Shaped not only by the grand vision of Washington, Jefferson, and L'Enfant but also by political squabbles, bureaucratic dawdling, costly blunders and the occasional genius that characterize American public life, the architecture of Washington reflects our nation's history with uncommon richness. This third edition of the "AIA Guide to the Architecture of Washington, D.C." is a companion for tourists and residents alike - for anyone interested in contemporary Washington and its most important architectural landmarks. Revising and updating the AIA's popular 1974 edition, it offers concise descriptions and photographs of some 450 of the city's most notable structures, including nearly one hundred built since the mid-1970s. New entries by Christopher Weeks blend informed descriptions with lively commentary on each landmark - from the FBI's massive headquarters ("brutalism on a grand scale") to the venerable Mayflower Hotel ("exactly what a bouncy, big-city, luxury hotel should be"). Accompanied by an updated photograph, each entry includes the structure's location, its original architect or design firm, and data of completion. Additional information is included for long-term, projects (like the recently completed national cathedral) and for significant renovations of older structures. The distinguished architectural historian Francis D. Lethbridge, FAIA, has revised and updated his introductory essay, to which Weeks has added a postscript covering the past 20 years. Conveniently organised into 17 walking tours (with a map included for each), the guide describes notable structures in well-known areas throughout the city: Capitol Hill; The Mall; Judiciary Square; The Federal Triangle; Pennsylvania Avenue and Downtown; Midtown; The White House/Lafayette Square; Foggy Bottom/West End; Dupont Circle; Massachusetts Avenue/Kalorama; Cleveland Park/Woodley Park/Rock Creek; Foxhall; Georgetown; Arlington National Cemetery; Meridian Hill; Capitol South; other places of interest.
"A new guidebook to the capital city's architecture brings powerful evidence of the continuing evolution of Washington's streetscape... Beyond the additions, the book represents a major reworking of the previous edition -- some entries have been deleted, descriptions have been improved, and many new photographs have been included." -- Washington Post
"This recently updated third edition of a Washington classic surveys hundreds of the District's most notable architectural landmarks. Arranged into 17 walking tours, this handsomely illustrated guide covers not only the monuments of the Mall, but also the diplomatic chateaux lining Massachusetts Avenue NW; the churches, parks, and other monumental architecture that climb up Meridian Hill; and the 'brutalism on a grand scale' that characterizes the new FBI building and other bureaucratic monstrosities." -- Washington Times
"The model of what a concise, attractive guidebook should be." -- Mid-Atlantic Country
