Philadelphia Architecture: A Guide to the City

By John Andrew Gallery

Book Overview

Philadelphia Architecture, A Guide to the City (Fourth Edition) provides more than three hundred descriptions and photographs, both color and black and white, of the city's architecturally most significant buildings. Spanning more than three hundred years, these great buildings characterize Philadelphia as unique among American cities, comprising, as they do, nearly every style of architecture found in the United States. Divided into four sections, Philadelphia Architecture proceeds chronologically from the founding of the city in 1682 into the early Federal period, through its industrialization in the 19th century, and its growth as a metropolis in the 1900s, concluding with the latest buildings, erected in the 21st century.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0962290815
• ISBN13: 9780962290817
• Release Date: December 1994
• Publisher: Foundation for Architecture
• Length: 188 Pages
• Weight: 0.95 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Worth the wait

I had this item pre-ordered for almost a year, and I'm glad I stuck it out and waited for its publication. Some things a prospective reader should know immediately: The product description information shown above is for the SECOND edition, while this lovely third edition is completely new and more chunky at 230 pages. Anyone familiar with the Sydney or Melbourne (Australia) architecture guides published by Watermark Press will instantly recognize this book's format, for it is essentially identical in layout. The book is arranged in chronological chapters, and features significant landmarks from the respective time periods. This is NOT a comprehensive survey of Philadelphia architecture, but a selective survey of important historic and modern sites. There are about 300 entries. The most important sites (Independence Hall, Christ Church, Eastern State Penitentiary) get more extensive treatment, with lovely color photographs and more detailed analytical essays. Otherwise the entries are short but exceptionally well done. The catalog of sites is neatly framed by both historical context and a section of recommended driving tours in the back. Also included is a chapter of architect biographies. It's beautifully done, and a fine exhibition of Philadelphia - a city with more important architectural sites than any other city in the United States except New York. So close in format is this book to the Guide to Sydney Architecture (Watermark Press) that it seems the publisher must have used that book as a model.