G. E. Kidder Smith wrote many books on architecture, most organized as guides to the contemporary architecture of particular countries, such as Italy, Switzerland, and the United States. Thanks to a Brunner Scholarship from the New York chapter of the AIA, Kidder Smith traveled all over the European continent (Western Europe, at least) to compile this guide to architecture in Europe circa 1960. While the exact dates of the 225 projects aren't provided, all of them come after World War II and show architects preoccupied with concrete and glass. Therefore the book serves as an encapsulation of a particular time, when Modernism was still prevalent but was diversifying via Brutalism; this was, after all, Le Corbusier's late period, when Ronchamp landed like a bomb, exploding International Style modernism. Even though the book is quite old, most of the buildings are extant, enough that I used it as a reference for a trip to Switzerland a couple years ago.

A general note on G. E. Kidder Smith's books: Of the few titles I have in my library, it's clear that the author was a capable photographer as well. He photographed most of the buildings in this and his other books (typically he presented one photo per project), and the quality of them is very high, at least as presented in black and white. I admire his ability to do both, creating a strong body of work that, in my opinion at least, has an influence lasting far beyond the usability of most architectural guidebooks. ( )