Building in the Garden

American architect Joseph Allen Stein was a major figure in the establishment of a regional modern architecture in the San Francisco Bay area in the 1940s and 1950s during the early days of the environmental design movement. Stein's California works were products of the social consciousness of the period, and achieved a modest beauty typical of the Bay Area scene. His work in architecture and environmental conservation has assumed even greater significance in India, where he has been practicing since 1952.

This book is a comprehensive document of Stein's architectural career, covering built as well as unrealized projects. Along with 280 black-and-white photographs, 16 color photographs, and more than 250 sketches and drawings, the book includes interviews with Stein, selections from his writings and lectures, and interviews with architects and landscape architects with whom Stein has worked. The book documents Stein's work and thought, as well as others sharing similar ideals--to portray Stein as but one exemplar of a larger approach toward "building in the garden" that is now emerging as a persistent worldwide concern. The book is geared for practicing architects and students of architecture and environment, demonstrating the viability of such an integrated approach to architecture, society, and environment.