The Architect: Chapters in the History of the Profession

by Spiro Kostof (Editor)

"The Architect"was the first book in fifty years to survey the role of the profession from its beginnings in ancient Egypt to the present. Without claiming to cover every period in every country, it is nonetheless the most complete synthesis available of what is known about one of the oldest professions in the world. Dana Cuff considers the continuing relevance of the book and evaluates changes in architectural practice and the profession since 1965, most particularly digital technology, globalization, and environmental concerns.

Genres: Architecture

384 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1977

About the author

Spiro Konstantine Kostof was a leading architectural historian, and professor at the University of California, Berkeley. His books continue to be widely read and some are routinely used in collegiate courses on architectural history.

In 1993, following his death, the Society of Architectural Historians established the "Spiro Kostof Award," to recognize books "in the spirit of Kostof's writings," particularly those that are interdisciplinary and whose content focuses on urban development, the history of urban form, and/or the architecture of the built environment.