AIA Guide to Boston

This book is a superbly written history of Boston’s built environment, filled with insider details and engaging anecdotes about more than 600 buildings, including such historic landmarks as Faneuil Hall, the mansions on Beacon Hill, the commercial wharves in Boston Harbor, Fenway Park, and the Freedom Trail as well as Boston’s latest contemporary buildings such as the ICA, MIT’s Stata Center, and the infamous "Big Dig.” This guide has been completely rewritten and redesigned, with added theme tours, such as Boston Urban Design, Contemporary Landmarks, or the work of Charles Bulfinch. New, up-to-date locator maps have been created for this edition, and the glossary and index have been revised.

A readable, entertaining, site-by-site look at buildings and styles spanning three centuries.

The most comprehensive guide to Boston architecture ever published, AIA Guide to Boston Architecture documents the dramatic reorganization of the city by the Big Dig and other recent projects. Lucid descriptions of more than 600 sites are enlivened with history, culture, humor, and sharp opinion and are accompanied by professional b/w photography.

Booknews

The first edition of the American Institute of Architects' guide was published to considerable acclaim in 1984. This revised and expanded site-by-site survey highlights 550 of Boston's notable architectural landmarks, including 50 new profiles and 100 new b&w photographs. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Michael Southworth is Professor of Urban Design and Planning at the University of California at Berkeley, a Fellow in the American Institute of Architects, and a Charter Member of the American Institute of Certified Planners. He is also the North American editor for The Journal of Urban Design.

Michael and Susan Southworth have practiced urban, planning and architecture in Boston and in the San Francisco Bay area.