New York 1960: Architecture and Urbanism Between the Second World War and the Bicentennial. - book reviews

Architectural Review, The, July, 1996 by Ed Robbins

In a relatively short book Form Follows Finance, Willis looks at how skyscrapers, which she views as the vernacular architecture of capitalism, took shape in New York City and Chicago in the first half of the twentieth century. Skyscrapers, Willis argues, are essentially the products of standard real estate formulas modified by local conditions such as the city's historic grid, its economic situation, regulations and its zoning. Add to this the limits imposed by contemporary technology and one understands why, for the most part, skyscrapers look as they do.

Differences between the skyscrapers of Chicago and New York are attributable to differences in those cities' grids, zoning and the economics that drove speculation. As interesting as Willis' discussion is, though, the space she devotes to a repetitive presentation of the programmes that guided particular skyscrapers might instead have been used to examine why, as similar as skyscrapers are, some buildings, like the facade of the Chrysler building or the interior of the Rookery in Chicago, stand out. Nonetheless, Form Follows Finance is well written, and copiously illustrated. It stands as an important corrective to more conventional architectural histories which emphasise style, the architect and the importance of corporate symbolism in the design of skyscrapers.

Short as Willis' discussion of skyscrapers is, Stern, Mellins and Fishman's New York 1960 is long. In over 1300 pages of well written text and wonderful illustrations, it presents an encyclopedic look at the development of urbanism and architecture in New York City from 1941 to 1976. Most useful are the introductory chapters which set out the political, intellectual and economic context for the development of architecture and planning in New York.

Equally noteworthy, the authors do not confine themselves to a discussion of only important buildings in Manhattan. They also look extensively at a whole range of developments from public housing to the planning of highway construction in all the boroughs of the city. In some of their most interesting chapters, the authors provide a generous guide to restaurant, apartment and office interiors, highlighting work that often goes unseen as well as descriptions of New York as seen in the movies and the theatre.

Although the book is a salutary antidote to architectural histories that fail to place buildings in their political and social context, my one major criticism is that the insider politics of elites are most important to the authors. The effects on communities and the role of communities in the redevelopment process receive short shrift when they are mentioned at all. The critique of public housing reveals little of the discrimination that the critique of office buildings does, and the reliance on elite witness bears little evidence that resident reactions count. Though the authors recognise that Lincoln Center was a product of shameful and 'gritty urban clearance', its effects are dismissed because the area was a slum and Lincoln Center so important. What appears to count are the debates among its developers and designers. A discussion of Westway provides two paragraphs about one of the most successful community actions in New York. Add to this a penchant for painting certain commentators or publications 'leftist' and one gets a sense that the authors could not keep from wearing their politics on their sleeves.

Its politics notwithstanding, the book stands as a quite extraordinary accomplishment and a most useful and comprehensive source book as well as entertaining guide to the architectural and urban development of post-war New York City.