The Architecture Of Whimsy

This fascinating lexicon examines the quixotic architectural expressions
found on select mid-20th-century modern commercial
buildings in South Florida. Showcasing the work of 13 noted architects from Miami Beach to Fort
Lauderdale, it highlights the playful decorative details
and gestures—swooping overhangs, brise-soleil, cheese holes and arches, and
screening—that expressed the era's shiny optimism and the
region's carefree resort culture. With brief bios of the architects and street maps pinpointing the
location of each building, this book offers tourists, architects,
history buffs, and preservationists a new context and appreciation for these
works of art, many of which are
endangered.