10 Buildings That Changed America The Architectural Wonders That Defied Our Expectations & Defined Our Culture PDF Book Download *FREE

10 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.

Praise for the book and documentary 10 Buildings That Changed America:

and#147;In the PBS special 10 Buildings That Changed America, two architecture aficionados explain the origins of some of the countryand#8217;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.and#8221; and#151;Susan Karlin, Fast Company

and#147;10 Buildings That Changed America…proves that architecture is the cultural back-bone of any society.and#8221; and#151;Vincenza Di Maggio, The Architectand#8217;s Newspaper

and#147;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 earlyand#151;Thomas Jefferson’s Virginia statehouse (1788)and#151;to the very recentand#151;Frank Gehry’s Walt Disney Concert Hall (2003). In between, Baer says in the preview, he wants to answer this question: and#145;How did our nation’s notions about architecture change so dramatically?and#8217;and#8221; and#151;Henry Grabar, The Atlantic Cities

and#147;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.and#8221; and#151;Jackie Craven, About.com Architecture blog

and#147;Writer-producer Dan Protess attempts to spark discussions about some of Americaand#8217;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.and#8221; and#151;Dante A. Ciampaglia, Architectural Record

and#147;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 nationand#8217;s commercial and social landscapes, too.and#8221; and#151;Reena Jana, SmartPlanet

and#147;[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… letand#8217;s indulge local prideand#151;not only in [Robert] Venturi, but in his wife and architectural partner, Denise Scott Brown.and#8221; and#151;Liz Spikol, PhillyMag.com

and#147;[10 Buildings That Changed America] provides an overview of 215 years of American architecture… Part of the distinguished group is Louis Sullivanand#8217;s Wainwright [building]…the granddaddy of all skyscrapers. It isnand#8217;t the first tall building but Sullivanand#8217;s innovative structural steel frame showed that even brick can appear to soar.and#8221; and#151;Tim Bryant, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

10 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. The book takes readers on a journey across the country and inside these groundbreaking works of art and engineering. The buildings featured are remarkable not only for aesthetic and structural reasons, but also because their creators instilled in them a sense of purpose and personality that became reflected in an overarching sense the American identity.

Edited by the staff of WTTW, the Chicago PBS affiliate that is the most-watched public television station in the country, 10 Buildings will be released alongside the national broadcast of an hour-long special by the same name. This television event will be promoted over digital media, on-ground events, and educational initiatives in schools, and the book will be a significant component to all of these elements.

10 Buildings retells the shocking, funny, and even sad stories of how these buildings came to be. It offers a peek inside the imaginations of ten daring architects who set out to change the way we live, work, and play. 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 the design of his iconic Monticello estate. This “essay in architecture,” as Jefferson called it, takes its inspiration from ancient Rome, thus forging a philosophical link between America and the world’s earliest democracies. Similarly, Henry Ford employed Albert Kahn to design a state-of-the-art, innovative factory for Ford’s groundbreaking assembly line. Reinforced concrete supported massive, open rooms without any interior dividing walls, which yields the uninterrupted space that was essential for Ford’s sprawling continuous production setups. What’s more, Kahn considered the needs of workers by including astonishingly modern large windows and louvers for fresh air.

The design of each of these ten buildings was completely monumental and prodigious in its time because of the architects stylistic or functional innovations. Each was also highly influential, inspiring a generation or more of architects, who in turn made a lasting impact on the American landscape. We see the legacy of architects 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. All have been shaped in one way or another by a handful of imaginative, audacious, and sometimes even arrogant individuals throughout history whose bold ideas have been copied far and wide. 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.

Geoffrey Baer is the award-winning host and writer of WTTW’s popular feature-length TV specials about Chicago architecture and history, as well as a regular contributor to WTTW’s flagship nightly public affairs program Chicago Tonight. He has written and produced numerous documentaries and cultural and entertainment specials for local and national television. He lives in Chicago.

Dan Protess has been a critically acclaimed producer and writer for television programs at WTTW for more than a decade. He wrote and produced the Emmy-winning, James Beard-nominated The Foods of Chicago: A Delicious History. He lives in Chicago.

I. Introduction

II. Virginia State Capitol, Thomas Jefferson

III. Trinity Church, H.H. Richardson

IV. Wainwright Building, Louis Sullivan

V. Robie House, Frank Lloyd Wright

VI. Highland Park Ford Plant, Albert Kahn

VII. Southdale Center, Victor Gruen

VIII. Seagram Building, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

IX. Dulles International Airport, Eero Saarinen

X. Vanna Venturi House, Robert Venturi

XI. Walt Disney Concert Hall, Frank Gehry