is to “…look back at the effects of the
city’s spectacular growth on its physical
character and its efforts to resolve land-use
conflicts prior to the advent of zoning. [Also
to] …explore the adoption and evolution of
Chicago’s zoning ordinance and the many ways
zoning has changed the appearance of this great
city.”
Although the
read-through takes on a noticeably academic
tenor (lots of detailed information, heavy on
the text, presented in a tight format), it’s a
fascinating and informative work even if you’re
not a professional or academic. Great black and
photo selections of significant players and
places in the history of Chicago’s architectural
and civic prominence.
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Chicago’s Famous Buildings 5th Edition
Franz Schultz and
Kevin Harrington
The University of
Chicago Press, c 2003, Chicago and London
Softcover, 348 pgs
$14.00 |
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One of the better
handy guides to many of Chicago’s most notable
structures and spaces. In a layout that is easy
to read and reference through, the authors give
short but informative bios for 140
architecturally significant areas of the city
and an additional 28 found in the suburbs. The
coverage in this project offers a nice mix of
the expected architectural stars along with some
just as impressive but not as well known lesser
lights throughout the Chicagoland. The manual
also contains over 60 nice black & white photos
and a short glossary of helpful terms.
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Millennium Park:
Creating a Chicago Landmark
Timothy J. Gilfoyle
c2006 The University
of Chicago Press, 442 pps.
Soft Cover, $45.00 |
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As I began my trek
through the opening pages of Millennium Park, I
encountered a visual treat of full-color photos
of this popular park, many from unique
perspectives capturing the nuances of light and
shadow produced from various hours of the day.
Thinking it to be another visual expose’ of this
growing tourist attraction, I thought, “I could
handle that.” But much to my delight, this work
proved to be that and so much more. A professor
of history at Loyola University in Chicago,
Timothy J. Gilfoyle gives the reader a thorough
look not just at the present realities of all
that one can experience at Millennium, but he
takes them through the history of the entire
stretch of Lakefront comprising Grant Park as
well. Gilfoyle divides the 19 chapters of his
work into three main section covering the
history, politics (no serious treatment of a
Chicago project could be without it), and
culture. The author doesn’t just gives us the
superficial niceties of Millennium, but shows us
the problems along with the contribution of all
the major players-public and behind the
scenes-in bringing this Park to completion.
Each of the artistic elements of Millennium Park
are given a chapter which takes us from their
conception, their creators to their role and
impact upon the landscape of the venue
individually and as a whole. At a cost of $$$$$,
Millennium Park would make a great gift for a
visiting friend or for your own collection.
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Prairie Style: House
and Garden
By F. L. Wright
By: Dixie Legler
and Christian Korab
Stewart, Tabori &
Chang,
New York, New
York, 1999. 207 pgs.
Hardcover. $45.00 |
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Eye Catching color
photography with non typical evening shots
offering nice views of the lighting utilized and
its effusion through Wrights world renown leaded
designed windows. This book is broken up into
sections on the Prairie Style, Wrights signature
houses, and finally, his colleagues.
Biographical sketches of the prairie school
designers are added. There are also several
paragraphs of storyline provided for the homes
as well as the communities which defined them.
If you're looking for a primarily photographic
treatment of prairie school design, this looks
to be a good place to start.
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