Pruitt Igoe

Pruitt–Igoe was a large urban housing project first occupied in 1954 in St. Louis, Missouri. Living conditions in Pruitt–Igoe soon began to decline after its completion in 1956. By the late 1960s, the complex had become internationally infamous for its poverty, crime, and racial segregation. Its 33 buildings were demolished with explosives in the mid-1970s, and the project has become an icon of failure of urban renewal and of public-policy planning.

Books: Starting your Architecture Library

Every architectural reference library has to start somewhere. Here is a list of the best architecture books to start your collection with. 

Introduction to Architecture

Francis D. K. Ching (affiliate link)

Introduction to Architecture presents the essential texts and drawings of Francis D. K. Ching for those new to architecture and design. With his typical highly graphic approach, this Ching text surveys the design of spaces, buildings, and cities in an easy to understand graphic format. Readers will explore the histories and theories of architecture, design elements and process, and the technical aspects of the contemporary profession of architecture.

Must See Architecture Films

Louis Kahn

My Architect: A Son's Journey is a documentary film by Nathaniel Kahn on his father, Louis Kahn (1901-1974), detailing the architect's extraordinary career and his family legacy after his death. Click here for a detailed look.