10 BUILDINGS THAT CHANGED AMERICA

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Product Description10 Buildings That Changed America tells the stories of ten influential works of architecture, the people who imagined them, and the way these landmarks ushered in innovative cultural shifts throughout our society. From American architectural stalwarts like Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright, to modern revolutionaries like Frank Gehry and Robert Venturi, this book examines the most prominent buildings designed by the most noteworthy architects of our time. Also profiled are Americans less noted for their architectural acumen, but no less significant for their contributions to the field. Thomas Jefferson, a self-taught architect, is profiled for designing the iconic Virginia State Capitol. Taking its inspiration from ancient Rome, America’s first major public building forged a philosophical link between America and the world’s earliest democracies. We see the legacy of the architects profiled like Mies van der Rohe or H.H. Richardson all around us: in the homes where we live, the offices where we work, our public buildings, and our houses of worship. 10 Buildings is the ideal collection to detail the flashes of inspiration from these architects who dared to strike out on their own and design radical new types of buildings that permanently altered our environmental and cultural landscape.ReviewPraise for the book and documentary 10 Buildings That Changed America: “In the PBS special 10 Buildings That Changed America, two architecture aficionados explain the origins of some of the country’s most influential building styles… [Dan Protess and Geoffrey Baer] chose the buildings for their groundbreaking use of style, function, and architectural language; inspiration of future architects; illustration of an American point of view; and fascinating backstories.” –Susan Karlin, Fast Company “10 Buildings That Changed America…proves that architecture is the cultural back-bone of any society.” –Vincenza Di Maggio, The Architect’s Newspaper “Hosted by Geoff Baer, expert in all things Chicago, and produced by WTTW Chicago in partnership with the Society of Architectural Historians, 10 Buildings That Changed America…range from the very early–Thomas Jefferson’s Virginia statehouse (1788)–to the very recent–Frank Gehry’s Walt Disney Concert Hall (2003). In between, Baer says in the preview, he wants to answer this question: ‘How did our nation’s notions about architecture change so dramatically?'” –Henry Grabar, The Atlantic Cities “10 Buildings That Changed America [is] a one-hour whirlwind documentary of American-made architecture. Host Geoffrey Baer, writer Dan Protess, and WTTW Chicago send the viewer on a journey of discovery.” –Jackie Craven, About.com Architecture blog “Writer-producer Dan Protess attempts to spark discussions about some of America’s most recognized structures and raise questions about their legacies… 10 Buildings provokes a critical assessment of not just these specific examples but also the houses, developments, factories, and skyscrapers that they inspired and that we encounter every day.” –Dante A. Ciampaglia, Architectural Record “Brought together in this list, the buildings seem to tell the story of not only U.S. architecture, but also suggests a narrative of how American culture and business developed… For a general audience, 10 Buildings That Changed America promises to introduce them to not only the history of architecture in the U.S., but also how design has helped shape the nation’s commercial and social landscapes, too.” –Reena Jana, SmartPlanet “[10 Buildings That Changed America will] take viewers inside each building and talk about how they shaped our lives and the future of American architecture… let’s indulge local pride–not only in [Robert] Venturi, but in his wife and architectural partner, Denise Scott Brown.” –Liz Spikol, PhillyMag.com “[10 Buildings That Changed America] provides an overview of 215 years of American architecture… Part of the dis