Terror and Wonder: Architecture in a Tumultuous Age

by Blair Kamin

For more than twenty years now, Blair Kamin of the Chicago Tribune has explored how architecture captures our imagination and engages our deepest emotions. A winner of the Pulitzer Prize for criticism, Kamin treats his subjects not only as works of art but also as symbols of the cultural and political forces that inspire them. Terror and Wonder gathers the best of Kamin’s writings from the past decade along with new reflections on an era framed by the destruction of the World Trade Center and the opening of the world’s tallest skyscraper.Assessing ordinary commercial structures as well as head-turning designs by some of the world’s leading architects, Kamin paints a sweeping but finely textured portrait of a tumultuous age torn between the conflicting mandates of architectural spectacle and sustainability. For Kamin, the story of our built environment over the past ten years is, in tangible ways, the story of the decade itself. Terror and Wonder considers how architecture has been central to the main events and crosscurrents in American life since 2001: the devastating and debilitating consequences of 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina; the real estate boom and bust; the use of over-the-top cultural designs as engines of civic renewal; new challenges in saving old buildings; the unlikely rise of energy-saving, green architecture; and growing concern over our nation’s crumbling infrastructure.A prominent cast of players—including Santiago Calatrava, Frank Gehry, Helmut Jahn, Daniel Libeskind, Barack Obama, Renzo Piano, and Donald Trump—fills the pages of this eye-opening look at the astounding and extraordinary ways that architecture mirrors our values—and shapes our everyday lives.

Genres: Architecture, Nonfiction

318 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Don · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kamin, Blair: Terror and Wonder: Architecture In A Tumultous Age ****
Kamin is a Pulitzer Prise winning journalist who writes about architecture for a Chicago newspaper. He is very well informed and opinionated with a quick wit. He doesn't hide his view of buildings he dislikes and he is quite excited about the ones he does. He begins his book by examining the proposals for the replacement of the Twin Towers in NY and the rebuilding in New Orleans after Katrina. Well done

[Jill Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blair Kamin is the architecture critic for the Chicago Tribune. While he writes mainly about Chicago architecture, he also looks at building projects in other parts of the country and the world. After all, architects today - particularly those "starchitects" so famous for their spectacular designs - are doing projects world-wide. Frank Gehry, for example, while based in Los Angeles, is famous for buildings from Bilbao, Spain to Miami to Los Angeles to Prague.These architects are citizens-of-world, and they, along with other, lesser-known architects are building unique and "green" and, sometimes horrific, buildings in most of the world's cities. But the world-city with the strongest architectural reputation is Chicago. And that's mostly what Blair Kamin concentrates on in his book, "Terror and Wonder: Architecture in a Tumultuous Age". The book is a collection of his articles in the years 2001 to 2008, with "afterwords" bringing the readers up-to-date on projects he talks about.

The "terror" that Kamin refers to are the 9/11 attacks, which brought down two of the world's most famous buildings. "Famous", yes, but not particularly architecturally significant. Terror also refers to the natural kind; Hurricane Katrina which wrecked much (but not all) of New Orleans and areas along the Gulf Coast. But, terror could also refer to an economic downturn that occurred in the years from 2007 to 2012. Kamin gives plenty of examples of projects started and then let go when financing has fallen through on a project. One of the main examples of this was the Spanish architect, Santiago Calatrava's, "Chicago Spire", he was commissioned to build for an Irish developer. The Spire was going to be the tallest building in North America, before funding fell through in the late 2000's and the project was "dropped". All that is left of the Spire is the base - a dug-out hole - in prime Chicago real-estate. Another ultra-tall project that has made it completion is the Trump Tower/Chicago, which occupies the space of the old Chicago Sun-Times building along the Chicago River. Kamin goes into detail on the deals that have made such buildings possible; combinations of architects/structural engineers and developers. Some happen, some don't and largely a lagging economy is to blame for the ones that don't make it.

Kamin also looks at the wide-ranging museum and library expansions that were so prevalent in the early to mid 2000's. Most were predicated on the success of Gehry's Bibao Guggenheim building. (I asked in another review of a book on architecture if people went to see the building or what was inside. I still can't decide...) Kamin describes the additions and how they were influenced by both the existing buildings AND by architectural trends. I haven't been to see the new addition to the Chicago Art Museum, but, frankly, it looks rather complicated to me in Kamin's description. And after writing about these often grand expansions, Kamin follows up by pointing out the eventual financial liabilities to the museums in the ensuing recession.

These are just a few of the topics Blair Kamin covers in his rather idiosyncratic book on today's architecture. It's a delightful, interesting read, particularly to this Chicago Girl!

[Moses · Rating 3 out of 5]

This would be a better book for residents of Chicago and fans of Mr. Kamin's other work. However, I was starved for a pop-architecture-criticism book and Tom Wolfe wasn't anywhere nearby, so on a friend's recommendation I read Kamin. It was, in parts, very interesting. I have to especially commend the cover and overall design of the book.

This is a collection of newspaper columns, and it reads like it. Most of them follow the same basic format, and even use the same terms. Kamin's approach to architecture is interesting, but I wish the content was more fresh.

[Sarah left GR]

From this review: http://architectsandartisans.com/inde...

"In his new book, “Terror and Wonder: Architecture in a Tumultuous Age,” the Pulitzer Prize-winning critic strives mightily to define architecture during an epoch bracketed by “two great thunderclaps in the sky” – the destruction of the World Trade Center in 2001 and the completion of the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, in 2010."

[priya bhayana · Rating 4 out of 5]

a collection of columns from 2001 to the present, mixed with some analysis. great read, very interesting on architectural history particularly in chicago. leaves you wondering where we're headed next...

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Blair Kamin is the best - or among the best few - architecture writers living today. Erudite, unprentious, engaged with everything from urban history to deep aesthetic questions and the stuff of construction.

[Sean Falcon · Rating 5 out of 5]

For being a person who loves architecture this book taught me so much on architecture especially post-911 architecture. It shows how security has changed and design and height. It's an amazingly insightful book.

[Dustin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very readable, especially considering the levels of abstraction that some architects grasp for in their writing.

Would probably be more relevant if I lived in Chicago