Architecture Here and There

Some who read my review on Thursday of Steven Semes's "The Future of the Past," will conclude that I've finally gone too far in praising the excellence of a book. Let me assure them, my review reflects a muted version of my applause for Semes's masterpiece. I do not think I've ever come away from a book more impressed. Its erudition and its force in putting across a complex contrarian argument are incomparable. This book should be required reading for modern architects, who will start to whistle past the graveyard, and preservationists, who will see the error of their ways and, if they are honest, will admit it.

I really do not feel that my review does justice to the book. For one thing, there's too much of me describing what Semes says. I used only one longish quote. But, although there are indeed many great "one-liners," the greatness of the book are the many passages of literary deconstruction performed on what must now be deemed the carcass of contemporary preservation theory. All I can say is read the review - or better yet, go out right now and get the book itself. It is my new bible.

 Tags  architecture modernism planning preservation Steven Semes The Future of the Past urbanism

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