Maurice Fatio: Palm Beach Architect (The American Architect) [ハードカバー]

If you have ever lived or been to South Florida, then it would be hard not to have heard of the great architect, Addison Mizner. Whole streets and shopping centers are named after him. During Mizner's heyday there was one other great architect who has been grossly overlooked; his name was Maurice Fatio. Finally, a book has been written to rectify this inbalance and what a book it is!
The first thing I noticed with this book is its heft - substantial and made of quality materials. No skimping was done to diminish the books beauty. Upon opening the book and paging through its contents, one can immediately see that this is a visually stunning work. The book is filled with original black & white and contemporary color photographs, many taken by the author himself. I was thrilled to see that in each chapter all 26 houses included detailed floorplans. Each chapter contains a brief biography of the original and sometimes current owners, coupled with little tidbits of engrossing facts. The author then describes the house itself, creating with delightfully stylistic prose a vivid portrait of the interiors and exteriors of Maurice Fatio's designs of pure genius.
At the back of the book is a complete list of all the Florida homes and buildings that Fatio designed in his brief career (sadly he died at 49). I was stunned to see the author also added who commissioned the house, whether additions have since been made, but most interestingly, whether or not the structure has been demolished. Not every book of this kind offers such detail.
The author, Kim I. Mockler, has created a monumental work on the designs of Maurice Fatio, which I predict will be used by both professional architects and the fascinated layman for years to come.

As always, the quality of books published by Acanthus Press are without a doubt the best. As a collector of architectural monographs this book is a very important addition to my library. The quality of the book is exceptional and that includes the work of the author. I am pleased beyond words to have this book in my home.

A wonderful look at a major architect. Beautiful photos and interesting commentary. Must have for your architectural library.