Outhouses by Famous Architects

by Steve Schaecher

Outhouses have been much ridiculed and maligned structures, thought worthy of only the lowliest of humor and virtually ignored by architectural critics as inconsequential blips in the development of building design. And yet--as architect Steve Schaecher so poignantly reveals in this collection of renderings--architects of genius from time immemorial have used their considerable talents to enhance the beauty and function of the outhouse. His extensive research has uncovered a wealth of stunning outdoor bathroom designs that say much about the history of architecture. Although Schaecher's friends and family have worried about his obsession with bathroom drawings, it is clear that with the publication of this tome, his seat in the annals of architectural history will never be put down. Here are reproductions of stylish (dare we say "perfectionist"?) renderings of Thronehenge, Wright's Flushing Water, the Odor Dame Cathedral, the Taj Ma-stall, Jefferson's Johnicello, Sullivan's Merchants First National Outhouse, Le Corbusier's Bidet Savoye, Fuller's Geodesic Throne, the Hancock's John Building, the Centre Pompidoodoo-the unmistakable outhouse for that weird-looking French museum-and many others. Each is accompanied by insightful historical and analytical text, depending on your definitions of insightful and analytical. The preface, by architectural critic I.P. Daley, will leave you in no doubt of the importance of this completely nonsensical book.

Hardcover

First published March 1, 2000

Reviews

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me start by saying this the only book about outhouses that I have ever read or plan to read. It was certainly not on my "list" of books I always keep handy, but my daughter and I were in the gift shop at the Price Tower and started flipping through this book and found it so funny we ended up buying it. It is definitely an irreverent look at architecture, but in a very light-hearted way. The book walks through the history of famous architects, staring with the pyramids, and going through the Renaissance and concluding in modern day. Highlights include Piazza Dell'Campanddumpo (Michelangelo), Taj Ma-Stall, Flushingwater (Fallingwater by Frank Lloyd Wright), and the Hancock's John Building. While the book is mostly tongue-in-cheek, it does provide a quick look at the evolution of architecture and the various movements. The book would be a perfect gift for anyone who spends just a bit too long in the bathroom...

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well thought out book. The humor, the reality, the architecture...I love this kind of bathroom humor.