George Washington, Architect

Rating:
Summary: The House That George Built
Review: Leave it to George Washington, the man who broke the rules in war to defeat the British, to carry on in the field of architecture, designing Mount Vernon as he wished it to be -- not as architects who were consulted by Washington deemed it "should be." Though bits and pieces of Mount Vernon's architecture can be traced to Palladio, and English pattern books by Langley and Swan, Washington relied upon his horse-sense in combining these elements after his own taste to create the facade and interiors. The result was a remarkable bit of architectural sleight of hand: a structure immense in scale, yet unpretentious -- incorporating elements that exude strength, but without pomposity or intimidation -- asymmetrical, without spoiling the overall sense of balance. Washington's preference for Tuscan simplicity evokes a harmonious impression that manages to be both masculine and quaint. It's a storybook house created by the man who gave us our country. Mr. Greenberg's book is top drawer reading for architects, interior designers, homeowners, landscape architects and city planners who wish to recover a master vision -- and apply it to the next iteration of Republican taste.