This exhibition presents three phases in the history of the architect’s book: the mid-sixteenth century, when architects first proved themselves in the field; the late-nineteenth to early-twentieth centuries, when architects turned to book design as a serious complement to their professional career; and contemporary times, when architectural firms, in league with their publishers, play with format, legibility, and ease of handling.

The exhibition comprises a selection of thirty-three books from the CCA collection, complemented by thirteen portrait prints of architects with books, bookbindings designed and executed by Montréal architect Ernest Cormier, and a daguerreotype.

Curator: Gerald Beasley, Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library, Columbia University.