America's Architectural Roots: Ethnic Groups that Built America (Building Watchers Series)

EDITED BY DELL UPTON

ISBN 10: 0891331239 / ISBN 13: 9780891331230

Published by THE PRESERVATION PRESS, 1986

About this Item

An introduction to the remarkable diversity of ethnic building traditions that have shaped the American landscape. Includes selections on Native American, English, midwestern German, and French architecture, along with eighteen other examples of ethnic architecture. Chronologically organized, the book first looks at groups that have influenced American architecture nationwide, then surveys groups that shaped regional architectures. Most of the book's Great Plains selections focus on the vernacular architecture of the region's many ethnic groups. (Building watchers series).

Seller Inventory # 11049

Bibliographic Details

• Title: America's Architectural Roots: Ethnic Groups that Built America (Building Watchers Series)
• Publisher: THE PRESERVATION PRESS
• Publication Date: 1986
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0891331239
• ISBN 13: 9780891331230
• Binding: Soft cover
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Printing: 1st Printing
• Condition: Very Good
• Dimensions: 10.87W x 25.22H x 1.14D centimeters 10.87 centimeters width by 25.22 centimeters height by 1.14 centimeters depth
• Weight: 317.515 grams

About this title

Synopsis

"American Ethnic Building Traditions Blend Memory and Experience in Varying Proportions." Dell Upton Which ethnic groups introduced the log cabin as a lasting symbol of the American frontier? Who helped turn the front porch into an American institution? Which immigrants built saunas to recall Old World traditions? Where did we get neat, whitewashed row houses, barn paintings and stuccoed arches that now tell us where to find tacos and tortillas? All of these pieces in America's architectural mosaic came from the varied and industrious ethnic groups that built America. Native peoples, settlers before the Revolution and 19th-century immigrants each contributed their own building patterns to help create what we call American architecture. But each ethnic tradition was changed by the experience of building in America adapted to new terrains and materials, different climates, existing forms and styles. In the process, a distinctive new architecture developed, one whose multifaceted origins can be traced just as clearly as can ethnic customs in language and food. America's Architectural Roots is the first book to explore the ethnic derivations of American buildings with such a broad scope. The contributions of 22 groups are highlighted in this fascinating overview that provides an important new way of looking at the buildings that surround us. Groups covered include: Afro-Americans Belgians Chinese Czechs Danes Dutch English Finns French German-Russians Germans Hawaiians Irish Japanese Mexicans Native Americans Norwegians Russians Spanish Swedes Swiss Ukrainians

From the Publisher

Is the first book to explore the ethnic derivations of American buildings with such a broad scope. The contributions of 22 groups are highlighted in this fascinating overview that provides an important new way of looking at the buildings that surround us. Groups covered include Native Americans, African-Americans, Belgians, Germans, Mexicans, the Irish and Japanese, among others.