Five-Volume Monograph of the Moment

The Monacelli Press has announced a five-volume monograph on Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM), spanning 1950-2008. Each volume spans about ten years and features introductions by Henry Russell-Hitchcock (1950-62), Arthur Drexler (1963-73), Albert Bush-Brown (1974-83), Detlef Mertins (1984-96), and Kenneth Frampton (1997-2008), as well as commentaries similar to their SOM Journals.



The first three volumes are reprints of the original Verlag Gerd Hatje editions, while the last two are brand-spanking new, covering some exciting years when the firm's corporate sheen was enlivened with some exceptional output, particularly schools. Owning all five is most likely only for die-hard fans (how many are there?), but each volume neatly encompasses the evolving phases of the corporate powerhouse's long tenure as one of the most successful and important american architecture firms.