AIA Guide to Chicago [Paperback]

Alice Sinkevitch (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 15, 1993

The most wide-ranging guide to Chicago’s built environment, written under the auspices of the american Institute of Architects, the Chicago Architecture Foundation, and the Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois. Index; black-and-white and duotoned photographs and maps.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Even the taxi drivers in Chicago talk about architecture. But only now, a century after the World's Columbian Exposition, the city has an architectural guide on a par with the AIA Guide to New York City (Harvest: Harcourt, 1988), long the standard for this type of work. Geographically arranged by neighborhoods (including Oak Park, for the Wright reason), the book is highly selective (roughly 1000 buildings receive comment) but also contextual, with examples from the bungalow neighborhoods as well as the high points in the Loop. Building entries range from 50 to 500 words, and areas or neighborhoods get succinct character introductions. Buy it at O'Hare; your taxi driver won't part with his copy. Essential for all architecture collections.
- Jack Perry Brown, Art Inst. of Chicago Libs.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

Even the taxi drivers in Chicago talk about architecture. But only now, a century after the World's Columbian Exposition, the city has an architectural guide on a par with the AIA Guide to New York City (Harvest: Harcourt, 1988), long the standard for this type of work. Geographically arranged by neighborhoods (including Oak Park, for the Wright reason), the book is highly selective (roughly 1000 buildings receive comment) but also contextual, with examples from the bungalow neighborhoods as well as the high points in the Loop. Building entries range from 50 to 500 words, and areas or neighborhoods get succinct character introductions. Buy it at O'Hare; your taxi driver won't part with his copy. Essential for all architecture collections. - Jack Perry Brown, Art Inst. of Chicago Libs. (Library Journal )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 560 pages
• Publisher: Mariner Books; First Edition edition (June 15, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0156379759
• ISBN-13: 978-0156379755
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 4.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,339,618 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars a solid, valuable visual guide to Chicago's architecture, March 18, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: AIA Guide to Chicago (Paperback)

Chicago is generally known as one of the centers of modernist architecture, and this visual guidebook, complete with maps, photographs and authoritative little essays on most of the important buildings, is a must-buy if you plan to tour this richly textured urban center. It's also one of the best small resources for anyone interested in architecture from 1850 to the present. Inexpensive, designed to slip in your pocket, it holds up well-- I depend upon mine to help me with the walking tours of the city I give on a regular basis, and it's still in one piece after three or more years of hard use.

5.0 out of 5 stars Carry It With You, January 11, 2012

By 

Ohioan - See all my reviews

This review is from: AIA Guide to Chicago (Paperback)

This is a big book, but it's narrow enough to fit upright into a pocket or sideways into a large purse or bag, so you can carry it with you as you go on architectural walking tours. I find the history and construction information in the front of the book very interesting: it includes information on the settlement of Chicago, creative architecture, the Great Chicago Fire, neighborhoods, and other subjects. The rest of the book is organized by section, such as Central City, which contains The Loop, North Michigan Avenue and Streeterville, River North, and the South Loop. There are a total of seven large sections, each with subdivisions.

I still own this guide, but I really should replace it with the more recent edition, because architecture in Chicago is always happening.

5.0 out of 5 stars GUIDE TO CHICAGO, January 10, 2012

By 

Sherry A. Salvesen (AURORA, ILLINOIS) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: AIA Guide to Chicago (Paperback)

Recently, on PBS, they did another tour of Chicago. They showed many places that you would want to visit yourself but did not give specific addresses. I wrote them and asked if there was a guide to Chicago that could be used to find these places and they suggested the A1A Guide.

It truly is the Chicago Bible and in conjunction with the program DVD, you, too, can become an expert Chicago tour guide.

If you love Chicago and want to know every detail about it, this book must be added to your library.