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Virgina State Capital: Thomas Jefferson (05:40)

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Builders ignored many elements of Jefferson's original design. He rejected Georgian architecture in favor of that of ancient Rome; his state capital design was a copy of the Maison Carrée in France.

Trinity Church: H.H. Richardson (04:31)

Richardson changed architecture by creating a new design called Richardsonian Romanesque.

Wainwright Building: Louis Sullivan (05:14)

Hear a brief history of skyscrapers. Sullivan's then draftsman, Frank Lloyd Wright, recalls the design process in this archival video clip.

Robie House: Frank Lloyd Wright (05:19)

Follow the series of designs that ultimately led to this home design. Dramatic twists and turns define the home's entrance--and the fortunes of both Wright and Robie after it was completed.

Highland Park Ford Plant: Albert Kahn (02:33)

The Highland Park Ford Plant revolutionized industry. Hear a brief history of the Model T. See archival footage of workers in this "daylight factory."

Southdale Center: Victor Gruen (07:11)

Learn Victor Gruen's inspiration for the Southdale Center. His vision created the 'formula' for indoor malls. Life Magazine announced it as the proclaimed it the splashiest shopping center in the US.

Seagram Building: Mies van der Rohe (05:59)

New technology allowed architects to move beyond stone and brick. European modernist, van der Rohe, had long envisioned the glass skyscraper, which became popular in the U.S. for many reasons.

Dulles International Airport: Eero Saarinen (04:35)

Capturing the magic of early air travel Eero Saarinen created this expression of modernism. Saarinen created a smaller terminal and "mobile lounges."

Vanna Venturi House: Robert Venturi (05:51)

The "first post-modern building" got its look from borrowed elements. Instead of organization, this building utilizes complexity and contradiction.

Walt Disney Concert Hall: Frank Genry (04:53)

Genry wanted this building inviting and accessible. Learn the role of computers in the design of this complex form.

Summary of American Architecture (01:02)

American architecture has been 'begged, borrowed and stolen.' American architecture doesn't have a single style, rather it is an ongoing process of inventing and reinventing.

Credits: 10 Buildings That Changes America (00:49)

Credits: 10 Buildings That Changes America

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10 Buildings That Changed America

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Description

This film tells the stories of ten influential works of architecture, the people who imagined them, and the way these landmarks ushered in innovative cultural shifts throughout our society. From American architectural stalwarts like Louis Sullivan and Frank Lloyd Wright, to modern revolutionaries Frank Gehry and Robert Venturi, the program examines the most prominent buildings designed by the most noteworthy architects of our time. We see the legacy of these architects all around us: in the homes where we live, the offices in which we work, our public buildings, and our houses of worship. These 10 Buildings represent architects who dared to strike out on their own and design radical new types of buildings that permanently altered our environmental and cultural landscape. A state capitol that Thomas Jefferson designed to resemble a Roman temple, the home of Henry Ford’s first assembly line, the first indoor regional shopping mall, an airport with a swooping concrete roof that seems to float on air — these are among the buildings surveyed in this cross-country journey to 10 influential works of American architecture. Meet the daring architects who imagined them and learn the shocking, funny and even sad stories of how they came to be. They changed the way we live, work, worship, learn, shop and play. Geoffrey Baer hosts.

Length: 56 minutes

Item#: BVL60757

Closed Captioned