Las Vegas Architecture and Buildings:
Selected Bibliography and Guide to Sources

Reference Sources Histories Architecture and Planning (general) Residential Architecture/Developments Hotels/Casinos Las Vegas Architecture - Individual Buildings / Projects Architects Associations Government Highrises

News Media Sources Special Topics: Neon Special Topics: Fremont Street Experience Microform Collections Film, Video, and Slides Maps/Aerial Photographs Special Collections Materials Transportation Vertical File Materials Library Catalog Searching

Reference Sources

The Las Vegas Architects & Buildings Database: http://www.library.unlv.edu/arch/archdb/arch.php
Lists data on over 3000 Las Vegas architects, firms and projects.

"Architects." Nevada Business Directory. Omaha, Neb.: American Directory Publishing Co., 1989.
UNLV Ref and UNLV Spec Coll HF5065.N3 N48 (annual) 1989-2003.

Nevada manufacturers directory. Evanston, IL : Manufacturers' News, Inc., 1999.
UNLV Ref and UNLV Spec Coll HF5065.N3 N48 (annual) 2000-

Architects, Builders, and Contractors.
Databases with their name, address and phone number, searchable by city/state can be found at
http://www.architectsusa.com/ Accessed March 4, 1999.
http://www.cmdg.com/profile/ Accessed March 4, 1999.

First Interstate Bank of Nevada, N.A., Nevada Development Authority, Metropolitan Research Association, Nevada Power Company, Wells Fargo & Company, Southwest Gas Corporation, University of Nevada, Las Vegas College of Business, and Klas-Tv. Las Vegas Perspective. Las Vegas: First Interstate Bank of Nevada, N.A. : Las Vegas Review-journal: Nevada Development Authority, 1981-.
Multiple locations: UNLV Book Stacks, UNLV Spec Coll, UNLV Reference, UNLV R&I, UNLV Media,
Arch Ref, Arch Special F849.L35 L378

Las Vegas (& the Strip) City Culture Map. Ann Arbor: Urban Quality Communications, 2001.
Arch Bk Stks F849.L35 L372 2001

Las Vegas Home Book : A Comprehensive Hands-on Sourcebook to Building, Remodeling, Decorating, Furnishing and Landscaping a Luxury Home in the Las Vegas Valley. Premier ed. Chicago: Ashley Group, 2001.
UNLV Spec Coll, Arch Bk Stks NA7239.L3 L37 2001

Las Vegas Metropolitan Area Market: Selected References/ULI Development Information Service. Washington, D.C.: Urban Land Institute and Development Information Services, 1997. 2001.
Arch. Bk Stks HC108.L3 L35 1997
Arch. Bk Stks HC108.L3 L35 2001

Nevada Gaming Almanac. Reno: Nevada Gaming Almanac, 1991.
UNLV Spec Coll HD9999.G253 N345x 1991-.

Nevada State Board of Architecture. Roster of Registered Architects and Residential Designers. Sept. 30, 1995.
NV State Doc 29-Ar2/4. Arch. Vertical File.

Page, Charles Hall. Historic Preservation Inventory & Planning Guidelines City of Las Vegas. San Francisco: Page & Associates, 1979.
UNLV Bk Stks F849.L35 C43
UNLV Spec Coll F849.L35 C43
Arch Bk Stks. F849.L35 C43

Smith, G. E. Kidder. "Nevada." Chap. in The Architecture of the United States. New York: Anchor Press/ Doubleday, 1981.
Arch Ref. NA705.S578

Stimpson, Miriam F. "Nevada." Chap. in A Field Guide to Landmarks of Modern Architecture in the United States. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1985.
Arch Ref. NA712.S75 1985

White, Anthony. The Architecture of Las Vegas, Nevada: A Selected Bibliography. Monticello, Illinois: Vance Bibliographies, 1986.
Arch Ref Z5944.U5 W4644 1987

 

Histories

Ainlay, Thomas, and Judy Dixon Gabaldon. Las Vegas : The Fabulous First Century. Charleston: Arcadia, 2003.
UNLV Spec Coll, Arch Bk Stks F849.L35 A37 2003

Begout, Bruce. Zeropolis : The Experience of Las Vegas. London: Reaktion, 2003.
Arch Bk Stks F849.L35 B374 2003

Brega, Isabella. The Brightest Star of the Desert. New York:
Arch Reserve F849.L35 B74 1997

Campbell, Tom, Gary Boulanger, and West Light (Firm). Las Vegas. Port Washington: Skyline Press, 1984.
Arch Bk Stks F849.L35 C36 1984

Castleman, Deke. Las Vegas. Var. ed. Oakland, CA: Compass American Guides, 1991-.
UNLV Ref and UNLV Spec Coll F849.L35 L226x.

Chung, Su Kim. Las Vegas then & Now. San Diego: Thunder Bay Press, 2002.
UNLV Spec Coll, UNLV Book Stacks, Arch Bk Stks F849.L35 C48 2002

Faiolini, Francois. We all live in Vegas : 230 photographs. Las Vegas, NV: Stephens Press, 2005.
Arch Osize F849.L35 F36 2005

Ferrari, Michelle, and Stephen Ives. Las Vegas : An Unconventional History. 1st ed. New York: Bulfinch Press, 2005.
Arch Bk Stks F849 L35 F47 2005

Fox, William L. In the Desert of Desire : Las Vegas and the Culture of Spectacle. Reno: University of Nevada Press, 2005.
UNLV Spec Coll, UNLV Book Stacks, Arch Bk Stks F 849 L35 F694 2005

Geary, Kim, Jane P. Kowalewski, and Frank Wright. "Architecture." Chap. in Historic Resources of Central Las Vegas. Reno: Nevada State Museum and Historical Society, 1985.
UNLV Spec Coll, UNLV Bk Stks F849.L35 G42x 1985 v.1

Hancock, Virgil, and Gregory McNamee. American Byzantium : Photographs of Las Vegas. 1st ed. Albuquerque: Published in cooperation with the University of Arizona Southwest Center, University of New Mexico Press, 2001.
UNLV Spec Coll, UNLV Book Stacks, Arch Bk Stks F849.L35 H36 2001

Heimann, Jim, ed. Las Vegas : Vintage Graphics from Sin City. Los Angeles: Taschen, 2003.
Arch Bk Stks F849.L35 L37 2003

Hess, Alan. "Las Vegas." Chap. in Googie: Fifties Coffee Shop Architecture. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1986.
UNLV Spec Coll NA7856.H47 1986

Hess, Alan. Viva Las Vegas: After Hours Architecture. San Francisco: Chronicle Books, 1993.
UNLV Spec Coll NA735.L37 H47 1993
Arch Bk Stks NA735.L37 H47 1993.

InterMind Corp. "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas: Brief History of Las Vegas." InterMind Corp. 1995-1998. [Online]. Available: http://www.intermind.net/im/history.html Accessed March 1, 1999.

La Point, Bob, and Nevada Power Company. Las Vegas : From Trails to Rails. Las Vegas: Nevada Power Co., 1987.
UNLV Spec Coll, Arch Bk Stks F849.L35 L223 1987

Land, Barbara, and Myrick Land. A Short History of Las Vegas. 2nd ed. Reno: University of Nevada Press, 2004.
UNLV Spec Coll, UNLV Book Stacks, Arch Bk Stks F849.L35 L35 2004

McCracken, Robert D. Las Vegas : The Great American Playground. Expanded ed. Reno: University of Nevada Press, 1997.
UNLV Spec Coll, UNLV Book Stacks, Arch Bk Stks F849 L35 M39 1997 (note also available as an E-BOOK!)

Moehring, Eugene. Resort City in the Sunbelt: Las Vegas, 1930-1970. Reno: University of Nevada Press, 1989.
UNLV Spec Coll F849.L35 M64 1989

Moehring, Eugene P., and Michael S. Green. Las Vegas : A Centennial History. Reno: University of Nevada Press, 2005.
UNLV Spec Coll, UNLV Book Stacks, Arch Bk Stks F849.L35 M638 2005

NEW! Reynolds, Deon. Las Vegas: Portait of a City. Portland, Ore: Graphic Arts Books, 2006.
Arch Bk Stks, UNLV Special Coll F849 .L35 R484 2006

Rothman, Hal. Neon Metropolis : How Las Vegas Started the Twenty-First Century. New York: Routledge, 2002.
UNLV Spec Coll, UNLV Book Stacks, Arch Bk Stks F849.L35 R68 2002

Rothman, Hal, and Mike Davis. The Grit Beneath the Glitter : Tales from the Real Las Vegas. Berkeley: University of California Press, 2002.
UNLV Book Stacks, Arch Bk Stks F849.L35 G75 2002

Ruegemer, Joug. Lost Las Vegas: Vanishing Relics of a Transient Past. Los Angeles: Public Access Press, Southern California Institute of Architecture, 1996.
Arch Bk Stks NA735.L3 R84 1996

Schumacher, Geoff. Sun, Sin & Suburbia : An Essential History of Modern Las Vegas. Las Vegas: Stephens Press, 2004.
UNLV Spec Coll, Arch Bk Stks F849.L35 S38 2004

Sheehan, Jack, Myrtle Davidson Malone, and Margaret Deats Bott. Las Vegas, Southern Nevada : Hometown Living Las Vegas Style : Las Vegas Stories. Houston: Pioneer Publications, 1992.
Arch Bk Stks F849.L35 S54 1992

Stamos, George. The Great Resorts of Las Vegas. Las Vegas: Las Vegas Sun, 1979.
UNLV Spec Coll F849.L35 S86x 1979

Whitely, Joan Burkhart. Young Las Vegas: 1905-1931 Before the Future Found Us. Las Vegas: Stephens Press, 2005. UNLV Spec Coll F 849 L35 W48 2005
Arch Bk Stks F 849 L35 W48 2005

Yenne, Bill. The Illustrated History of Las Vegas. New Jersey: Chartwell Books, Inc., 1997.
UNLV Spec Coll F849.L35 I55 1997

 

Architecture and Planning (general)

American Institute of Architects, Nevada Chapter. Blueprint for Nevada. Las Vegas, Nev. : AIA Nevada, 2008. UNLV Arch Reserve, Bk Stks HT167.5.N3 B58 2008. (also available online from AIA, Las Vegas.)

"American Survey: Boomtown, USA." The Economist, 21 December 1996, 25-27.

Anderson, Kurt. "Las Vegas, U.S.A.: Booming with Three New Mega-Hotels-Casinos, the City Now Seems Mainstream. But That's Only Because the Rest of America Has Become More Like Vegas." Time, 10 January 1995, 40-51.

Anderton, Frances and John Chase. Las Vegas : an architectural guide. London: Ellipsis, 1997.
Arch Reserve NA735.L3 A52 1997

Anderton, Frances and John Chase. Las Vegas: The Success of Excess. London: Ellipsis, 1997.
Arch Bk Stks NA735.L3 A53 1997
Arch Reserve NA735.L3 A53 1997 c. 4

Bennett, Paul. " Bounty of the Desert." Landscape Architecture 88, no. 3 (March 1998): 38, 40-43.
This article about the Las Vegas Valley Water District's master plan for Big Springs becoming the Mojave Desert Preserve.

Betsky, Aaron "Future World: With Vegas as a Model - Really! - Our Cities Might Not Be So Grim After All." Los Angeles Times Magazine, 21 December 1993, 41-45, 52.

Clayton, David. "Las Vegas Goes for Broke." Planning 61, no.9 (September 1995): 4-9.
This article has statistics and information growth, zoning, planning, services (schools and roads), and water supply.

Cohen, Jean-Louis. "Saper Vedere Las Vegas = Knowing How to Look At Las Vegas." Lotus International no. 93 (1997): 96-108.

Davis, Mike. "House of Cards: Las Vegas: Too Many People in the Wrong Place, Celebrating Waste as a Way of Life." Sierra, November/December 1995, 36-41, 76.

Dickensheets, Scott. "Drive by Architecture: Two Guys Looking at Some Cool Buildings." Las Vegas Life, November 1999, 58.

Drew, Bettina. Crossing the Expendable Landscape. St. Paul: Graywolf Press, 1998.
Arch Bk Stks HT 123.D74 1998. The chapter "Please Play the Machines While You Wait" is about Las Vegas.

Eisner-Stewart and Associates. Proposed General Plan : Las Vegas Valley, Clark County, Nevada. South Pasadena: 1966.
UNLV Spec Coll, Arch Bk Stks NA9127.L3 E4

Edmundson, Mark. "Las Vegas Rising; Bring the Family - and Pay for Your Sins." Civilization, August/September 1996, 37-43.

Fox, Bill. "Super Structures: Three Designs That Are Building the City's Architectural Momentum." Las Vegas Life, November 1999, 54-57.

Freeman, Allen " The Road More Traveled." Historic Preservation 47, no. 3 (May-June 1995): 14.

Gorman, Tom. "Wizardry of Odds: Decoding the New Las Vegas Style; High - Stakes Style." Los Angeles Times Magazine, 12 December 1993, 46-49, 52.

Herwig, Oliver. Dream Worlds : Architecture and Entertainment. Munich ; London: Prestel, 2006.
Arch Bk Stks NA209.5 .H47 2006 

Hess, Alan. "Beautiful Chaos: The Latest Collision of New and Old on the Strip Is Not Always Pretty, but Effective." Las Vegas Life, November 1999, 42-44.

Izenour, Steve and David A. Dashiell III. "Commercial Vernacular in Las Vegas." Rassegna 12, no. 43/3 (Sept. 1990): 80-88.

Izenour, Steven and David A. Dashiell III. "Relearning from Las Vegas." Architecture 79, no. 10 (October 1990): 46-51.

Kanigher, Steve. "Charting the Strip's New Course: Three Development Plans Include Golf, but Other Aspects Fuel Hot Debate." Las Vegas SUN. Aug. 1, 1998. Copy in Arch Vertical File.

Kaplan, Sam Hall. "Summerlin." Urban Land 53, no. 9 (Sept. 1994): 14-18.

Kitsch. "Hitting the Jackpot." World Architecture 61, no.76 (May 1999): 78-90.

Knott, Sydney W. "The Las Vegas Real Estate Market: A Sure Bet." Urban Land 54, no.8 (Aug. 1995): 52-57.

Kroloff, Reed. "The Other Las Vegas: Casinos Aren't the Only Game in Town, as Las Vegas Builds New Libraries, New Schools, and Daring Civic Buildings at a Ferocious Pace." Architecture 85, no. 4 (April 1996): 78-89.
This article has sections on new schools, new libraries, new civic buildings, the Clark County Government Center, and the Fremont Street Experience.

Las Vegas Today and Tomorrow http://www.vegastodayandtomorrow.com/
Cross between a blog and a web site with maps and info on new Vegas projects.

Las Vegas Valley Water District, and Mark Elison Hoversten. Master Plan, Mojave Desert Preserve. Las Vegas: Las Vegas Valley Water District, 1998. UNLV Book Stacks, UNLV Spec Coll, Arch Bk Stks SB472.8 .M37 1998

Luccese, Michael. "Against the Odds." Landscape Architecture 86, no. 4 (April 1996): 67-73.

Manhattanization Las Vegas http://www.manhattanization.com/

Newcott, William R. "Believing Las Vegas." National Geographic 190, no. 6 (December 1966): 56-81.

Newman, Morris. "The Strip Meets the Flaming Volcano." Progressive Architecture 76, no. 2 (February 1995): 82-87.

Pasinski, Gene Paul. Controlling Urban Sprawl in the Las Vegas Valley through a Mixed use Zoning Strategy. Las Vegas: UNLV School of Architecture, 1998. UNLV Spec Coll, Arch Bk Stks HT169.73.L35 P38 1997a

Pastier, John. "The Architecture of Escapism." AIA Journal 67, no. 14 (Dec. 1978): 26-37.

Pirotte, Aurelie. "Re Learning from Las Vegas." Chap. in L'annuel 1996/1997. Lille, France: Ecole d'architecture de Lille - Regions Nord, 1998. Arch. Vertical File.

Porter, Douglas R. "Water Is the Wild Card in Las Vegas." Planning 58, no. 1 (Jan. 1992): 19-21.
This article contains statistics on water usage and its impact on growth in the Las Vegas area.

Richards, Brian. "Learning to Walk in Las Vegas." Architect's Journal 204, no. 13 (Oct. 10, 1996): 26-27.

Sharp, Dennis. "Still Learning." The Architects' Journal 202, no. 12 (September 1995): 66.

Sichelman, Lew. "Las Vegas Gets Hotter." Urban Land 56, no. 8 (Aug. 1997): 87.

Smith, John L. "Best Las Vegas Architecture." Las Vegas Review-Journal: The Best of Las Vegas. 1998. [Online]. Available: http://www.reviewjournal.com/bestoflv/ Accessed February 18, 1999. Copy in Arch. Vertical File.

"Special report : Las Vegas." Urban Land, 66, no. 7 (September 2007). [Majority of issue].
UNLV Arch Reserve, Arch Bk Stks: NA9127 .L3 S64 2007.

Sorkin, Michael. "America's Archetypical Fantasy City Comes to Life with Pirates, Pyramids and Perpetual Motion. A Critic Decodes the Riddle that Is the New Las Vegas." I. D. 41, no. 2 (March/April 1994): 43-51.

Stratton, Mary-Margaret. Mondo-Vegas : Touring Mid-century Modern Las Vegas. Las Vegas, NV : Atomic Age Alliance, c2007. UNLV Arch Reserve, Arch Bk Stks: NA735.L3 S77 2007.

Taraban, Sally. "Urban Theatre: A New Urban Paradigm Rising in Las Vegas." Crit no. 36 (Spring 1996): 53.

Thornburg, Barbara. "Service with a Style." Los Angeles Times Magazine, 12 December 1993, 41-44.

Tombesi, Paolo. "Las Vegas: da Strada a Citta / Las Vegas: from Road to Town." Casabella 58, no. 613 (June 1994), 28-41, 70-71.

Urban Land Institute. Las Vegas Valley, Nevada : Livable Las Vegas: Managing Growth in the Las Vegas Valley. Washington D.C.: ULI-the Urban land Institute, 1997.
UNLV Book Stacks, UNLV Spec Coll, Arch Bk Stks HT168.L35 L355 1997

Ventura, Michael. "Las Vegas - The Last Outpost of Western Civilization - With Asian Cities in a Building Boom, the Run of Great Western Cities Just Might End in Nevada." Los Angeles Times Magazine, 25 August 1996, Opinion.

Ventura, Michael. "Soul in the Raw - A Report from Las Vegas." Psychology Today 30, no.3 (May/June 1997): 58-66, 83, 86.

Venturi, Robert and Denise Scott Brown. "Las Vegas after Its Classic Age." Neon, Artcetera (Nevada State Council on the Arts) Winter 1995-1996. Republished in Iconography and Electronics Upon a Generic Architecture by Robert Venturi. Cambridge: The MIT Press, 1996. Arch. NA680 .V44 1996

Venturi, Robert and Denise Scott Brown. "Las Vegas Postclassica = Las Vegas after Its Classic Age." Domus no. 787 (Nov. 1996): 9-12.

Venturi, Robert, Denise Scott Brown, and Steven Izenour. Learning from Las Vegas: The Forgotten Symbol of Architectural Form. Rev. ed. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 1994, c. 1977. Arch. NA735.L3 V4 1994.

Viva Las Vegas! Washington D.C: Urban Land Institute, 2002. UNLV Spec Coll, Arch Bk Stks NA735.L3 V58 2002

Ward, Ken. "L.V. Architects Fight for Recognition: Casino Design Is Not Their Only Specialty, yet Out of State Firms Still Get Local Work." Las Vegas Business Press. July 7-13, 1997. Arch. Vertical File Contains a list of local firms and their projects.

Weatherford, Mike. "Changing Face." Las Vegas Review-Journal. July 6, 1997. [Online]. Available: http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/1997/Jul-06-Sun-1997/news/5668716.html (Accessed Sept. 16, 1999). Copy in Arch. Vertical File.

"Where Happy Endings Begin." Blueprint no. 122 (Nov. 1995): 38-39.

Wolkomir, Richard. "Las Vegas Meets La-La Land." Smithsonian Features, October 1995, 50-59.

Las Vegas Architecture - Individual Buildings / Projects

 

Residential Architecture/Developments

Barnes, Randy L. Repairing the Suburban Metropolis: Introducing Varied Housing Typologies into the Suburban City Model. 1998. UNLV Spec Coll, Arch Bk Stks NA9051 .B37 1998a

Clark County Heritage Museum http://www.co.clark.nv.us/Parks/Clark_County_Museum.htm Accessed March 3, 1999. The museum has a tour of historic homes.

"Expensive-looking Housing That's Not [Sun City Summerlin Retirement Community, Richardson Nagy Martin, Architects]." Urban Land 49, no.1 (January 1990): 30-31.

"Green Valley Pecos, Henderson, Nevada: Fisher Friedman Associates, Architect, Signature Homes, Builder." Architectural Record 182, no.1 (January 1994): 94.

Homes & Living site allows you to search by builder, location, or development name; the site also provides floor plans and location maps for developments. http://www.newhomesandliving.com/ Accessed Jan. 2001

Kaplan, Sam Hall. "Summerlin." Urban Land 53, no. 9 (Sept. 1994): 14-18.

Lied Institute for Real Estate Studies, University of Nevada, Las Vegas College of Business, and Howard Hughes Corporation. Infill : Development in the Las Vegas Valley. Las Vegas, Nev.: University of Nevada, Las Vegas : Howard Hughes Corporation, 1998.
UNLV Book Stacks, UNLV Spec Coll, Arch Bk Stks HD257 .I54 1998

"The New American Home 1993 [Johannes Van Tilburg & Partners, Architect, Lewis Homes, Builder]." Builder 16, no. 2 (February 1993): 162-185.

Richardson, Rose Marie. "Development of a Black Residential Area Since 1960: A View of the Las Vegas, Nevada Experience." M. A. Thesis, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 1988.
UNLV Spec Coll HD7288.76.u52 L357x 1988
UNLV Bk Stacks HD7288.76.u52 L357x 1988

Sun City developments in Las Vegas are listed at Del Webb's Sun cities http://www.suncity.com Accessed March 3, 1999.

Lake Las Vegas Resort and Residential Development are at http://www.lakelasvegas.com Accessed March 3, 1999.

Information on MonteLago Resort at Lake Las Vegas is at http://www.playlakelasvegas.com

A site linking to several Las Vegas home builders is http://www.accentlasvegas.com/ Accessed March 3, 1999.

Las Vegas Architecture - Individual Buildings / Projects

 

Hotels/Casinos

Las Vegas Architects and Buildings Database: http://www.library.unlv.edu/arch/archdb/arch.php
          (new resource as of May 2006 - a growing and constantly updated list of over 3000 Las Vegas Architects, firms and projects)
Las Vegas Casinos - By Name
Las Vegas Casinos - Timeline

Chung, Su Kim. Las Vegas then & Now. San Diego: Thunder Bay Press, 2002.
UNLV Book Stacks, UNLV Spec Coll, Arch Bk Stks F849.L35 C48 2002

Arch Bk Stks NA6810 .E95 2000

Facts and images of current and past hotels can be found at:
http://www.roadsidepeek.com/rpeeklv/lvother/lvother.htm Accessed May 14, 2000.

NEW
Chihuly Bellagio. Seattle, WA : Portland Press, c2007. Arch Bk Stks, UNLV Bk Stks, UNLV Spec Coll: NK5198.C43 A4 2007 

Farameh, Patrice (ed.). Cool restaurants Las Vegas. New York: Te Neues, 2006.
Arch Bk Stks NK2195 .R4 C6647 2006

Franci, Giovanna, and Federico Zignani. Dreaming of Italy : Las Vegas and the Virtual Grand Tour. Reno: University of Nevada Press, 2005.
UNLV Book Stacks, UNLV Spec Coll, Arch Bk Stks NA735.L37 F72 2005

Friedman, Bill. Designing Casinos to Dominate the Competition: The Friedman International Standards of Casino Design. Reno: Institute for the Study of Gambling and Commercial Gaming, 2000.
UNLV Book Stacks, UNLV Spec Coll, Arch Bk Stks NA6810 .F75 2000

Henderson, Justin. Casino Design : Resorts, Hotels, and Themed Entertainment Spaces. Gloucester: Rockport, 1999.
UNLV Spec Coll, Arch Bk Stks NA6810 .H46 1999

Jaschke, Karin and Silke Otsch (eds.). Stripping Las Vegas: a Contextual Review of Casino Resort Architecture. Weimar : Universitätsverlag, Bauhaus-Universität Weimar, 2003?.
Arch Reserve, UNLV Special Coll NA735 .L37 S77 2003

Muto, Shoichi. Las Vegas : 16 Hotel & Casinos, 5 Theme Restaurants. Tokyo: Shotenkenchiku-sha, 1997.
UNLV Book Stacks, UNLV Spec Coll, Arch Bk Stks TX909 .L37 1997

Nichols, Chris. The Leisure Architecture of Wayne McAllister. Layton, Utah: Gibbs Smith, 2007. UNLV Arch Reserve and Arch Bk Stks: NA737 .M218 N53 2007

Rinella, Heidi Knapp. The Stardust of Yesterday : Reflections on a Las Vegas Legend. Las Vegas: Stephens Press, 2007. UNLV Special Collections, Arch Reserve TX941.S74 R56 2007

Schwartz, David G. Suburban Xanadu : The Casino Resort on the Las Vegas Strip and Beyond. New York: Routledge, 2003. UNLV Book Stacks, UNLV Spec Coll, Arch Bk Stks HV6721.N45 S39 2003

A site with links to casinos with websites is at http://nevada.casinocity.com/lasvegas/ Accessed April 12, 2005.

Vintage Vegas Postcard Museum http://www.crecon.com/vintagevegas/museum.htm Postcard images of the strip and Vegas hotel/casinos 1940s - 1980s. Accessed Feb. 27, 2002

Historical Casino Map by decades (Las Vegas Sun) http://www.lasvegassun.com/history/map/ Accessed June 19, 2008.

InterMind, Corp. "Virtual Las Vegas Strip." InterMind Corp. 1995-1998. [Online]. Available: http://www.intermind.net/strip/strip.html Accessed March 2, 1999.
This site shows the layout of the strip with links to the various hotels along the way.

SkyscraperPage.com provides elevations of the city skyline, wth buildings in order by building height [http://www.skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/display.php?city=Las%20Vegas] and information on building height and floors.


World City Photos [http://www.worldcityphotos.org/] has some really spectacular photos of the strip, although their directory gives little clue of what you will get until you click on it!

Las Vegas Architecture - Individual Buildings / Projects go to separate listing

 

Architects

There are several articles on Las Vegas Architects in the Arch. Vertical File. A copy is in the Arch. Vertical File under Nevada-Architecture-AIA Local Architect Design and Nevada-Architects-Awards.

Databases with architect's name, address and phone number, searchable by city/state can be found at:
http://www.architectsusa.com/ Accessed March 4, 1999.
http://www.cmdg.com/profile/ Accessed March 4, 1999.

The Las Vegas Architects & Buildings Database: http://www.library.unlv.edu/arch/archdb/arch.php
Lists data on over 3,000 Las Vegas architects, firms and projects.

AIA Las Vegas. Forum: AIA Newsletter. Las Vegas, NV: AIA Las Vegas.
Arch. Current Periodicals (Monthly).

AIA Nevada. AIA Nevada Directory. Timonium, MD: Dawson Publications, Inc.
Arch. Ref. NA55.L37 A38a (annual).

AIA Nevada & Western Mountain Region Design Awards

"Architects." Nevada Business Directory. Omaha, Neb.: American Directory Publishing Co., 1989.
UNLV Spec. Col., and UNLV Ref. HF5065.n3 N48 (annual) 1989-.

Nevada State Board of Architecture. Roster of Registered Architects and Residential Designers. Sept. 30, 1995. NV State Doc 29-Ar2/4. Arch. Vertical File.

Ward, Ken. "L.V. Architects Fight for Recognition: Casino Design is Not Their Only Specialty, Yet Out of State Firms Still Get Local Work." Las Vegas Business Press. July 7-13, 1997. Arch. Vertical File
Contains a list of local firms and their projects.

Architects/Firms On the Web

(note: this list is not inclusive of all Las Vegas architects and currently not updated. For the ASL's most current information and materials about Las Vegas architects and buildings please go to our very extensive database at:
http://www.library.unlv.edu/arch/archdb/arch.php

Beckman, Richard http://www.nevada.edu/~beckman Accessed Sept. 16, 1999.

Bergman, Walls & Associates Ltd. http://www.bwaltd.com/ Accessed Nov. 2000

Carpenter Sellers Associates http://www.csaarchitects.com/ Accessed Nov. 2000

G. C. Wallace http://www.gcwallace.com/

Humphreys and Partners Architects http://www.humphreys.com/

Ignacio Gonzalez Architects http://www.igarchitects.com/

JMA Architects http://www.jmaarch.com Accessed March 4, 1999.

Kittrell Garlock and Associates http://www.kga-architects.com Accessed March 4, 1999.

Klai::Juba Architects http://www.klaijuba.com/ Accessed June 2003

Lucchesi, Galati Architects http://www.lgainc.com Accessed Nov. 2000

Marnell Corrao http://www.marnellcorrao.com/index2.php Accessed April, 2005.

MVE & Partners (McLarand, Vasquez Emsiek & Partners) http://www.mve-architects.com/ Accessed Jan. 2001

Nadel Architects http://www.nadelarc.com/ Accessed Nov. 2000

Paul Steelman Companies http://.paulsteelman.com Accessed March 4, 1999.

Perkowitz+Ruth Architects: http://www.prarchitects.com/Accessed February 11, 2007

RAFI [Robert A. Fielden Inc.] http://www.rafi-nevada.com/ Accessed June 2003

The Richardson Partnership http://www.trp-architect.com/ Accessed Nov. 2000

Sandberg and Small Architects http://www.ssarch.org/

Swisher & Hall http://www.swisherhall.com/ Accessed Nov. 2000

Tate Snyder Kimsey Architects http://www.tatesnyderkimsey.com Accessed May 30, 2002.

TSA (The Stubbins Associates) http://www.tsa-arch.com/ Accessed June 2002

WAT&G (Wimberly Allison Tong & Goo)http://watg.com/ Accessed Jan. 2001

Welles-Pugsley Architects http://www.wellespugsleyarchitect.com/ Accessed Nov. 2000

WPH Architecture http://www.wphinc.com/index.html

 

Associations

American Institute of Architects Las Vegas 702-895-0936 http://aialasvegas.org/ Accessed March 8, 2007.

American Planning Association Nevada chapter http://www.nvapa.org/ Accessed May 14, 2000.

Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce http://www.lvchamber.com Accessed March 4, 1999.

Southern Nevada Home Builders Association 702-794-0117 http://www.snhba.com Accessed March 4, 1999.

 

Government

Boulder City http://www.bcnv.org/ Accessed April 29, 2002.

City of Henderson http://www.cityofhenderson.com Accessed March 1, 1999.

City of Las Vegas http://www.lasvegasnevada.gov/ Accessed March 1, 1999.

Las Vegas Public Services http://www.lvindex.com/vegas/serv.htm Accessed March 1, 1999.

Clark County, Nevada Government and Services http://www.co.clark.nv.us/ Accessed March 1, 1999.

Clark County Regional Transportation Commission http://www.rtcsouthernnevada.com/ Accessed May 14, 2000.

Conservation District of Southern Nevada http://www.cdsn.org Accessed May 14, 2000.

Las Vegas Wash Coordination Committee http://www.lvwash.org Accessed May 14, 2000.

Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition (SNRPC) http://www.snrpc.org Accessed November 2000

The State Government of Nevada http://www.state.nv.us/ Accessed March 1, 1999.

Nevada Dept of Transportation http://www.nevadadot.com Accessed May 14, 2000.

Nevada State Board of Architecture, Interior Design and Residential Design http://nsbaidrd.state.nv.us/

Bureau of Land Management (Nevada Office) http://www.nv.blm.gov/ Accessed May 14, 2000.

U.S. Department of Energy: Nevada Operations Office http://www.nv.doe.gov/ Accessed March 1, 1999.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Environmental Sciences Division http://www.epa.gov/nerlesd1/trc/home6.htm Accessed March 1, 1999.

Highrises

Murad, Paul and David LeGrand. Manhattanizing Las Vegas : how to profit from the next phase of mega-growth. Las Vegas, Nev. : P. Murad, 2005.
UNLV Spec Coll, Arch Bk Stks HD1382.5 .M868 2005

Vegas Verticals http://www.vegasverticals.com/?gclid=CKH0362XvoMCFS84CwodkSgcRQ

Manhattanization Las Vegas http://www.manhattanization.com/

 

News Media Sources

KLAS-TV Eyewitness News 8
http://www.klas-tv.com/ Accessed March 2, 1999.

KTNV-TV News 13
http://www.ktnv.com/ Accessed March 2, 1999.

KVBC-TV News 3
http://www.kvbc.com/ Accessed March 2, 1999.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal
http://www.lvrj.com Accessed March 2, 1999.

The Las Vegas Sun
http://www.lasvegassun.com Accessed March 2, 1999.

Nevada Newspaper Index -- available on computers in the Architecture Studies Library and in Lied, this index covers local papers 1972-1982 [Las Vegas Sun and Review Journal only], and 1991- 1996. The index for the Las Vegas Sun and the Review Journal 1995 onwards is available online at http://www.library.unlv.edu/collections/newspap.php#local [full-text available for the most recent years]. For the period 1983-1990 use microfice index located in Lied Library at the Research & Information 2 counter.

 

Special Topics: Neon

Anderton, Frances and John Chase. Las Vegas: an architectural guide. London: Ellipsis, 1997.
Arch Reserve NA735.L3 A52 1997. This book has a few paragraphs and photos on this site.

Barnard, Charles F. The Magic Sign: The Electric Art/Architecture of Las Vegas. Cincinnati: ST Publications, 1993.
Arch. Bk Stks. & Arch Reserve TK4399.S6 B37x 1993
UNLV Spec. Coll TK4399.S6 B37x 1993

Block, Mark P. and Robert Block. Las Vegas Light. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing Ltd, 2002.
Arch Reserve F849.L35 B57 2002
UNLV Spec. Coll & UNLV Bk Stks F849.L35 B57 2002

Hayes, Justin Cord. "Neon City: What Makes The City of Lights Shine." Las Vegas Weekly Features. Nov. 18, 1998. [Online]. Available: http://www.scopemag.com/features/neoncity.html Accessed March 4, 1999. Copy in Arch. Vertical File.

Mende, Karou. Transnational lighting detectives. Tokyo: Kajima Shuppankai, 2004. pp. 86-93.
Arch Bk Stks NK2115.5 .L5 S45 2004

Miller, Chelsea H. Neon in Nevada: A Survey of Contemporary and Historic Neon Signs in Nevada. Reno: Nevada Historical Society and Sierra Nevada Museum of Art, 1986.
UNLV Spec.Coll. TK4383.M54 1986 (also in UNLV Spec.Coll & UNLV Bk Stks)

Natal, Judy. Neon Boneyard: Las Vegas A-Z. Santa Fe : Center for American Places ; Chicago : In association with Columbia College : Distributed by University of Chicago Press, 2006.
Arch Bk Stks NA4050.N44 N38 2006

Sommerhoff, Emilie. "Crown Jewel." Architectural Lighting 11, no. 2 (April-May 1997): 54-55.

Stern, Rudi. Contemporary Neon. New York: Retail Reporting Corporation, distributed by Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1990.
Arch. Bk Stks NB1270.N45 S84x 1990

Stern, Rudi. The New Let There Be Neon. New York: H.N. Abrams, 1988.
UNLV Spec.Coll. Oversize TK4383.S73 1988

Swan, Sheila and Peter Laufer. Neon Nevada. Reno: University of Nevada Press, 1994.
Arch Bk Stks NA4050.N44 S9 1994
UNLV Spec.Coll. & UNLV Bk Stks NA4050.N44 S9 1994

"What a Gas." Las Vegas Weekly Features. Nov. 18, 1998. [Online]. Available: http://www.scopemag.com/features/neoncity2.html Accessed February 19, 1999. Copy in Arch. Vertical File.

"Whistling Past the Graveyard." Las Vegas Weekly Features. Nov. 18, 1998. [Online]. Available: http://www.scopemag.com/features/neoncity3.html Accessed February 19, 1999.
Copy in Arch. Vertical File. Gives address of the neon boneyard.

 

Special Topics: Fremont Street Experience

Jerde Partnership. The Fremont Street Experience. Three parts: outline of services, architectural drawings, draft agreement. Venice, Calif.: The Jerde Partnership, 1992. UNLV Spec.Coll.. HT168.L35 F73

Jerde Partnership. The Fremont Street Experience: Implementation Study. Venice, Calif.: The Jerde Partnership, 1992.
UNLV Spec.Coll. HT168.L35 F74x 1992

Kroloff, Reed. "The Other Las Vegas: Casinos Aren't the Only Game in Town, as Las Vegas Builds New Libraries, New Schools, and Daring Civic Buildings at a Ferocious Pace." Architecture 85, no. 4 (April 1996): 78-89.
This article has sections on new schools, new libraries, new civic buildings, the Clark County Government Center, and the Fremont Street Experience.

Las Vegas Online Entertainment Guide: Fremont Street Experience http://www.lvol.com/lvoleg/other/fse/fse.html Accessed March 15, 1999.

Liu, Yihong. The Las Vegas Fremont Street Experience : A New Tourist Destination to Revitalize a Declining Downtown. Las Vegas: UNLV School of Architecture, 1998.
UNLV Spec Coll , Arch Bk Stks HT168.L35 L58 1998a

Mors, William. Las Vegas: It's Magic. Las Vegas, NV: William Mors Productions, 1994. Video.
UNLV Media F849.L35 L335

Newman, Morris. "What Happens to a Street when It Becomes an Experience?" Metropolis 15, no. 8 (April 1996): 23 & 25.

Promotional and Publicity Material: Fremont Street Experience. 1994- .
UNLV Spec Coll HD9999.G254 F74 1994

Richards, Brian "Learning to Walk in Las Vegas." Architect's Journal 204, no. 13 (Oct. 10, 1996): 26-27.
This article contains a small section on the F.S.E.

"Treelike Columns Support a Light-Studded Space Frame." Architecture 85, no. 4 (April 1996): 180.
There are details of the connections on the F.S.E.

 

Microform Collections

Historic American Building Survey – Nevada.
Arch. Micro NA730 1980

Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps.
UNLV Main Micro G4350 A1526x 1979

Dissertations/Theses (UNLV School of Architecture)

University of Nevada, Las Vegas. College of Fine Arts. School of Architecture -- Dissertations
http://www.library.unlv.edu/arch/rsrce/resguide/thesis.html

Film, Video, and Slides

Media Resources and Special Collections in the Main (Lied) Library house historic footage of Las Vegas, including commercial Hollywood films shot on the Strip such as Viva Las Vegas (1966), home movies of Fremont Street in the 1940s (Wilson-Park Collection), television news film from station KTNV channel 13, and publicity footage from the Sands (including construction of the demolished tower) and Tropicana Hotels.

Titles available in the Architecture Studies Library include:

The Forum at Caesars. Produced by Imagery Video Productions. 4 min. Imatery Video Productions. 1992. Videocassette.
Arch. Media NA6218.F67x

Las Vegas Style [Slide]: Fantasy Architecture and Signs. Seattle, WA: Art on File, Inc. 1995. Slide & Guide-Slide.
Arch. Media NA730.N3 L37 Slide & Guide-Slide.

Nevada's Neon. Produced by Tim Anderson. 22.09 min. Channel 5 Public Broadcasting. 1995. Videocassette.
Arch. Media NA4050.N44 N48 c.2

 

Maps/Aerial Photographs

The UNLV Main Library map collection dates from the early exploration of Nevada and the Southwest to the present. Included are the series of nineteenth century military and railroad surveys and atlases, later state railroad and highway maps, geological and topographical survey maps, the official U.S. surveys as well as those created or annotated by individual geologists, hydrogeologists and engineers. The map collection also contains a comprehensive series of Las Vegas city maps, and government land office surveys and plats (including the original U.S. Land Office survey maps of Clark County), as well as plats and site plans created by real estate developers. Contact Peter Michel (michelp@nevada,edu) in Special Collections for more information.

Maps in the Architecture Studies Library http://www.library.unlv.edu/arch/localpla.html

City of Henderson GIS Maps http://www.cityofhenderson.com/gis/php/index.php

Clark County GIS map products http://www.co.clark.nv.us/ceit/gismo/gismo.htm Accessed March 4, 1999. This site supplies standard GIS (Geographic Information Systems) map products such as assessor, planning, and zoning maps on a fee basis. Aerial photos can be found at http://gisgate.co.clark.nv.us/openweb Accessed June 2002 .

Digital City-Las Vegas http://home.digitalcity.com/lasvegas/maps/ Accessed March 4, 1999.
Links to online maps of Las Vegas that can be searched by region, zip code, or address.

Historical Las Vegas Strip Casino Map http://www.prairienet.org/~scruffy/e.htm Accessed May 18, 1999. Schematic map, not to scale. Different colors indicate whether the casino is currently open, planned, or gone.

Info Space http://www.infospace.com Accessed March 2, 1999. Links to online maps of Las Vegas and other cities that can be searched by region, zip code, or address. 3/99

Industrial Photographics http://www.nevadaweb.com/garrett Accessed June 1, 2000. Examples of their aerial, architectural and construction photos.

Landiscor Aerial Photo, Inc. of Nevada. Las Vegas/Landiscor. Las Vegas, NV: Landiscor Aerial Photo, Inc. of Nevada, 1990. Spec. Osize G1524.L35 L36a 1990-. Architecture Studies Library has 1989- in Local Planning Materials. http://www.landiscor.com. Accessed Sept. 22, 1999.

Landiscor Aerial Information. Las Vegas/Landiscor Aerial Information. Las Vegas, NV: Landiscor Aerial Information, 1995.
UNLV Spec. Osize. G1524.L35 L36a 1995- (annual).
Arch Special G1524.L35 L36a

Las Vegas Maps http://www.lasvegasmaps.com/ Accessed March 4, 1999.
Links to the Citizens Area Transit Guide that has maps with bus routes on them.

Map Blast http://www.mapblast.com/ Accessed March 4, 1999.
Links to online maps of Las Vegas that can be searched by region, zip code, or address.

Stanford University, Earth Sciences Library Map Collections http://www-sul.stanford.edu/depts/branner/collections/map_collections.html Accessed Aug. 15, 2005.

TerraServer http://www.terraserver.com Accessed March 4, 1999.
Archive of satellite photos and USGS images. A search for Las Vegas yielded 15 places (as specific as Las Vegas Natural History Museum) but only 6 were linked to images. The images themselves were not very clear, but hopefully this relatively new site will address that problem.

The University of Texas at Austin, Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection http://www.lib.utexas.edu/Libs/PCL/Map_collection/nevada.html
Contains a historical map of Las Vegas from 1908 and one from 1952.

 

Special Collections Materials

Main Library Special Collections maintains both current and historic collections concerning almost all major Las Vegas hotels and casinos including photographs, newspaper clippings, financial and annual corporate reports, and promotional and publicity material. There are major historical collections (primarily photographic) for the Sands, Dunes, Thunderbird and Frontier Hotels; a complete set of blueprints for the original MGM Grand (now Bally's); and material relating to the MGM fire and the subsequent litigation. There are in addition to these hotel/casino related collections, UNLV history student projects of historic building surveys, as well as mobility studies of individual businesses in Las Vegas. The map collection includes numerous Las Vegas site plans and plats from the county and city planning commissions, as well as the records of a number of prominent real estate developers such as Gilbert Buck, Richard Taylor and Elton Garrett. Special Collections holds the drawings and files of Las Vegas architect James McDaniel (original planner of the UNLV campus and architect of the first UNLV library building) and Harry Hayden Whiteley. The photographic collection (accessible through a card catalog and reference notebooks of photocopies) provides extensive visual documentation of Las Vegas' built environment and includes a continuous series of detailed aerial photographic surveys of the area from the early 1970s. Besides current county and municipal publications available in the Government Publications Department, historical material, including the original minutes of the city council meetings and the Chamber of Commerce are in Special Collections. Special Collections also houses a non-circulating collection of all titles related to Las Vegas and the region, and the gaming industry.

Now housed in the Special Collections section of Lied Library is the Martin Stern Jr. Collection. The collection houses over 600 tubes of plans and drawings, over 100 notebooks of programs and documents, 35 drawers of various plans and sketches, a collection of project photos, project catalogs, and numerous artists renderings of Resort Hotels in Las Vegas, Hawaii, British Columbia, Lake Tahoe, Atlantic City, and other influential architectural projects.

 

Vertical File Materials

The Architecture Studies Library maintains a file of newspaper clippings and other uncataloged material such as builder and building developer brochures. A description of this resource can be found at: http://www.library.unlv.edu/arch/instr/1st2ndfloors.html#vert

An extensive table of contents for the Vertical File is available. The Vertical File includes material on the following hotels, housing developments, and buildings:

Aladdin	Alystra	Bellagio Resort
Caesars Palace	Debbie Reynolds	Desert Inn
Flamingo	Grand Slam Canyon	Grand Victorian Gambling Parlor
Hard Rock	Harrah's	Hilton
Hyatt-Lake Las Vegas	Luxor	Mandalay Bay
MGM & Theme Park	Mirage	Monte Carlo
New York New York	Orleans	Project Paradise
Paris	Reserve Casino	San Francisco
Sands	Sahara	Sam's Town
Showboat	Station Casinos	Stratosphere
Sunset Beach Resort	Venetian	Venice
Fremont Street	Neon Museum	House of Blues
Calico	Collins Development Group	Del Webb
Green Valley Ranch	Lake Las Vegas	Lewis-Monaco
MacDonald Ranch-Sun City	Rhodes Ranch Country Club	Seven Hills
South Valley Ranch	Southern Highlands	Summerlin
Silver State Development Company

In addition the files contain a brochure on "Symposium: Urban Theatre, A New Urban Paradigm Rising in Las Vegas" sponsored by the UNLV College of Architecture, Construction Management and Planning; "A Guide to Las Vegas-Clark County Libraries;" and a list of hotels and their architects.

Transportation

Regional Transportation Commission http://www.rtcsouthernnevada.com/
Regional Transportation Commission materials in the library http://www.library.unlv.edu/arch/localpla.html#rtc
Monorail Society: Las Vegas Monorail http://www.monorails.org/tMspages/LasVegas.html ; http://www.monorails.org/tMspages/LasVega.html

 

Library Catalog Searching

Additional titles, including short reports on individual structures in Las Vegas, can be identified through the UNLV Libraries online catalog. Try a keyword search using the structure name, or search by subject using headings such as "architecture nevada las vegas," "hotels nevada las vegas," "casinos nevada las vegas," "historic buildings nevada las vegas," "dwellings nevada las vegas," "las vegas (nev) buildings, structures," "las vegas (nev) history."

To make an appointment to discuss your research project, contact Jeanne Brown, Architecture Studies Librarian: 895-4369,

jeanne.brown@unlv.edu

This Architecture Studies Library Research Guide prepared by Jeanne Brown, June 1996. Special Collections description supplied by Peter Michel, Head of Special Collections. Guide updated and revised by Alan Wendelboe, March 1999.

 

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