Atlas of American Architecture

This book is an extraordinarily comprehensive consideration of the builtenvironment of America, from the earliest days of American pre-history totoday. More a detailed, illustrated, annotated survey than a guide, The Atlas ofAmerican Architecture uses a broad sampling of representative examples tobring focus to the incredible diversity of buildings, structures and man-madelandscapes of America. Turning first to architecture, the book looks atarchitecture and buildings by style of architecture and then by building type. Inthe first part, with sections for each style, from Spanish Colonial right upthrough Neo-Modernism, the entries are organized by style and region, withextensive illustrations. The text is easy to read, informed and accessible--informalwithout being casual and the entries reward casual browsing as much as theydo a page-by page read through. Next it looks at selected building types, fromfarm buildings and industrial structures to movie theatres and resorts. Lastly itturns to significant structures and man-made landscapes: town plans; gardensand landscape architecture; and bridges, roads and other public works. The finalresult is a detailed, informed and accessible tour of the structures that Americanshave made and that have made America, from early traces of Hopi constructionto contemporary architecture with forms that go beyond modern and point tothe future.