The Baltimore Rowhouse

by Mary Ellen Hayward and Charles Belfoure

Book Overview

Perhaps no other American city is so defined by an indigenous architectural style as Baltimore is by the rowhouse, whose brick facades march up and down the gentle hills of the city. Why did the rowhouse thrive in Baltimore? How did it escape destruction here, unlike in many other historic American cities? What were the forces that led to the citywide renovation of Baltimore's rowhouses? The Baltimore Rowhouse is the fascinating 200-year story of...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1568982836
• ISBN13: 9781568982830
• Release Date: May 2001
• Publisher: Princeton Architectural Press
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 1.20 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 6.0" x 9.0"
• Age Range: 13 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 8 to Postsecondary

Customer Reviews

loved it

only wished it had more photos... great research for design ideas and historical renovation... chock full of information.

Wonderfully written story of the interplay between building types, urban form, and changing real est

It's true, those from cities with rowhouses will find this book most interesting, but so will all interested in the history and geography of urban development and how land development, new building technologies, and individuals' working and family lives are interwoven with this development. By referring back to a single family and its trajectory within the city throughout the book, the author makes some of these larger-scale trends much more personal, and by following the paths of a few major developers within the city, you get a sense both of how the city and its hot neighborhoods shift over time, and of how literally a very small group of people can shape the physical space in which thousands live and work. Students of rowhouses or of Baltimore will be better able to see the continuities and the changes in rowhouses-- such as how the technology to make larger panes of glass changed the front facade, and how a simple setback from the sidewalk of 10 feet or so alters the feel of the buildings and the neighborhood by adding a little green. Formstone is also explained (to the extent that's possible...). Specialized, yes, but exceptionally well crafted. Architectural, urban, and social history and their intermingled best.

Well-written treatment of a highly specialized topic

The rowhouse is far more common in Baltimore than other US cities, and these authors have documented its history and development up to the present day. Every nuance of design change is thoroughly discussed, and the amount of detail allows a street-by-street discussion at times. We're told about the various developers who, parcel by parcel, converted old elite estates into street grids covered with rowhouses of varying quality. The book ends as an advertisement for new urbanism, in which dilapidated old rowhouses are renovated and run-down neighborhoods undergo renewal. The quality of writing is particularly high. There are approximately 140 b & w photos, which for the most part are grouped together so they can be printed on high-gloss paper. This is an awkward arrangement that requires the reader to flip back and forth to the glossy photo pages. There are approximately ten cross-sections and floor plans. There are very few maps, and a detailed knowledge of Baltimore geography is assumed. Because of the highly specialized nature of this book, it is unlikely to appeal to anyone outside Baltimore, but it would probably be a delight to architectural enthusiasts within the city.

They say, "Timing is everything.."

...and the time to read 'The Baltimore Rowhouse' is now! I'm telling you'se- this book has it all. ; )You not only get the expected descriptions of the architectural styles of rowhouses, and a historical review of the development of this style of housing, but the author weaves in the chronological social climb of an immigrant family throughout the book. Following the family's real estate history gives the book a story-like, biographical feel; unusual for non-fiction of this nature. It is in a sense, a well documented account of one way the "American Dream" has been realized.From a social/cultural perspective, the 'Baltimore Rowhouse' is a social commentary on Baltimorean (and American) housing development past, present and future from visionary authors who love the City of Baltimore. I received the book as a Christmas gift and read it in about 3 days. I couldn't put it down and was a little saddened that it had to end. I say this rarely- IT IS A MUST READ.

The Baltimore Rowhouse

The Baltimore Rowhouse provides an insightful retrospective of the growth of Baltimore City over a 200+ year period by analyzing the houses which its residents built and occupied. It chronicles the birth of a city and describes its growing pains in accomodating its increasing population. Being a lifelong resident of Baltimore and having a personal knowledge of the neighborhoods described in the book, it was especially fascinating to me. I was able to match my own knowledge with the historical background provided by the authors. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wishes to understand the growth and evolution of a typical American City from the perspective of its townhomes.