"Interesting, pleasant reading. This book serves as a guide to the buildings of Anchorage and as a travel companion to remote regions of the state."--Alaska History
Buildings of the United States is a series of books on American architecture compiled and written on a state-by-state basis. The primary objective of the series is to identify and celebrate the rich cultural, economic, and geographical diversity of the United States as it is reflected in the architecture of each state. The series has been commissioned by the Society of Architectural Historians, an organization devoted to the study, interpretation, and preservation of the built environment throughout the world.
"Some of the best and brightest writers and scholars in the field are behind this series....This looks like a classic series in the making."--The Boston Globe
"Buildings of the United States...is soon destined to be an irreplaceable and authoritative resource for anyone with an interest in American architecture."--Interior Design Magazine
"Beautifully produced....Clearly printed and pleasingly laid out.... A delight to browse through, and would be an essential companion to any tour of [Alaska]--American Studies Today
Product Description
Buildings of Alaska traces Alaska's architecture from the earliest dwellings made of sod, whalebone, and driftwood to the glass and metal skyscrapers of modern-day Anchorage. Focusing on the various cultural traditions that have helped shape the state's architecture, the volume also explores how Alaska's buildings reflect Alaskan's attempt to adapt to the unique conditions of their environment.
Here, Alison K. Hoagland examimes the contribution to the state's architectural history of three major cultural groups: native Alaskans, Russian settlers, and Americans for the lower 48. Divided into six regions--South Central, Southeastern, Interior, Northern, Western, and Southwestern--entries cover such structures as aboriginal houses, Russian Orthodix chruches, log roadhouses, false-front commercial buildings constructed during the gold-rush, concrete Moderne public buildings of the 1930s, and high-rise office buildings erected during the oil boom of the 1970s and 1980s.
With over 250 photgraphs, drawings, and maps, Buildings of Alaska is an unprecedented look at how Alaska's buildings reveal the personal attitudes and cultural precepts of its diverse group of inhabitants.
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