Shaping a Nation: Twentieth Century American Architecture and Its Makers

by Carter Wiseman

The critic and historian presents an account of the most influential figures, movements, and buildings that have defined twentieth-century American architecture

Genres: History

Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first real history book that I've read where I have witnessed the history, rather than my grandparents or others. Toward the end of the book, the history being presented was only 10 years old. It was strange to read somebody's interpretation of why architecture has changed and then compare his interpretaion to my real life experiences. It left me with a somewhat sad outlook toward the future of architecture, but on the other hand inspired me to design carefully and thoughtfully.
His comment on the lack of today's society to engage socially with one another and how that has affected architecture is dead on.
Favorite passage (page 383):
Every indicator suggests that the country will continue to fragment along lines of income, ethnicity, politics, and race. And diversity is not a condition with which architecture has dealt well in the twentieth century. Indeed, diversity had been anathema to the design community ever since Modernism institutionalized the idea of a universal architectural ideology. The Postmodernists claimed to have overturned the orthodoxy of their predecessors, but what they did not overturn was the emphasis on the architect as the source of ideas, the form-giver. The dominance of celebrity architects in the 1980s merely extended the practice for a media age. And the next wave of "rebellion," launched by the Deconstructivists, only reinforced the idea of the architect as a stand-apart artiste - with self-destructive results.
I was recently asked who my favorite living architect is. I had to think about it for about two weeks and have now come to the conclusion that there isn't one. There aren't 10. Details are my favorites. Materials are my favorites. The stars are dead.

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having never studied architecture before (except through the lens of structural engineering), I found Wiseman's book an excellent introduction to the American variety. The writing itself is superb--a splendid mix of facts, anecdotes, theories, and opinions--so that even for a novice like myself, everything was understandable and engaging. Although it focuses on the 20th century, there's a nice, compact introduction of the previous 2-3 centuries that lets everyone get up to speed. Particularly interesting were the more contemporary architecture, since, with the exception of, say, MoMa or Bilbao, these buildings aren't in the public eye as much as previous works are. Wiseman is a harsh critic of most architecture from the last 40 years, but his opinions are well-supported and, from my perspective of the pictures displayed in the book, generally spot on.

[Melissa Spiga · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've had this book for several months and keep moving it to the bottom of the stack. I think its time to read now, work has slown down a little so this doesn't feel so much like studying as it does learning about a subject I was passionate about before I entered the field.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written, this is a clear book that covers much ground in a general way. A good starting point, I would say, for those beginning their exposure to US architectural development.