Spiro Kostof (1936-1991) was Professor of Architectural History at the University of California, Berkeley. Among
his books are A History of Architecture: Settings and Rituals, second edition (1995) and The City Shaped: Urban
Patterns and Meanings through History (1993).
Review
"A highly cohesive, well-illustrated, penetrating series of essays that deserves to be added to every collection
of books on the profession of architecture."
--Journal of Interdisciplinary History
"An excellent anthology. . . . Perhaps the most enlightening contribution is Wright's account of women's neglected
position in architecture."
--AIA Journal
The University of California Press Web Site, February, 2001
Summary
The Architectwas the first book in fifty years to survey the role of the profession from its beginnings in ancient
Egypt to the present. Without claiming to cover every period in every country, it is nonetheless the most complete
synthesis available of what is known about one of the oldest professions in the world. Dana Cuff considers the
continuing relevance of the book and evaluates changes in architectural practice and the profession since 1965,
most particularly digital technology, globalization, and environmental concerns.
CONTRIBUTORS
Bernard Michael Boyle
Joan Draper
Joseph Esherick
Leopold Ettlinger
Spiro Kostof
William L. MacDonald
Myra Nan Rosenfeld
Catherine Wilkinson
John Wilton-Ely
Gwendolyn Wright
