A leading American architectural critic examines Americans' peculiar passion for synthetic environments, such as shopping malls and Disneyworld, and charges today's architecture with being dehumanized and functionally out of tune with the environment.

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In her first book since The Tall Building Artistically Reconsidered (LJ 6/15/85), architecture critic Huxtable here critiques the American devotion to invented environments. She looks at the artificial towns, streetscapes, and ambiance of Disney parks, Williamsburg, and many other places built in this century but of no time. The American comfort with these created worlds disturbs Huxtable. Her contempt for what has become a common taste?nearly a universal aesthetic of cleaned-up, socially sanitized environments?has sound intellectual footing and is offered with appropriate passion, but it is also rooted in the elitism of the intelligentsia, offended and distrustful of the popular partly because it is popular. The fear that quality architecture will lose out to the designs driven by marketers, consumerism, and entertainment has been a presence in specialized circles for many years. The issue is given a thoughtful, if admittedly one-sided, airing here for a broader audience by the much admired Huxtable. Recommended for public and academic libraries.?David Bryant, New Canaan P.L., Ct.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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