Product Description

Completely revised and updated, AIA Guide to Chicago, Second Edition is the liveliest and most wide-ranging guide ever written about Chicago's architecture. More than a thousand individual buildings are featured, along with more than four hundred photos-many taken expressly for this volume-and thirty-five specially commissioned maps. The book is arranged geographically so that the user, whether Chicago citizen or visitor, can tour each area of the city as conveniently as possible. Building descriptions focus on the illuminating-but easily overlooked-details that give the behind-the-scenes, often unexpected story of why a building took the shape it did. And in the best Chicago tradition, this guide does not shy away from opinions where opinions are called for.

Comprehensively researched, meticulously written, and more than thorough.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #91768 in Books
• Published on: 2004-04-12
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 592 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780156029087
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

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.

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 )

About the Author
ALICE SINKEVITCH, Hon.AIA, previously affiliated with the Chicago Architecture Foundation, is the executive director of the Chicago chapter of the American Institute of Architects. She lives in the Chicago area.

Customer Reviews

a solid, valuable visual guide to Chicago's architecture
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.

Not bad, but Chicago deserves better
Limited to the Chicago city limits and Oak Park, the selection of buildings is good, but certainly not exhaustive (Evanston would have been a nice addition). Since commercial architecture is so important to Chicago history, there is a palpable emphasis on these structures. The book is in standard AIA format, with short essays for each entry, some including a small photograph. In fact, the major flaw with this book, in my opinion, is the lack of effective photography. There's a photograph for, perhaps, one out of every ten building entries, and the entries that do include photos are often not that interesting. One tries to come away from this book with a mental image of Chicago, derived from the text, but with little assistance from photography. There are also more than a few entries that include no text, simply the building name, address, date and architect. Keep your favorite internet map program handy.

There are so many magnificent things to see in Chicago, it's a shame this guide doesn't much help us to see them. That (critical) matter aside, it's a solid and important addition to the AIA-sponsored series.

Great Resource
Excellent resource for people truly interested in the facts about architecture & design in Chicago. I would not recommend for the average traveler looking to discover more about Chicago architecture.