Ladders

by Albert Pope, Pier Vittorio Aureli (Preface)

Albert Pope's 1996 seminal book Ladders is now available in a second edition. Considered a classic in the field of urbanism and one of our most requested out of print titles, Pope's provocative study of five post-war American cities examines the forces--including demographic upheavals, market expansions, and technological developments--that precipitated a change from the open system of the pre-war urban grid to the fragmented and closed spaces of suburban cul-de-sacs, expressways, and office parks. Through an incisive series of diagrams and photographs, Pope reveals the concepts, theories, and rules that have guided their organizational evolution into post architectural spaces whose character is shaped more by the effects of immense urban spaces and infrastructure than built forms. A new preface by architect and educator Pier Vittorio Aureli situates the book in the context of contemporary urban thinking and makes a compelling argument for it's continued relevance as springboard for the investigation of our contemporary cities.

Genres: Architecture, Urban, Urbanism, Urban Planning

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1997

Reviews

[Benjamin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coincidentally, I read much of this book while sitting in Portman’s Peachtree Plaza (the lobby at the Marriott Marquis, the food court at Peachtree Center, the lobby at the Westin). I was sitting in these spaces because I needed to kill time downtown and couldn’t stand to be outside in the heat, but also, admittedly, because I love looking up in the Marquis atrium, even if I hate what Portman did to Atlanta and other cities.

This book is fucking brilliant. Pope puts into words much of what I’ve felt but haven’t been able to write about growing up in Dallas or living in Atlanta. Excellent sources, great images, and a beautiful book. Excited to experience a proper grid soon.

[Sandro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Albert Pope starts the book with a provocative statement by saying that the contemporary city is invisible. He later examines the transformations of open, precapitalist, gridded prewar cities into closed, laissez-faire capitalist, laddered postwar cities that create a lot of spatial residues during their transitions and more importantly, the dialectics between these two oppositions. But what I think is very impressive about Albert Pope is his capability to make this seemingly unreadable transitional process readable and clear. All in all, the book is such a joy to read. Simply brilliant.

[Sean Billy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extremely clear writing and diagrams. Superbly convincing analysis and speculation on the dialectic between urban and suburban form. It remains perfectly on point and striking during the economic and housing crisis we're currently facing as well.

I can say that there are not many books on urbanism that I have trouble putting down, and this was a rare exception.

[Archer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shine on, you brilliant Pope.