Architecture Transformed: New Life for Old Buildings
- Book Review,
by Nora Richter Greer
Book Description
"Architecture Transformed: New life for old buildings" is a beautifully illustrated volume documenting today's building preservation efforts from around the world. Includes more than 300 color photographs, floor plans, and line drawings. Presents an in-depth look at almost 40 significant projects worldwide located in such places as the United States, Great Britain, France, Italy, Singapore, and the Netherlands. Features a wide variety of buildings - theaters, museums, corporate headquarters, libraries, and cathedrals. A valuable resource that gives a sweeping look at the extent and breadth of the movement to preserve architectural heritage.
From the Inside Flap
"Architecture Transformed: New life for old buildings" will provide a glimpse at the many ways in which buildings have been preserved over the past decade in the United States and abroad. Some 40 buildings are presented with the technical and architectural issues examined, as well as the human story behind each. Obviously this is just the tip of the iceberg. Hundreds of buildings have been renovated during this time period. Our attempt is to offer a wide variety of building types and restoration/preservation strategies that demonstrate how significant preservation is today.
About the Author
Nora Richter Greer is a freelance writer living in Washington, D.C. She was the senior editor of the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Forum Publications, and has written two books on housing the homeless, "The Search for Shelter" and "The Creation of Shelter", both published by the Ameriacan Institute of Architects. Ms. Greer is also the author of a recent monograph, "Architecture As Response: Einhorn Yaffee Prescott".
Excerpted from Architecture Transformed : New Life for Old Buildings by Nora Richter Greer. Copyright © 1998. Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved
Introduction: Over the centuries, structures have been built, used, rebuilt, preserved, left to ruin, or torn down. During the twentieth century, however, this natural cycle of habitation accelerated to an extraordinary pace. In our throwaway society, large portions of cities seemed to change virtually overnight to make room for modernization. In response worldwide, but particularly in the West, advocacy for more deliberately planned change grew into a well organized, effective presence, so much so that preservation of our built heritage is now a universally embraced ideal as we strive to perpetuate a sense of place, tradition, and culture. The preservation movement was also fueled by a heightened global environmental consciousness. We now ponder the resources embodied in an old building as a positive contribution and worthy of conservation. Yet the battle between old and new is never static. Change is inevitable and encouraged, but also welcome are the measures that prevent the demolition of signification buildings and places without public debate.
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