Chicago's Famous Buildings

This trade-sized paperback published by the University of Chicago provides concise facts and black-and-white photos of Chicago's major architectural achievements, from skyscrapers to city neighborhoods and beyond, to the suburbs. There are helpful maps at the beginning, with numbers for each building described in the following pages. It is an easy to carry size, and features an attractive typeface. The one update this book now needs is the addition of photos for the now mostly-completed Millennium Park.

If you are thinking about ordering this book, think about why you want it. It is a small paperback book with only black and white photos, not a coffee table book. It is intended to be carried around the city with you while you look at the buildings. With that said, it contains photos and descriptions of 167 buildings and additional information such as a glossary and a list of buildings that have been destroyed since they appeared in previous editions.

This is the best general architectural guide to Chicago and the suburbs, but get the new Fifth Edition ISBN: 0226740668. It's much more up-to-date and the maps are easier to use.

This is one of my favorite mini-books on Chicago architecture. It is perfect if you are in need of a comprehensive guide with short entries to shape your exploration of the city. Unlike, say, the AIA Guide, photographs are provided for every entry. Photos are small but nowhere near as tiny as the AIA thumbnails. While the entries are brief, they cover most of the important highlights. I am anxious for a new edition, as many of the descrpitions (and their accompanying photos) are in need of updating in order to cover recent restoration efforts and newer major buildings as well.

I love this book. It is fairly recent overview of the famous buildings in the Chicago area. It covers downtown, the city, and the suburbs. It also has some good buildings featured from the Sears Tower to the Amritech Building at Hoffmann Estates. Though the photos are in black and white, and the entries are a little short, this is a definate buy if you are interested in Urban Architecture or Chicago.