University of Cincinnati: An Architectural Tour (Campus Guide (New York, N.Y.).)

Rating:
Summary: Author response
Review: I feel I need to address the first reviewer's concerns about the accuracy of this book (with the exception of Mr. Grave's foreword). Indeed, the reviewer is correct about the Law School Library. The architect of that work is mistakenly identified in the text. It was E. A. Glendenning and not Herbert Hilmer. The records of the University architect and archivist both contain this mistake; and it wasn't until I researched the records of the Law School itself (on this reviewer's prompting) that I discovered the truth. I apologize for this, and any other instances of mis-attribution.

However, I must take issue with the alleged mis-identification of the person responsible for the master plan. Steger, McGirr, and Chatterjee all verify that the organization of that master planning committee was initiated by the president's office, and not by Chatterjee alone. However, most everyone involved with the process credits Chatterjee with being the primary mover of the entire idea of remaking the campus by pushing for high quality, high profile architecture. This is made explicit in the introduction of the book, and much credit is given to Chatterjee for this. However, it would be wrong to say that he orchestrated the master plan committee and gave it its landscape focus.

Rating:
Summary: Flawed perhaps, but still excellent
Review: Taking into account the comments of the above reviewer, this is still a wonderful book. I have a copy and thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It has excellent colour 3D maps and colour photos, with a couple of pages of text for each building. A good read if you are interested in architecture, particularly modern.

Rating:
Summary: Flawed perhaps, but still excellent
Review: The scope of this book is commendable. Photographs and graphics are of high quality. But the many errors in the text of which I am aware of make me wonder about the accuracy of all of the information in the book with which I am not conversant. Examples: Michael Graves, in his introduction, refers to the street fronting the campus as McMicken Street rather than Clifton Avenue; the most recent additon/enclosure of the Law School is attributed to the wrong architect; President Steger is mistakenly credited with the inititing the idea of commissioning the campus master plan, rather than Dean Chatterjee-although the president is rightly complimented with approving the idea and championing its value for the physical environment of the university. If the publishers plan a second edition, they should see that their writer more carefully studies the information sources.

Rating:
Summary: An excellent book, despite failings mentioned in other revie
Review: This is another book in the excellent series by Princeton Architectural Press covering US campuses. The book gives a 15 page history of the campus with reference to its architectural roots.Then there are chapters covering each part of the University. Each chapter starts with 3D view of the area to be covered. Then a colour photo of each building is shown together with a page or two of text describing the buildings history, architecture and use. If you are interested in architecture I can strongly recommend all guides in this series. I bought one and was so pleased with it I buy them as they come out and have never been disappointed.