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Andrew Geller: Deconstructed: Artist and Architect
Over the course of a career that lasted more than fifty years, Andrew Geller—architect, artist, and designer—quietly produced a large and culturally significant body of work, leaving an invaluable mark in his field. Geller's impact was first felt in the heady post-World War II years he spent at the Raymond Loewy design firm, where one highlight amongst many was his improvisational and free-handed influence on the Lord & Taylor brand. He is undoubtedly most well-known, though, for his architecture, and his stunning modernist beach houses in particular, houses that still grace our shores and which, not unlike Andrew Geller himself, were innovative, unconventional, and saturated with a delight for beauty and form.
In Andrew Geller: Deconstructed, Jake Gorst celebrates the life and work of his grandfather, bringing together two-decades worth of interviews, both formal and informal, as well as many artifacts and treasures culled from Geller's vast personal collection of drawings and photographs. Included within are stories and images not only of his now famous beach houses, but also of the many lesser-known buildings and early artworks, making this the definitive volume on this architectural icon. Gorst's intent in writing this volume - to share this wealth of information and provide an intimate glimpse into the inner workings of an artist—is here fully actualized, rendering a vivid portrait of a man whose main drive in life was to create beauty
In Andrew Geller: Deconstructed, Jake Gorst celebrates the life and work of his grandfather, bringing together two-decades worth of interviews, both formal and informal, as well as many artifacts and treasures culled from Geller's vast personal collection of drawings and photographs. Included within are stories and images not only of his now famous beach houses, but also of the many lesser-known buildings and early artworks, making this the definitive volume on this architectural icon. Gorst's intent in writing this volume - to share this wealth of information and provide an intimate glimpse into the inner workings of an artist—is here fully actualized, rendering a vivid portrait of a man whose main drive in life was to create beauty
200 pages, Hardcover
First published April 26, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review
June 15, 2026
This is a nice brief book about Andrew Geller written by his grandson. It is part personal biography and part chronology of his professional career.
The book contains a lot of personal photos from Geller’s archive that may have not been seen before. There are many photos throughout the book, mostly vintage and a mix of color and black and white.
The text is fairly light, not an academic review of his work, but told from a personal perspective. So there is not much, if any, analysis of the works but more of a documentation of works and projects. It’s a little unclear how they are arranged, not exactly chronologically, and not all projects are included. It seems, the book is arranged around existing photos and those projects with the most photos are featured. At the back is an appendix with list of projects and some notes, but no bibliography.
It would be nice to see more floorplans, sketches, and information about the influence and origins of some of his designs.
Overall, it’s a nice high quality book, with limited insight and information about Geller’s career, but there also may not be enough information and content to make a more in-depth or longer monograph.
Actual photos of the book can be found at Amazon
The book contains a lot of personal photos from Geller’s archive that may have not been seen before. There are many photos throughout the book, mostly vintage and a mix of color and black and white.
The text is fairly light, not an academic review of his work, but told from a personal perspective. So there is not much, if any, analysis of the works but more of a documentation of works and projects. It’s a little unclear how they are arranged, not exactly chronologically, and not all projects are included. It seems, the book is arranged around existing photos and those projects with the most photos are featured. At the back is an appendix with list of projects and some notes, but no bibliography.
It would be nice to see more floorplans, sketches, and information about the influence and origins of some of his designs.
Overall, it’s a nice high quality book, with limited insight and information about Geller’s career, but there also may not be enough information and content to make a more in-depth or longer monograph.
Actual photos of the book can be found at Amazon
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review