The second title in Artifice books on architecture's Contemporary Architecture series, Contemporary Architecture North America, is an insightful and provocative exploration of the most significant architecture and architectural movements developing in the United States and Canada today.This comprehensive book comprises richly illustrated profiles showcasing more than 50 of the continent's leading and emerging practices. Themes such as the emergence of high-rise housing, as characterised by the work of architectsAlliance; grass root architectural movements in Detroit; the bespoke practices of Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects and Deborah Berke Partners; and the 'iconic' tendencies of Frank Gehry and Morphosis are all discussed. Other practices included are Hariri Pontarini Architects, Rafael Vinoly Architects, Shim-Sutcliffe Architects, SO-IL, Eisenman Architects, Moriyama bTeshima Architects, Diller, Scofidio + Renfro, Asymptote and REX.Contemporary Architecture North America examines the styles, perceptions and culture of North America's built environment and the impact of theoreticians such as Robert Venturi and Denise Scott-Brown, articulating varied arguments and opinions on the subject that guide the reader in further discussion. With commissioned essays addressing and contextualising the buildings featured, and re-published significant texts by commentators in the field, the Contemporary Architecture series invites international comparisons, shattering stereotypes and clear-cut distinctions typically used to define each geographic area.
