Customer Reviews

The Atlas of American Architecture: 2000 Years of Architecture, City Planning, Landscape Architecture and Civil Engineering

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An immense and comprehensive book, this survey of American architecture doesn't tell us about architecture, it shows us through page after page of color photographs and illustrative notes. One can dip into the book for a casual few minutes of entertainment, or indulge in an evening of education and enlightenment. Actually, it's been multiple pleasant evenings for me.

The book seemed a little pricey when I ordered it. Now it seems like an excellent value, given the size and the amount of photography. I am planning to give it as a holiday gift to my brother & his wife who like old buildings as well as my brother-in-law, a practicing industrial architect with a repressed desire to dabble in residential.

P.S. Don't miss the chapter on Follies.

Loved the book - well researched and written - tons of great pictures coupled with excellent commentary.

Another seamless integration of informative text and illustration from
Rizzoli, which delivers a solid reference work on American
architecture, city planning, landscape architecture and civil
engineering from the pre-Columbian era to the present. Special
chapters on rural and industrial structures, diners, transportation,
hotels, expositions, and other architectural types add in extra flavor
to the heterogeneous mix of American building design.

The author has created a great resource for architectural historians
and enthusiasts. From opulent mansions to humble, handmade barns and
hot dog stands to suburban tract residences, Martinson points out the
various design elements in each and relates how different styles have
evolved in different regions of the U.S. It is a great sampler for
anyone interested in architecture and construction, and would be a
great textbook for any introductory college course on American
architectural history.