John Hill
@archidose.bsky.social
Architect, editor in chief at World-Architects, architectural tour guide, author of 7 books including "Buildings in Print," and I have a weekly newsletter about architecture books: https://archidose.substack.com/
Posting this only because of the photo they put atop the article: the POPS at 60 Wall Street designed by Kevin Roche that was recently demolished. Odd choice, I think.
www.vitalcitynyc.org/articles/wha...
www.vitalcitynyc.org/articles/wha...
Vital City | What Mamdani Gets Wrong About Severe Mental Illness & Crisis Response
Mayor Eric Adams’ senior advisor on the topic has some thoughts on the incoming mayor’s plans for a new Department of Community Safety.
www.vitalcitynyc.org
November 26, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Posting this only because of the photo they put atop the article: the POPS at 60 Wall Street designed by Kevin Roche that was recently demolished. Odd choice, I think.
www.vitalcitynyc.org/articles/wha...
www.vitalcitynyc.org/articles/wha...
Wanna buy an architecture-book lover a gift that's not an architecture book? Here are some suggestions I cobbled together: archidose.substack.com/p/gifts-for-...
Gifts for People Who Read Architecture Books*
*Gifts that are nearly everything BUT architecture books
archidose.substack.com
November 26, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Wanna buy an architecture-book lover a gift that's not an architecture book? Here are some suggestions I cobbled together: archidose.substack.com/p/gifts-for-...
Book of the Week in my newsletter is "Design for Construction: Tectonic Imagination in Contemporary Architecture" by Eric Höweler, published by @routledgebooks.bsky.social:
archidose.substack.com/p/what-is-te...
archidose.substack.com/p/what-is-te...
November 24, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Book of the Week in my newsletter is "Design for Construction: Tectonic Imagination in Contemporary Architecture" by Eric Höweler, published by @routledgebooks.bsky.social:
archidose.substack.com/p/what-is-te...
archidose.substack.com/p/what-is-te...
The book in my newsletter this week is "Renaissance: A New Museum for Princeton" by James Christen Steward, with contributions by Paul Goldberger, Ron McCoy, and Mark Stevens: archidose.substack.com/p/a-princeto...
A Princeton Renaissance
Architecture Books – Week 47/2025
archidose.substack.com
November 17, 2025 at 4:25 PM
The book in my newsletter this week is "Renaissance: A New Museum for Princeton" by James Christen Steward, with contributions by Paul Goldberger, Ron McCoy, and Mark Stevens: archidose.substack.com/p/a-princeto...
David Halle and Elisabeth Tiso's "New York's New Edge: Contemporary Art, the High Line, and Urban Megaprojects on the Far West Side," pictured, is great. Its balance of sociology, history, etc., plus its clarity of writing, has made it one of the most helpful books in my understanding of 21C NYC.
Residents of New York City are voting for mayor today, an election closely watched across the U.S. for political trends. Our blog offers a selection of books on NYC history that explore issues relevant to this contest. buff.ly/gYAPmUJ
Books for Understanding the NYC Mayoral Election – The Chicago Blog
Smart and timely features from our books and authors
buff.ly
November 4, 2025 at 3:58 PM
David Halle and Elisabeth Tiso's "New York's New Edge: Contemporary Art, the High Line, and Urban Megaprojects on the Far West Side," pictured, is great. Its balance of sociology, history, etc., plus its clarity of writing, has made it one of the most helpful books in my understanding of 21C NYC.
And important to Trump that the bathroom he renovated overlooks the future ballroom.
(Also note that the photo was taken before the East Wing demolition but posted after.)
(Also note that the photo was taken before the East Wing demolition but posted after.)
It was very important to Lincoln that people from outside see him taking a shit
November 4, 2025 at 12:14 PM
And important to Trump that the bathroom he renovated overlooks the future ballroom.
(Also note that the photo was taken before the East Wing demolition but posted after.)
(Also note that the photo was taken before the East Wing demolition but posted after.)
My newsletter this week features "Archigram: The Magazine," the new facsimile edition of all nine and a half issues of Archigram, originally printed between 1961 and 1974:
archidose.substack.com/p/unboxing-a...
archidose.substack.com/p/unboxing-a...
Unboxing Archigram
Architecture Books – Week 45/2025
archidose.substack.com
November 3, 2025 at 4:20 PM
My newsletter this week features "Archigram: The Magazine," the new facsimile edition of all nine and a half issues of Archigram, originally printed between 1961 and 1974:
archidose.substack.com/p/unboxing-a...
archidose.substack.com/p/unboxing-a...
Not at all surprising to hear this news.
I wouldn't put it past Trump to put McCrery back on the commission so the architect can approve his own design for the ballroom.
I wouldn't put it past Trump to put McCrery back on the commission so the architect can approve his own design for the ballroom.
The White House has fired all six members of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, the independent federal agency that reviews design plans for monuments, memorials, coins and federal buildings. n.pr/4ntG3PR
White House fires entire commission that reviews designs for federal buildings
The White House has fired all six members of the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts, the independent federal agency that reviews design plans for monuments, memorials, coins and federal buildings.
n.pr
October 29, 2025 at 3:34 PM
Not at all surprising to hear this news.
I wouldn't put it past Trump to put McCrery back on the commission so the architect can approve his own design for the ballroom.
I wouldn't put it past Trump to put McCrery back on the commission so the architect can approve his own design for the ballroom.
The sixth and final installment in Robert A.M. Stern's magisterial New York series is out this week, so of course "New York 2020: Architecture and Urbanism at the Beginning of a New Century" is Book of the Week in A Weekly Dose of Architecture Books: archidose.substack.com/p/20-years-o...
20 Years of NYC Architecture Across 1500 Pages
Architecture Books – Week 44/2025
archidose.substack.com
October 27, 2025 at 4:35 PM
The sixth and final installment in Robert A.M. Stern's magisterial New York series is out this week, so of course "New York 2020: Architecture and Urbanism at the Beginning of a New Century" is Book of the Week in A Weekly Dose of Architecture Books: archidose.substack.com/p/20-years-o...
Solar panels are great and all, and putting them on the roof of a parking garage makes perfect sense, but maybe those added to the Princeton University garage designed by Machado and Silvetti in the 90s could have been respectful of the original cornice expression—now lost beneath dark roof.
October 27, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Solar panels are great and all, and putting them on the roof of a parking garage makes perfect sense, but maybe those added to the Princeton University garage designed by Machado and Silvetti in the 90s could have been respectful of the original cornice expression—now lost beneath dark roof.
Reposted by John Hill
I can’t believe there are not one but two articles, in major papers, with this dumb framing. It is not NIMBY to express dismay when a big part of the White House is suddenly rubbled
October 25, 2025 at 9:58 PM
I can’t believe there are not one but two articles, in major papers, with this dumb framing. It is not NIMBY to express dismay when a big part of the White House is suddenly rubbled
Lets give ourselves pats on our backs, architectural media!
"To me, it’s just a building," says Annabelle Collins, one of seven voters the Times spoke to about the White House and Trump tearing down the East Wing: www.nytimes.com/2025/10/26/u...
"To me, it’s just a building," says Annabelle Collins, one of seven voters the Times spoke to about the White House and Trump tearing down the East Wing: www.nytimes.com/2025/10/26/u...
October 26, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Lets give ourselves pats on our backs, architectural media!
"To me, it’s just a building," says Annabelle Collins, one of seven voters the Times spoke to about the White House and Trump tearing down the East Wing: www.nytimes.com/2025/10/26/u...
"To me, it’s just a building," says Annabelle Collins, one of seven voters the Times spoke to about the White House and Trump tearing down the East Wing: www.nytimes.com/2025/10/26/u...
Maybe the White House should be adorned like this now that the East Wing is "dead," killed by Trump.
1881 photo, on the occasion of James A. Garfield's death, found in "The White House and Its Thirty-Four Families" by Amy La Follette Jensen (McGraw-Hill, 1965).
1881 photo, on the occasion of James A. Garfield's death, found in "The White House and Its Thirty-Four Families" by Amy La Follette Jensen (McGraw-Hill, 1965).
October 25, 2025 at 2:15 PM
Maybe the White House should be adorned like this now that the East Wing is "dead," killed by Trump.
1881 photo, on the occasion of James A. Garfield's death, found in "The White House and Its Thirty-Four Families" by Amy La Follette Jensen (McGraw-Hill, 1965).
1881 photo, on the occasion of James A. Garfield's death, found in "The White House and Its Thirty-Four Families" by Amy La Follette Jensen (McGraw-Hill, 1965).
The floor plan accompanying the latest Times story (gift link) on the Trump ballroom labels it as 1,350 seats or 2,225 standing room capacity. That is quite a cozy seating layout! I never worked food service, but I imagine that would be hell to serve at full capacity.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
October 23, 2025 at 12:35 PM
The floor plan accompanying the latest Times story (gift link) on the Trump ballroom labels it as 1,350 seats or 2,225 standing room capacity. That is quite a cozy seating layout! I never worked food service, but I imagine that would be hell to serve at full capacity.
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
www.nytimes.com/interactive/...
"The studio also emphasised the use of 97 per cent of materials from the previous structure."
Seems like the word "use" is doing a lot of work in that statement.
www.dezeen.com/2025/10/21/2...
Seems like the word "use" is doing a lot of work in that statement.
www.dezeen.com/2025/10/21/2...
Foster + Partners completes New York skyscraper for JPMorganChase
Foster + Partners has completed a stepped supertall skyscraper in Manhattan for American financial company JPMorganChase, emphasising its unique base.
www.dezeen.com
October 21, 2025 at 6:51 PM
"The studio also emphasised the use of 97 per cent of materials from the previous structure."
Seems like the word "use" is doing a lot of work in that statement.
www.dezeen.com/2025/10/21/2...
Seems like the word "use" is doing a lot of work in that statement.
www.dezeen.com/2025/10/21/2...
Now that Trump's ballroom has moved from renderings to bulldozers, ethics is rising above issues of architectural style. So Michael J. Crosbie's interview with Thomas Fisher, author of numerous books on architecture and ethics, is worth reading.
commonedge.org/would-you-wo...
commonedge.org/would-you-wo...
Would You Work for Trump?
His White House ballroom project would be an ethically thorny project for any architect.
commonedge.org
October 21, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Now that Trump's ballroom has moved from renderings to bulldozers, ethics is rising above issues of architectural style. So Michael J. Crosbie's interview with Thomas Fisher, author of numerous books on architecture and ethics, is worth reading.
commonedge.org/would-you-wo...
commonedge.org/would-you-wo...
Book of the Week in my architecture books newsletter is "Calder Gardens: Drawings and Texts by Jacques Herzog," published by Hauser & Wirth Publishers on the occasion of the titular institution's recent opening: archidose.substack.com/p/lines-of-u...
Lines of Uncertainty and Doubt—and Enthusiasm
Architecture Books – Week 43/2025
archidose.substack.com
October 20, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Book of the Week in my architecture books newsletter is "Calder Gardens: Drawings and Texts by Jacques Herzog," published by Hauser & Wirth Publishers on the occasion of the titular institution's recent opening: archidose.substack.com/p/lines-of-u...
I'm a big fan of Robert Bolick's "Books on Books" blog, and every so often there's a post directly related to architecture, as in "Alphabet City" and, to a lesser degree, "Big School," both by Scott Teplin.
books-on-books.com/2025/10/14/b...
If you like those, scroll down to "Further Reading."
books-on-books.com/2025/10/14/b...
If you like those, scroll down to "Further Reading."
Books On Books Collection – Scott Teplin
Alphabet City (2009) Alphabet City (2009) Scott Teplin Bolted folio. H270 x W360 mm. [29] pages. Edition of 26, of which this is L. Acquired from the artist, April 2023. Photos: Books On Books Coll…
books-on-books.com
October 14, 2025 at 5:36 PM
I'm a big fan of Robert Bolick's "Books on Books" blog, and every so often there's a post directly related to architecture, as in "Alphabet City" and, to a lesser degree, "Big School," both by Scott Teplin.
books-on-books.com/2025/10/14/b...
If you like those, scroll down to "Further Reading."
books-on-books.com/2025/10/14/b...
If you like those, scroll down to "Further Reading."
This week in my Substack newsletter: "Smaller Architecture" by Michael Meredith, the first title in Architecture Exchange's "Memo Books" series: archidose.substack.com/p/a-10-minut...
A 10-Minute Read*
Architecture Books – Week 42/2025
archidose.substack.com
October 13, 2025 at 3:23 PM
This week in my Substack newsletter: "Smaller Architecture" by Michael Meredith, the first title in Architecture Exchange's "Memo Books" series: archidose.substack.com/p/a-10-minut...
Reposted by John Hill
A groundbreaking history of Africa’s looted architectural heritage—and a bold proposal for the repatriation of the continent’s stolen cultural artifacts.
Africa's Buildings by Itohan I. Osayimwese is now available (2 Dec UK pub).
Learn more: press.princeton.edu/books/hardco...
Africa's Buildings by Itohan I. Osayimwese is now available (2 Dec UK pub).
Learn more: press.princeton.edu/books/hardco...
October 7, 2025 at 5:25 PM
A groundbreaking history of Africa’s looted architectural heritage—and a bold proposal for the repatriation of the continent’s stolen cultural artifacts.
Africa's Buildings by Itohan I. Osayimwese is now available (2 Dec UK pub).
Learn more: press.princeton.edu/books/hardco...
Africa's Buildings by Itohan I. Osayimwese is now available (2 Dec UK pub).
Learn more: press.princeton.edu/books/hardco...
With this project, 270 Park Avenue, and no doubt others, they need to make a new documentary:
"How much do the buildings demolished to make way for your buildings weigh, Mr. Foster?"
"How much do the buildings demolished to make way for your buildings weigh, Mr. Foster?"
Foster + Partners designing San Siro replacement as demolition edges closer to reality: www.dezeen.com/2025/10/07/san-siro-demolition-foster-partners/
October 7, 2025 at 5:34 PM
With this project, 270 Park Avenue, and no doubt others, they need to make a new documentary:
"How much do the buildings demolished to make way for your buildings weigh, Mr. Foster?"
"How much do the buildings demolished to make way for your buildings weigh, Mr. Foster?"
Book of the Week in my Substack newsletter is "Chicago Homes: A Portrait of the City’s Everyday Architecture" by Carla Bruni and Phil Thompson, published this week by @agatepublishing.bsky.social:
archidose.substack.com/p/chicago-in...
(Scroll down for another Chicago/Agate book from the archive.)
archidose.substack.com/p/chicago-in...
(Scroll down for another Chicago/Agate book from the archive.)
October 6, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Book of the Week in my Substack newsletter is "Chicago Homes: A Portrait of the City’s Everyday Architecture" by Carla Bruni and Phil Thompson, published this week by @agatepublishing.bsky.social:
archidose.substack.com/p/chicago-in...
(Scroll down for another Chicago/Agate book from the archive.)
archidose.substack.com/p/chicago-in...
(Scroll down for another Chicago/Agate book from the archive.)
"Architecture for Culture: Rethinking Museums," written by Béatrice Grenier and published by Rizzoli, is atop my newsletter this week: archidose.substack.com/p/the-museum...
The Museum Is [Fill in the Blank]
Architecture Books – Week 40/2025
archidose.substack.com
September 29, 2025 at 10:19 PM
"Architecture for Culture: Rethinking Museums," written by Béatrice Grenier and published by Rizzoli, is atop my newsletter this week: archidose.substack.com/p/the-museum...
Why are those windows so skinny now (first/left) compared to the July rendering (second/right)? Ballroom get taller? Bays get narrower? Structure get beefier? Whatever the case, the proportions (both the windows and the pilasters) seem odd to me, not very classical.
September 25, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Why are those windows so skinny now (first/left) compared to the July rendering (second/right)? Ballroom get taller? Bays get narrower? Structure get beefier? Whatever the case, the proportions (both the windows and the pilasters) seem odd to me, not very classical.