Henry-Russell Hitchcock (1903–1987)

This work sets out to describe the aesthetic qualities intrinsic to the work of such architects as Le Corbusier, Oud, Gropius and Mies van der Rohe. The authors observed the distinguishing features that made possible a definition of a new "style": emphasis on volume as opposed to mass; regularity as opposed to symmetry; and dependence on the intrinsic elegance of materials as opposed to applied decoration. First published in 1932 to coincide with an architectural exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art, this reissue contains a new foreword by Philip Johnson reflecting on the impact of these principles over 60 years after they were first set forth.… (más)

A fabulous contemporaneous log of much of Wright's work. All addresses are included which makes it easy to use google earth to tour how these buildings have held up/changed. A fascinating exercise. I am most struck by how so few of his interesting building and materials techniques are implemented today. The geometric cement bricks are so evocative and simply made in easy to construct wooden forms with endless possibilities. This first edition (1942) is square and as with all good design, reinvents the idea of book shape. Raymond Loewy also utilized the square shape for his book of the time.… (más)