CAC 98 Witold Rybczynski Fonds John Bland Canadian Architecture Collection
3459 McTavish Street Montreal Quebec Canada H3A 0C9 Email: jennifer.garland@mcgill.ca https://www.mcgill.ca/library/branches/rarebooks/special-collections/bland
2020-09-14 Generated by Access to Memory (AtoM) 2.9.2 2026-10-17 21:49 UTC English Witold Rybczynski Fonds CAC 98 1973-2016, bulk 1973-1993 approximately 6 m of textual records John Bland Canadian Architecture Collection
3459 McTavish Street Montreal Quebec Canada H3A 0C9 Email: jennifer.garland@mcgill.ca https://www.mcgill.ca/library/branches/rarebooks/special-collections/bland

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 Rybczynski, Witold

Architect Witold Rybczynski was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, to Polish parents. As a child he moved to Canada, where he studied architecture at McGill University, graduating with a B.Arch in 1966, M.Arch. in 1972, and S.D. in 2002. He was a faculty member at the McGill School of Architecture from 1973 and 1993 and is currently Emeritus Professor of Architecture at the University of Pennsylvania. His book "Home: A Short History of an Idea" was, notably, nominated for the 1986 Governor General's Award. It is one of the approximately 300 publications Rybczynski has authored on architecture and technology, including many for non-academic audiences.

Published

Minimal

Title based on content.

The fonds contains the professional papers of Canadian-American architect Witold Rybczynski. They comprise textual records including book manuscripts and proofs, research materials, reviews, correspondence, and teaching material, as well as slides and digital files representing his career as an author and educator.

Based on ordering of original inventory from creator (document found in Box C-98-01). Files originally stored in numbered and labelled file folder boxes (the creator's inventory describes and lists these).

 McGill University. School of Architecture -- Faculty. McGill University. School of Architecture -- Students. Architecture

Donated by Witold Rybczynski to the Canadian Architecture Collection in 2018.

USB key located in Box C-98-01 (unprocessed).

 Books CAC 98-1 1977-2016

Published

Series consists of research materials, manuscripts, galley proofs, correspondence, photographs, book reviews, and other records related to the preparation and publication of Witold Rynczynski's many books on architecture. It also includes records related to public lectures given by Rybczynski (File 43) and Rynbczynski's author photos (File 47), as well as assorted essays: Public Interest, Wilson Quarterly, Places, New Yorker, Doubletake (File 57).The publications found in this series include:- Stop the Fecal Peril (1977) with Polprasert & McGarry, IDRC/World Bank, Annotated Bibliography: Manuscript & bound draft (File 50)- Paper Heroes: Appropriate Technology, Panacea or Pipedream? (1980): Research materials (File 01), Manuscript & Galleys (File 02), Correspondence (File 59), Bound book (File 63)- Taming the Tiger: The Struggle to Control Technology (1983): Manuscript (File 03), Correspondence (File 59), Bound book (File 63)- Home: A Short History of an Idea (1986): Research materials (File 4), Reviews (File 5), Manuscript & galleys (File 6), Interviews &, Reviews (File 58), Correspondence (File 59), Bound book (File 63)- The Most Beautiful House in the World (1989): Manuscript (File 7), Bound uncorrected proof (File 9), Interviews & Reviews (File 58), Bound book (File 63)- Waiting for the Weekend (1991): Galleys and manuscript (File 10), Bound uncorrected proof (File 9), Manuscript (File 48), Interviews & Reviews (File 58), Bound book (File 60)- Looking Around: A Journey Through Architecture (1992): Manuscript (File 12), Manuscript (File 48), Bound uncorrected proof (File 9), Interviews & Reviews (File 58), Bound book (File 60)- A Place for Art: The Architecture of the National Gallery of Canada (1993): Bound book (File 61)- City Life: Urban Expectations in a New World (1995): Manuscript (File 2), Bound uncorrected proof (File 9), Bound book (File 63)- A Clearing in the Distance: Frederick Law Olmsted and America in the Nineteenth Century (1999): Research materials (Filees 13, 14, 15, 16 & 17), Reviews and illustrations (File 19), Field trip photographs (File 18), Bound book (File 62)- One Good Turn: A Natural History of the Screwdriver and the Screw (2000): Research materials (Files 20 & 21), Bound uncorrected proof (File 9), Bound book (File 62)- The Look of Architecture (2001): Manuscript & Galleys (File 2), Interviews & Reviews (File 58), Bound book (File 62)- The Perfect House: A Journey with the Renaissance Master Andrea Palladio (2002), Research materials, field notes (Files 22 & 23), Manuscripts and galleys (Files 24 & 56), Bound uncorrected proof (File 9), Field trip photographs (File 49), Bound book (File 63)- Vizcaya: An American Villa and Its Makers (2006): Bound book (File 61)- Last Harvest: How a Cornfield became New Daleville: Real Estate Development in America from George Washington to the Builders of the Twenty-First Century, and Why We Live in Houses Anyway (2007): Manuscript (Files 25, 26, 27, 55 & 8), Bound uncorrected proof (File 9), Research materials, interviews, field notes, chapter by chapter (Files 28 & 29), Bound book (File 63)- My Two Polish Grandfathers: And Other Essays on the Imaginative Life (2009): Research materials (File 31), Bound uncorrected proof (File 9), Manuscript, interviews, letters (9 digital files, 674 ps))- Makeshift Metropolis: Ideas About Cities (2010): Bound uncorrected proof (File 9), Manuscript, research materials (6 digital files, 179 ps), Bound book (File 62)- The Biography of a Building: How Robert Sainsbury and Norman Foster Built a Great Museum (2011): Research materials, interviews, articles. (File 32, 33, 34 & 35), Manuscript, interviews, letters (122 digital files, 2,167 ps)- How Architecture Works: A Humanist’s Toolkit (2013): Manuscripts, 5 versions (Files 36 & 37), Bound uncorrected proof (File 09), Manuscript, interviews, letters (53 digital files, 976 ps)- Mysteries of the Mall: and Other Essays (2015): Bound uncorrected proof (File 9), Manuscript, interviews, letters (11 digital files, 348 ps), Bound book (Box 61)- Now I Sit Me Down: From Klismos to Plastic Chair: A Natural History (2016): Manuscripts, 5 consecutive versions (File 38), Bound uncorrected proof (File 09), Manuscript, interviews, letters (40 digital files, 1,075 ps), Bound book (File 61)- Miscellaneous reviews & articles (Files 39, 40, 41, 42 & 11): Interviews, Reviews, Home, Waiting for the Weekend, The Most, - Beautiful House in the World, Looking Around, Look of Architecture (File 58)

 C-98-16 Paper Heroes, Research materials CAC 98-1-01

Published

 C-98-17 Paper Heroes, Manuscript & Galleys; City Life, Manuscript; The Look of Architecture, Manuscript & Galleys CAC 98-1-02

Published

 C-98-01 Taming the Tiger, Manuscript CAC 98-1-03

Published

Originally housed in file folder box 3.

 C-98-01 Home, Research materials - foreign illustration rights CAC 98-1-04.1

Published

Originally housed in file folder box 4.

 C-98-01 Home, Research materials - correspondence, exhibition thesis, and ephemera CAC 98-1-04.2

Published

Originally housed in file folder box 4.

 C-98-01 Home, original art CAC 98-1-04.3

Published

Originally housed in file folder box 4.

 C-98-01 Home, research material ephemera CAC 98-1-04.4

Published

Originally housed in file folder box 4.

 C-98-01 Home, research and lecture ephemera CAC 98-1-04.5

Published

Also includes drafts of talk, "The genealogy of the chair."

Originally housed in file folder box 4.

 C-98-01 Home, photographs CAC 98-1-04.6

Published

Photographs and correspondence regarding permissions.

Originally housed in file folder box 4.

 C-98-01 Home, related article drafts CAC 98-1-04.7

Published

Includes Waiting for a Big Red Mac and At Home in the Middle Kingdom.

Originally housed in file folder box 4.

 C-98-01 Home, Reviews CAC 98-1-05

Published

Newspaper clippings and published reviews.

Housed in file folder box 5.

Fragile. Requires additional preservation work.

 C-98-02 Home, manuscript and galleys CAC 98-1-06.1

Published

Originally housed in file folder box 6.

 C-98-02 Home, author's set of proofs CAC 98-1-06.2 1986

Published

 C-98-02 The Most Beautiful House in the World, Manuscript CAC 98-1-07

Published

Housed in file folder box 7.

 C-98-02 Last Harvest, Manuscript CAC 98-1-08 between approximately 2004 and 2007

Published

Bound uncorrected proof for Last Harvest: How a Cornfield became New Daleville: Real Estate Development in America from George Washington to the Builders of the Twenty-First Century, and Why We Live in Houses Anyway (2007).

Housed in file folder box 8.

 C-98-03 Bound uncorrected proofs CAC 98-1-09 12 volumes

Originally found in file folder box 9.

Published

Contains bound uncorrected proofs for: The Most Beautiful House in the World, Waiting for the Weekend, Looking Around, City Life, One Good Turn, The Perfect House, Last Harvest, My Two Polish Grandfathers, Makeshift Metropolis, How Architecture Works, Mysteries of the Mall, and Now I Sit Me Down.

 C-98-03 Waiting for the Weekend, Galleys and manuscript CAC 98-1-10

Published

 C-98-03 Miscellaneous reviews and articles CAC 98-1-11.1

Originally housed in file folder box 11.

Published

 C-98-03 Miscellaneous reviews and articles CAC 98-1-11.2

Originally housed in file folder box 11.

Published

 C-98-03 Miscellaneous reviews and articles CAC 98-1-11.3

Originally housed in file folder box 11.

Published

 C-98-03 Looking Around, Manuscript CAC 98-1-12

“A Clearing in the Distance” is a biography of 19th-century landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted

Originally housed in file folder box 12.

Published

 C-98-04 A Clearing in the Distance, Research materials CAC 98-1-13

“A Clearing in the Distance” is a biography of 19th-century landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted

Originally housed in file folder box 13.

Published

 C-98-04 A Clearing in the Distance, Research materials CAC 98-1-14

“A Clearing in the Distance” is a biography of 19th-century landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted

Originally housed in file folder box 14.

Published

 C-98-04 A Clearing in the Distance, Research materials CAC 98-1-15

“A Clearing in the Distance” is a biography of 19th-century landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted

Originally housed in file folder box 15.

Published

 C-98-04 A Clearing in the Distance, Research materials CAC 98-1-16

“A Clearing in the Distance” is a biography of 19th-century landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted

Originally housed in file folder box 16.

Published

 C-98-05 A Clearing in the Distance, Research materials CAC 98-1-17

“A Clearing in the Distance” is a biography of 19th-century landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted

Originally housed in file folder box 17.

Published

 C-98-05 A Clearing in the Distance, Research materials CAC 98-1-18

“A Clearing in the Distance” is a biography of 19th-century landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted

Originally housed in file folder box 18.

Published

 C-98-05 A Clearing in the Distance, Research materials CAC 98-1-19

“A Clearing in the Distance” is a biography of 19th-century landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted

Originally housed in file folder box 19.

Published

 C-98-05 One Good Turn, Research materials CAC 98-1-20

“A Clearing in the Distance” is a biography of 19th-century landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted

Originally housed in file folder box 20.

Published

 C-98-06 One Good Turn, Research materials CAC 98-1-21

Originally housed in file folder box 21.

Published

 C-98-06 The Perfect House, Research materials, field notes CAC 98-1-22

Originally housed in file folder box 22.

Published

 C-98-06 The Perfect House, Research materials, field notes CAC 98-1-23

Originally housed in file folder box 23.

Published

 C-98-06 The Perfect House, Manuscripts and galleys CAC 98-1-24

Originally housed in file folder box 24.

Published

 C-98-07 Last Harvest, Manuscript CAC 98-1-25

Originally housed in file folder box 25.

Published

 C-98-07 Last Harvest, Manuscript CAC 98-1-26

Originally housed in file folder box 26.

Published

 C-98-08 Last Harvest, Manuscript CAC 98-1-27

Originally housed in file folder box 27.

Published

 C-98-08 Last Harvest, Research materials CAC 98-1-28

Originally housed in file folder box 28.

Published

 C-98-08 Last Harvest, Research materials CAC 98-1-29

Originally housed in file folder box 29.

Published

 C-98-09 My Two Polish Grandfathers, Research materials CAC 98-1-31

Originally housed in file folder box 31.

Published

 C-98-09 The Biography of a Building, Research materials, interviews, articles CAC 98-1-32

Originally housed in file folder box 32.

Published

 C-98-09 The Biography of a Building, Research materials, interviews, articles CAC 98-1-33

Originally housed in file folder box 33.

Published

 C-98-09 The Biography of a Building, Research materials, interviews, articles CAC 98-1-34

Originally housed in file folder box 34.

Published

 C-98-10 The Biography of a Building, Research materials, interviews, articles CAC 98-1-35

Originally housed in file folder box 35.

Published

 C-98-10 How Architecture Works, Manuscripts, 5 versions CAC 98-1-36

Originally housed in file folder box 36.

Published

 C-98-10 How Architecture Works, Manuscripts, 5 versions CAC 98-1-37

Originally housed in file folder box 37.

Published

 C-98-10 Now I Sit Me Down, Manuscripts, 5 consecutive versions CAC 98-1-38

Originally housed in file folder box 38 (file folders removed from file box).

Published

 C-98-11 Miscellaneous reviews and articles CAC 98-1-39

Originally housed in file folder box 39.

Published

 C-98-11 Miscellaneous reviews and articles CAC 98-1-40

Originally housed in file folder box 40.

Published

 C-98-11 Miscellaneous reviews and articles CAC 98-1-41

Originally housed in file folder box 41.

Published

 C-98-11 Miscellaneous reviews and articles CAC 98-1-42

Originally housed in file folder box 42.

Published

 C-98-12 Public lectures CAC 98-1-43

Originally housed in file folder box 43.

Published

 C-98-12 Witold Rynczynski author photographs CAC 98-1-47

Originally housed in file folder box 47.

Published

 C-98-13 Two manuscripts CAC 98-1-48

Originally housed in file folder box 48.

Published

Consists of two manuscripts: "Waiting for the Weekend" and "Looking around"

 C-98-13 The Perfect House, Field trip photographs CAC 98-1-49

Originally housed in file folder box 49.

Published

 C-98-13 Stop the Fecal Peril, Manuscript and bound draft CAC 98-1-50

Originally housed in file folder box 50.

Published

 C-98-14 Last Harvest, Manuscript CAC 98-1-55

Originally housed in file folder box 55.

Published

 C-98-14 The Perfect House, Manuscripts and galleys CAC 98-1-56

Originally housed in file folder box 56.

Published

 C-98-16 Assorted essays CAC 98-1-57

Originally housed in file folder box 57.

Published

Contains assorted essays, including: Public Interest, Wilson Quarterly, Places, New Yorker, Doubletake.

 C-98-16 Interviews and reviews CAC 98-1-58

Originally housed in file folder box 58.

Published

Contains interviews and reviews on: Home, Waiting for the Weekend, The Most Beautiful House in the World, Looking Around, Look of Architecture

 C-98-17 Bound books CAC 98-1-61

Originally housed in file folder box 61.

Published

Bound books: A Place for Art, Vizcaya, Mysteries of the Mall, Now I Sit Me Down.

 C-98-17 Bound books CAC 98-1-62

Originally housed in file folder box 62.

Published

Bound books: Clearing in the Distance, Look of Architecture, One Good Turn, Makeshift Metropolis.

 C-98-18 Bound books CAC 98-1-63

Originally housed in file folder box 63.

Published

Bound books: The Most Beautiful House in the World, Taming the Tiger, City Life, Paper Heroes (2 editions), Last Harvest, Perfect House, Home.

 Correspondence CAC 98-2

Published

The Correspondence series contains chiefly literary correspondence with publishers, as well as letters regarding the publication of Rybczynski's works, Paper Heroes, Taming the Tiger, and Home. Also contains some personal correspondence.

 C-98-14 Correspondence CAC 98-2-51

Originally housed in file folder box 51.

Published

Correspondence files include both literary correspondence with publishers, including Scribner & Viking Penguin (editors: Stacy Schiff, Dan Frank, Nan Graham) and with Carl Brandt (literary agent), as well as personal correspondence.

 C-98-16 Correspondence: Paper Heroes, Taming the Tiger, Home CAC 98-2-59

Originally housed in file folder box 59.

Published

 Magazine and journal articles CAC 98-3

Published

 C-98-12 Wharton Real Estate Review CAC 98-3-44

Originally housed in file folder box 44.

Published

Consists of full set of issues, twice yearly (1997-2012)

 C-98-12 Wigwag CAC 98-3-45

Originally housed in file folder box 45.

Published

Consists of full set of monthly issues (1988-1990), correspondence, manuscripts, and galleys.

 C-98-12 Wharton Real Estate Review CAC 98-3-46

Originally housed in file folder box 46.

Published

Consists of full set of issues, twice yearly (1997-2012)

 Minimum Cost Housing Group CAC 98-4 1972-1993

Published

 C-98-15 Minimum Cost Housing Group, Publications and reports CAC 98-4-52

Originally housed in file folder box 52.

Published

 C-98-15 Minimum Cost Housing Group, Publications and reports CAC 98-4-53

Originally housed in file folder box 53.

Published

 C-98-15 Minimum Cost Housing Group, Publications CAC 98-4-54

Originally housed in file folder box 54.

Published

Includes Minimum Cost Housing Group publications, including the MCH Newsletter.

 Design projects CAC 98-5 slides : 35mm1 scrapbook

Published

 C-98-08 Assorted 35mm slides: Appropriate Technology, Garbage Housing, Olmsted, Palladio CAC 98-5-30

Originally housed in file folder box 30.

Published

 C-98-17 35mm slides of design projects CAC 98-5-60

Originally housed in file folder box 60.

Published

Contains assorted 35mm slides of Rybczynski's design projects: Casa Renaud, Formentera; House in Chrchill Falls, Labrador; Summer Cottage, North Hero, Vt.; Maison Dumont, Hudshon, PQ; House, Turks & Caicos; The Boathouse, Hemmingford, PQ; Maison Ferrero, St. Marc, PQ; Maison Leon, Sutton, PQ; National Low Energy Building Competition (hon. mention). Also includes bound books: Looking Around, Waiting for the Weekend.

 C-98-18 Scrapbook CAC 98-5-64

Published

Scrapbook of buildings, projects, and designs, contains photographs and clippings.

 Teaching materials CAC 98-6 108 digital files

Published

File consists of syllabi, coursework, assignments, reading lists, and slide lectures, including for the courses:ARCH 762, Design & Development, Wharton MBA and real estate majors, 1994-2012 (51 digital files, 121 ps)ARCH 102, Architecture Today, college freshmen seminar, 2003-2012 (16 digital files, 62 ps)ARCH 700/701, Urban Design Studio, taught with Jonathan Barnett, 1998,1999 (4 digital files, 9 ps)ARCH 715, Advanced Seminar, 2001-2007 (21 digital files, 53 ps)ARCH 715, Writing on Architecture, 2008-2012 (13 digital files, 41 ps)ARCH 700, Philadelphia Studio, 1999 (3 digital files, 5 ps)