I Am an Architect
Paul R. Williams and His Archive
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Getty Trust Publications
Publishing:5th Jan '27
£50.00
This title is due to be published on 5th January, and will be despatched as soon as possible.
Discover the visionary legacy of the groundbreaking architect Paul R. Williams, one of the first Black members of the American Institute of Architects.
Discover the visionary legacy of the groundbreaking architect Paul R. Williams, FAIA, one of the most prolific Black architects of the 20th century.
Paul R. Williams, FAIA (1894-1980), was one of the most prolific Black architects of the twentieth century. He had strong ties to Southern California and the city of Los Angeles, yet his impact was undoubtedly global. I am an ARchitect presents the first research-based, archivally driven monograph on this pivotal yet underrecognized figure. Threading together Williams's biography, social histories of Los Angeles, and transformations in the profession, this volume traces the architect's extraordinary career, from early residential commissions during Los Angeles's housing boom of the 1920s to his civic, religious, commercial, and cultural landmarks that came to define the city's identity at midcentury. It examines Williams's career-long commitment to creating space for and with Black communities as well as his national and international reach.
Drawing upon Paul R. Williams's archive and including nearly 200 images, I Am an Architect reproduces diverse materials from the architect's extensive oeuvre-including drawings, prints, and hand-colored renderings-that have been largely unavailable until now. Ultimately, this book reveals how Williams reimagined public housing, residential design, and commercial and civic spaces with the belief that architecture could advance social progress.
Paul R. Williams achieved extraordinary success in his decades-long career, and I Am An Architect reveals the vast range of his work and the richness of its manifestations, from affordable housing to luxurious homes, from public schools to city plans. As the authors compellingly demonstrate-accompanied by stunning drawings from Williams's firm-his virtuosity encompassed not just architectural form but also a deeply humane vision of society and community. This will be the first stop for all subsequent research on this profoundly important twentieth-century figure.
-Brian D. Goldstein, author of Max Bond: The Life and Work of the People's Architect
I Am an Architect: Paul R. Williams and His Archive is a welcome and necessary contribution to architectural history, one that gives a fresh perspective on Paul R. Williams by extending beyond just the common knowledge of this celebrated figure to engage with the complexities of both the person and the work. Insightful essays are coupled with Williams's incredible drawings and edifying photographs of his buildings, all of which offer a peek into the architect's immense archive of work. This is a critical resource for anyone interested in modern architecture.
- Jay Cephas, Princeton University
With diverse visual materials and deeply reflective essays on different aspects of Paul R. Williams's distinguished career and unique, important archive, I Am an Architect: Paul R. Williams and His Archive is at once an illuminating descriptive survey, a critical introduction to the architect, an instructive model, and an essential reference for further study of the intersection of history and identity in US American architecture.
- Shantel Blakely, author of "The Architecture of Charles E. Fleming," in Design Agendas; Assistant Professor, Rice University
This volume is a powerful affirmation of Paul R. Williams's position as one of the United States's most iconic architects. As Williams opened doors for younger Black architects in his time, this book, and Williams's archives, will serve as a beacon of inspiration for generations of designers from all walks of life to break barriers and dream beyond constraint.
- Brent Leggs, President and CEO of the National Trust for Historic Preservation
ISBN: 9798887120706
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
304 pages