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4 comments about Paul R. Williams Architect.

1. This is a very nice book on a very important architect. It is nothing short of amazing that Mr. Williams had the career he had. He is a master of the California Regency, the style just exudes grandeur. This book does a fine job of hitting on his most well know buildings and gives a nice cross reference of his work. The text is very interesting because it comes from Ms. Hudson, his grand daughter and the pictures are quite vivid. I'm sure Mr. Williams would be proud that she has honored him in this way. Taking nothing away from Ms. Hudson, I would love to see UCLA do a series on his work with an architecture scholar, but for now this is a very nice tribute to a singular architect.



2. In 1868 the proposed amendment to Congress, was passed by the Senate to abrogate servitude on the shores of the Americas. Thus, it would seem exceptional to some, that only twenty-eight years later on the West Coast of the same shores had begun the legacy of an African American architect and the ascension of over 3,000 architectural structures. That architect was
   Paul R. Williams.
   Yet it was known in many circles that descendants of servitude were making strives in many a pursuit and occupation. Scientists, inventors, publishers, congressmen, and diplomats, the list is extensive. However, there is relatively très très peu known about the quality of Paul R. Williams, the architect. His granddaughter, Karen E. Hudson, the director of the PRWs archives, documents a veritable gold-mine of history within the annals of these pages. Although troubled by the "driving while black" phenomena, Paul R. Williams took the Booker T. Washington "bootstrap" premise to heart and created an empire of structures on the West Coast (Los Angeles in particular) and universally.
   A Legacy of Style is a collection of Williams' work from the 1920s to the 1960s. Prefacing with a conspectus on his life and continuing with a preliminary from David Gebhard, (architectural historian and curator), that traces PRW from his beginnings and interprets the style and significance of his life's work. Splayed throughout the pages are brief narratives from voluminous articles and books of Williams' writings. Through the photographs, illustrations, captions and dreams, the reader unearths the flavor of this architect's nearly six decades of elegance and polish, signature homes, characteristic PRW curves, sleekly designed molding and particularly his "refinement and high taste". Williams' affinity with the traditional and sensitivity to the modern allowed for a lasting style of moderne classique. Yet his style expands further, from Byzantine to European Gothic, to Colonial to the Pueblo, from Romanesque to the English Tudor, Paul R. Williams envelops it all. In the 1930s, Williams reprised the neoclassic style of the relationship between interior and exterior, as in his Jay Paley residence in Bel Air. With this, the inhabitants would embrace a sense freedom. He was at ease in working with diverse styles and locations, from the Beverly Hills Hotel to the Compton Housing Project.
   The advances Williams made despite the impediments would inspire the reader. The skills, such as drawing upside-down at a desk for his clients and developing the psychology of marketing his work were all elements of his craftsmanship, acumen, restraint and his concentration to detail. Being Black, he had faced difficulties that made him a " . . . far better craftsman today than I would be had my course been free." The reader will absorb his thoughts and hopes of being seen as an individual and his metamorphosis of his politicization of "being a Negro".
   Unfortunately, Williams was unable to complete some of the wishes he had for building in Nigeria nor did he complete the autobiography of his life, but Hudson fulfills an exquisite task in this preservation. Yes, a little known book that should be in everyone's home is also an essential chronicle for the student of architecture. Paul R. Williams, an exceptional man of character, has left us a legacy of style.

   Yasmain Broady-Soya...




3. Thank you Karen Hudson. Finally, the American public can learn that a great Architect is not just the arrogant Frank L. Wright that abandoned his wife and six children to run off with a client's wife to further practice his art. This book is about a cultured, hard working, creative and civic minded Black American Architect. In overcoming the racial adversity of the twentith century, Mr. Williams produced three times more work than Wright because of the confidence he instilled in his clients as an Architect that cared about their needs first and not his personal wants. Frank L. Wright regarded himself as America's greatest Architect because of his "honest arrogants" and most American Schools of Architecture promote this narrow view. But the American general public deserves better and should know that they have it. And this book illustrates that Mr. Paul Revere Williams, FAIA is by far one of "Our" greatest Architects by virtue of his Honest Integrity. Hence, he stands as a role model for all future American generations. And by that virtue recognition of his work must continue with more books like this and recorded oral histories from persons still alive that knew and worked with him.
   
   This book is really two books in one. On one hand it is an excellent biography. But, it is an interesting look at the homes of surprisingly, Movie Stars from the Golden era of Hollywood.
   
   A movie about Mr. Williams would be far better than the movie the Fountainhead, where an architect name Rouke blows up a large building project because of his hurt arrogant pride. And an American court of law finds him not guilty in the end. Hmmm and the setting for the Fountainhead was New York City, home of the former World Trade Center.
   
   There are many books about Wright's arrogants. But the times in America today call for the integrity of Mr. Paul R.Williams to grace the coffee tables and personal libraries of the land.
   
   Conrade C. Hinds, Architect



4. Paul Williams' archtectural designs, which are photographed quite beautifully in this survey of his work, are rather varied in style. He ranges from traditional English tudor homes, such as the San Rafael cover photo, to futuristic buildings, such as the building now named Encounter at the Los Angeles airport. His buildings and private homes explore the radical changes in design that have spanned the 20th century.

2 comments about Guide to Cleveland Architecture.

1. I bought this expensive book because I love urban architecture and Cleveland left me absolutely stunned. Let's get a few things straight here. Cleveland is a rust belt city. It has harsh winters and it's an industrial wasteland in areas. If you go to Cleveland and that's all you see, you're not looking hard enough. This medium-sized city includes the BEST ensemble of gorgeous American urban architecture of any other American city of similar size and condition, period. Better than St. Louis, better than Baltimore, better than Pittsburgh. If you love traditional urban architecture and the spiritual satisfaction of four seasons, visit this town and then buy the book as a souvenir. And after you visit you may come to understand why these old cities are making a comeback. Take some time to explore the city, from the monumental public buildings of downtown (go in!), to the institutions of University Circle, to the houses and churches of Cleveland and University Heights. You'll wonder why Cleveland is maligned so severely. It's truly an undiscovered, underappreciated treasure ripe for rediscovery. Bet you don't hear that often!
   
   The book itself is about as good as any of these AIA guides, despite being somewhat dated. It's organized by building function, which is something I rarely see, and it includes only a partial selection of black & white photographs.



2. This is a nice guide to a city that is much maligned. Many people don't realize all the wonderful buildings Cleveland has in her environs. This guide hits on all the famous buildings, I enjoyed this guide, but I wish it were more thorough, I felt areas like Shaker Heights and Cleveland Heights got short shrift and they both have some wonderful residental architecture, especially Shaker Heights, descriptions are not enough, the guide needed pictures of these homes and schools. I hope in the revised edition that the authors give more time to Clevelands affluent suburbs, they are a treasure trove of residental architecture. Having said that I still highly recommend the guide to anyone interested in architecture, you will be surprised at what Cleveland has to offer, I know I was.

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1 comments about Otto Wagner, 1841-1918: Forerunner of Modern Architecture (Basic Architecture).

1. After visiting Vienna in 2002, I came away with a great appreciation of Otto Wagner's work. Many of the sites are still extant, and the excellent Viennese tram and subway system takes you to them in minutes. This book has concise descriptions and many clear photographs and drawings of both real and imagined buildings, and should be on the shelf of anyone interested in Secessionist/Jugendstil/fin de siecle architecture.

2 comments about Palladio's Rome.

1. This book serves as a wonderful guide to a neglected side of Rome. Palladio's two guidebooks to the 'City of Wonders' published in 1554 were addressed to both his fellow architects and to religious tourists. He leads the reader into the ruins through the walls and gates, moves on to the roads, bridges, sewers and aqueducts, and then to the circuses, triumphal columns, arches and, finally, the temples. By using its useful annotated maps on site, this book allows the reader to follow in the footsteps of the Renaissance tourist. A reviewer in the New York Times described it as "A fascinating snapshot of Rome a century before the Baroque architects got their hands on it."



2. By using this book modern readers can get an extraordinary view of Rome, following in the footsteps of Palladio, the Renaissance master architect, as he takes them round the churches and antiquities. Just the right size to fit in your pocket, will change the way you see the 'eternal city'.

2 comments about A House for Life: Bringing the Spirit of Frank Lloyd Wright into Your Home.

1. I learned a lot about John Rattenbury and found it very interesting.
   The houses he built are unbelievable



2. OK, interesting to some, but more of Rattenbury's live and influence from Wright. This is not a must buy. Find it in the library and have a read. Save your $$$.

2 comments about Palladio's Venice: Architecture and Society in a Renaissance Republic.

1. the book came in a timely manner and is in very good condition



2. Really a wonderful book on the iconic Palladio and his muse Venice. It's as if, the two where made for each other, his genius seems to have found its perfect setting in this most unique city. The images are crisp and the text is fascinating. If you have any interest in Palladio or Venice, or just appreciate a great coffee table book, then I can't conceive of you being anything but pleased with this purchase. Highly recommended.

2 comments about St. Paul's Architecture: A History.

1. This book offers a great insight into the history of Saint Paul. Not just the Architecture, but the cities life as a whole.



2. Published in cooperation with The City Of St. Paul Heritage Preservation Commission, St. Paul's Architecture: A History is the collaborative work of cultural historian Jeffrey A. Hess and public historian/historic building consultant Paul Clifford Larson. Beginning with buildings from the founding in the 1840s of St. Paul, Minnesota, through the city's great construction boom of the mid-1880s, to the Period Revival architects of the 1920s and 30s, and the rise of modernism after World War II, the city's distinct history and character as reflected through the architecture of its buildings provides the reader with an historical survey of a rich architectural heritage that concludes with a final chapter on the architecture of present-day St. Paul. Presenting more than 225 notable surviving buildings and the history of several diverse city neighborhoods, St. Paul's Architecture is profusely illustrated with period photography and illustrations, making it a seminal reference for architectural students; admirers of St. Paul's special beauty, charm and history; and a seminal addition to any professional or academic library's Architectural Studies reference collection.

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