Over the course of a career that lasted more than fifty years, Andrew
Geller--architect, artist, and designer--quietly produced a large and
culturally significant body of work, leaving an invaluable mark in his
field. Geller's impact was first felt in the heady post-World War II
years he spent at the Raymond Loewy design firm, where one highlight
amongst many was his improvisational and free-handed influence on the
Lord & Taylor brand. He is undoubtedly most well-known, though, for his
architecture, and his stunning modernist beach houses in particular,
houses that still grace our shores and which, not unlike Andrew Geller
himself, were innovative, unconventional, and saturated with a delight
for beauty and form. In Andrew Geller: Deconstructed, Jake Gorst
celebrates the life and work of his grandfather, bringing together
two-decades worth of interviews, both formal and informal, as well as
many artifacts and treasures culled from Geller's vast personal
collection of drawings and photographs. Included within are stories and
images not only of his now famous beach houses, but also of the many
lesser-known buildings and early artworks, making this the definitive
volume on this architectural icon. Gorst's intent in writing this
volume - to share this wealth of information and provide an intimate
glimpse into the inner workings of an artist--is here fully actualized,
rendering a vivid portrait of a man whose main drive in life was to
create beauty whatever he did.
