Since the time of ancient Rome, architects, engineers, and builders have struggled with the problem of building domed ceilings over large spaces. No one was more skilled at this than the Rafael Guastavino family, a father and son team of Spanish immigrants who oversaw the construction of thousands of spectacular thin-tile vaults across the United States between the 1880s and the 1950s. This long overdue first monograph features archival images, drawings, and beautiful new color photography showcasing the most incredible Guastavino vaulted spaces. An extensive appendix lists the addresses of all known extant Guastavino vaults, over six hundred masterpieces small and large.

Preface
Acknowledgments
CHAPTER ONE
MEDITERRANEAN ORIGINS
CHAPTER TWO
TOWARD THE BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY, 1881-92
CHAPTER THREE
THE sUCCESS OF THE GUASTAVINO COMPANY, 1893-1908
CHAPTER FOUR
RAFAEL GUASTAVINO JR. AND THE MATURE COMPANY, 1909-29
CHAPTER FIVE
REASONS FOR SUCCESS
CHAPTER SIX
THE DECLINE OF GUASTAVINO VAULTING, 1930-62
CHAPTER SEVEN
THE LEGACY OF THE GUASTAVINO COMPANY
APPENDICES
Selected List of Extant Buildings with Guastavino Tile Vaulting
Notes
Selected Bibliography
Index
Illustration Credits