Georgetown University: An Architectural History

Georgetown University: An Architectural History

A comprehensive guide to the history of Georgetown University's iconic buildings and campus spaces This book provides a close look at over fifty campus buildings and their history from Georgetown's founding in 1789 through today. Illustrations accompanying the text include historical images from the university archives, vibrant current photographs, and multiple maps covering all campuses. Rufino describes the work of leading historical and contemporary architects. She depicts the history of buildings that exemplify a host of architectural styles, including Federal, Romanesque Revival, Gothic Revival, International Style, Brutalist, and Postmodern. She sets the evolution of the university's built environment against the backdrop of its social and cultural history―including its involvement with slavery, the ever changing makeup of its student body, and its development into a modern research university. Enthusiasts of American architecture as well as Georgetown University's students, parents, alumni, administrators, faculty, and staff members will enjoy this informative and beautifully illustrated look at familiar haunts from a different perspective. "An essential primer on Georgetown University's storied history as told through its buildings and landscapes. Vivid photographs from the past and from today bring this campus tour to life. Visitors, students, and alumni will learn much from this architectural history of one of America's most important Catholic universities."―Margaret M. Grubiak, professor of architectural history, Villanova University "With engaging prose and rich illustrations, Georgetown University: An Architectural History provides a captivating guide to the buildings and landscapes that have shaped one of the nation's most influential universities and to the shifting currents in American architecture that have left their mark on this ever-evolving campus."―Sheila Crane, associate professor and chair of architectural history, University of Virginia "Read front to back, or referenced while walking the campus, Rufino's guidebook of Georgetown University is both carefully crafted and beautifully illustrated. By enlivening the university's buildings and landscapes, the book animates the lives of the Jesuits, teachers, enslaved workers, and students who have defined this institution for more than two centuries."―Elizabeth Ann Milnarik, AIA, architectural historian "In this architectural survey of Georgetown University, Rufino brings a nuanced understanding of buildings as cultural signposts. As the country's first Jesuit institution, the campus grew in tandem with the nation's capital―first under Archbishop John Carroll, then under the shadow of slavery through the antebellum years, and more recently with the preservation movement of the 1960s. Her book offers both a detailed guide for specialists and an engaging read for students of Washington history."―Phil Jacks, professor emeritus, George Washington University "Thoroughly researched and expertly written, Dr. Rufino's book takes the reader on a grand tour of one of America's oldest universities and its ever-evolving built environment. A must read for those interested in Georgetown University's campus from the early days of the capital city to the present day."―Lauren Oswalt McHale, president, The L'Enfant Trust "Students and enthusiasts of American architecture, as well as Georgetown University's students, parents, alumni, administrators, faculty, and staff members, will fully enjoy paging through this impressively informative and beautifully illustrated history and survey of familiar Georgetown University haunts from a variety of perspectives."― Midwest Book Review Stephanie J. Rufino, PhD , received her doctorate from the University of Virginia and taught architectural history at Georgetown University for a decade.