An Architectural Guidebook to Portland [Paperback]

Bart King (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 2007

Portland strikes a unique balance between the rich architectural traditions of the past and the cutting-edge creative developments of modern architecture. Within a small downtown area can be found 19th-century cast-iron-front buildings, skyscrapers, old brick warehouses, a landmark 1890 train station, historic bridges, and a distinguished assortment of museum, government, and retail buildings. Its civic planning, historic preservation, and overall attractiveness make Portland a place that natives revel in and visitors admire. Written for both layperson and professional, An Architectural Guidebook to Portland is filled with history and photos that demonstrate why this city is one of the most admired in the nation. The Guidebook’s first edition was praised for its readability and usefulness as a reference book. It has now been revised and updated to reflect Portland’s explosive growth in the 21st century. New features include an added focus on the development of “green buildings” and sustainable design in Portland, a chapter on downtown bridges, expanded coverage of the city’s vibrant neighborhoods, and a glossary of architectural terms. With over 250 entries that tell the stories behind Portland’s celebrated cityscape, this comprehensive guide is an indispensable resource for visitors and Portlanders alike.

Editorial Reviews

Review

(The book is) witty, informative, and accurate . . . a perceptive view of Portland architecture . . . profound congratulations on a job well done. -- WALLACE KAY HUNTINGTON, architectual historian, letter to author, 7/01

Bart King’s book . . . offers the perfect amount of interesting and enlightening information in a very accessible format. -- THE OREGONIAN, August 20, 2001

King not only examines the city’s architecture, but provides the social history behind it as well . . . -- WILLAMETTE WEEK, June 20th, 2001

Some of the building descriptions are even more intriguing than their accompanying black-and-white photos. -- THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE, June 24, 2001

This book is a plethora of riches, an irresistible read and a fine guide to many of Portland’s unique buildings. -- THE STATESMAN JOURNAL, June 10th, 2001 --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

From the Inside Flap

Contents Introduction Downtown--Courthouse Square and Environs Downtown--Park Blocks Downtown--Government Square, South Auditorium District, Portland State University Yamhill Historic District Old Town/Chinatown Pearl District Northwest Southwest Northease/North Southeast Bibliography Index --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Oregon State University; 2 edition (October 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0870711911
• ISBN-13: 978-0870711916
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #784,802 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #86 in Books > Travel > United States > States > Oregon

More About the Author

I write funny (and educational!) books for younger readers and immature adults. My newest title is "Cute! A Guide to All Things Adorable".

POP QUIZ-- One of my books was once Amazon's #5 overall bestseller. Guess which one!
HINT: It is a "big book."
ADDITIONAL HINT: It has a blue cover.
LAST HINT: It was "The Big Book of Boy Stuff".

Visit me at www.bartking.net

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A surprisingly fun read!, January 14, 2003

By 

Samantha Boyce (Salem, Oregon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Architectural Guidebook to Portland (Paperback)

I picked up a copy of this book in the Portland Airport, although I will confess that I didn't have high hopes for it. This guidebook turned out to be a great traveling companion. Its short entries are perfect for bursts of reading, and the the book really keeps the history (and humor!) flowing. I appreciated the book's ongoing commentary and interesting (even bizarre) facts. King seems to have done a great job of providing a thorough overview of the city's buildings, from the oldest to ones from the 21st century.
I would not only highly recommend this book for the casually interested, and the architecture expert, but also for the disinterested . . . it will hook them in!

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A true gem for the "normal" person living in Portland..., October 12, 2007

By 

Thomas Duff "Duffbert" (Portland, OR United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: An Architectural Guidebook to Portland (Paperback)

[Review of the second edition]

When I accepted the offer to receive and review a copy of the book An Architectural Guidebook To Portland, Second Edition by Bart King, I'll admit I wasn't waiting with anticipation for it to show up. In fact, had his request not had the line "No pressure! The book is particularly helpful as a cure for insomnia, however.", I probably would have let it pass. But much to my surprise, this was far more fun to read than I expected, and I'm glad I had the chance to see it.

Contents:
Introduction; Downtown; Cultural District, Government Center; Yamhill; Old Town - Chinatown; The Pearl; Northwest; Southwest; Southeast; Northeast; Downtown Bridges; Glossary; Photo Credits; Bibliography; Index

Portland has a very rich and colorful history from the early days as "Stumptown" to the present. And going into old historic sites fascinate me, as I can often "feel the past" when I imagine what things must have been like back then. But reading a book where someone waxes eloquent about the finer points of Romanesque versus Richardsonian Romanesque doesn't do a thing for me. Fortunately, this book is *far* from that. King divides up the city into some basic areas, and then covers approximately 20 to 30 buildings of note in each, ranging from the late 1800's to buildings that are due to start in the upcoming year. The first difference I noticed is that his choices are not all "excellent" examples of some style or architect. In fact, a number of his choices were voted "ugliest building in Portland" by various panels. You may not necessarily agree with the opinions, but he's not afraid to point out both thoroughbreds and nags. And he does it with a sharp and cutting sense of humor. Each selection usually has a short inset or sidebar that contains an interesting factoid that brings the building's history to life. Even the glossary is worth reading (yes, I was *that* hooked!). My favorite was probably the definition of portico... "A covered porch. There are many different styles. You do not care." It's not often I laugh out loud when reading. Especially so when architecture is the subject matter. This was a definite exception.

"Serious" students of architecture might feel that King doesn't treat the subject matter with the reverence that it deserves. To that I say, get a life. But for the average person who goes to work in downtown Portland every day without noticing the rich history around them, this book is a true gem.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT BOOK !, May 9, 2001

By 

Andy S. (Portland, OR USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Architectural Guidebook to Portland (Paperback)

King's book is modern day masterpeice. He takes a subject hard to write or read about (architecture) and a city not famously known for its architecture (Portland) and creates a wonderful read. I am a resident of Portland and I have only heard of a minority of the builings in the book. It astonishes me how little I know about my own city. I highly recommend An Architectural Giudebook to Portland.