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AIA Guide to New York City
Identifies major architectural sites in the five boroughs of New York City and offers suggestions for walking tours in each neighborhood
999 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1978
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
August 4, 2007
This covers the whole city; go right for the parts you're interested in.
Soon you'll be saying, "Actually, Zed, Heather makes a good case for this building being Romanesque Revival. Now kiss and make up!"
Soon you'll be saying, "Actually, Zed, Heather makes a good case for this building being Romanesque Revival. Now kiss and make up!"
May 29, 2009
Is the greatest thing. Seriously the book is life-affirming. I need to get their Chicago guide. I mean, i know, architecture, whatever, hitler's hobby was architecture, but this shit is ENTERTAINING. and there are some BUILDINGS in NYC that i needed to know about.
May 20, 2015
American Institute of Architects, I expected better from you! Small black and white photos, mostly close-ups of windows and doors, don't do justice to NYC's architecture and boroughs. Here's hoping for an improved Sixth Edition.
April 17, 2022
To be completely honest, I'm not completely finished ... but my trip to NYC is over, so I won't be reading any more until my next vacation. I'll assume the sections on Staten Island or Kips Bay were as interesting as the sections on Chelsea or Riverside Drive.
First, some quick minuses: it's a tricky book to manage as a Kindle read, it's difficult to navigate back to maps (so you mostly just ignore them and follow addresses as best you can), and the order of neighbourhoods was maddening: almost always south to north, so you might finish one tour, and then have to walk 20 blocks back to begin the next, rather than laying it out so one could simply begin, and just keep going (which is totally doable).
On the plus side, it's pretty exhaustive. I got an awful lot of steps in, and whenever I was just wandering and decided to start a tour, I had but to look around me, pick a likely building, and, oh yes, there it is in the book, voila. I ended up visiting streets I'd never seen before (I don't live in New York, but I normally go twice a year for a week or so at a time, so I know it fairly well), seeing buildings I'd never seen (or noticed) before, and had really the thrilling experience of visiting someplace brand new ... even though I've spent almost a full year there, when you add it all up. Fresh eyes, and all that.
It's from 2010 and could use an update again already (there seems to be a current mini-building boom, or maybe not so mini, though I supposed not when compared to the 19th century!), but aside from the new Billionaire's Row or the most recent High Line adjacent additions, it covered everything I'd want to know about.
(5* = amazing, terrific book, one of my all-time favourites, 4* = very good book, 3* = good book, but nothing to particularly rave about, 2* = disappointing book, and 1* = awful, just awful. As a statistician I know most books are 3s, but I am biased in my selection and end up mostly with 4s, thank goodness.)
First, some quick minuses: it's a tricky book to manage as a Kindle read, it's difficult to navigate back to maps (so you mostly just ignore them and follow addresses as best you can), and the order of neighbourhoods was maddening: almost always south to north, so you might finish one tour, and then have to walk 20 blocks back to begin the next, rather than laying it out so one could simply begin, and just keep going (which is totally doable).
On the plus side, it's pretty exhaustive. I got an awful lot of steps in, and whenever I was just wandering and decided to start a tour, I had but to look around me, pick a likely building, and, oh yes, there it is in the book, voila. I ended up visiting streets I'd never seen before (I don't live in New York, but I normally go twice a year for a week or so at a time, so I know it fairly well), seeing buildings I'd never seen (or noticed) before, and had really the thrilling experience of visiting someplace brand new ... even though I've spent almost a full year there, when you add it all up. Fresh eyes, and all that.
It's from 2010 and could use an update again already (there seems to be a current mini-building boom, or maybe not so mini, though I supposed not when compared to the 19th century!), but aside from the new Billionaire's Row or the most recent High Line adjacent additions, it covered everything I'd want to know about.
(5* = amazing, terrific book, one of my all-time favourites, 4* = very good book, 3* = good book, but nothing to particularly rave about, 2* = disappointing book, and 1* = awful, just awful. As a statistician I know most books are 3s, but I am biased in my selection and end up mostly with 4s, thank goodness.)
January 3, 2021
An indispensable guide to New York. Witty, well written, intensively researched, this is a pleasure browse through, or to use to look up a specific neighborhood or site. Alas, it weighs in at a hefty four pounds, so you can't carry it with you on walks. Here's hoping they get it online sometime soon!
May 19, 2018
I’m never going to read this cover to cover. But the info provided is detailed and thorough! Good reference piece to add to my bookshelf.
August 5, 2018
Definitive.
August 12, 2021
1988 Edition. Not so much as currently-reading as currently taking out for walks.
April 10, 2012
If you've got the time- then this is a great book to read through and learn about all the different architectural buildings in the city.
April 24, 2015
Best book ever for NYC buildings!
November 29, 2007
This book is good if you like new york city or architecture or beautiful data artfully presented.
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February 21, 2010AIA Guide to New York City by Norval White (2000)
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews