On Thursday, October 9, Carnegie Mellon University Press celebrated the launch of “Time Well Spent: An American Architect in Europe, 1893,” a new book by School of Architecture Assistant Teaching Professor Francesca Torello that brings to life the extraordinary travels and experiences of young Henry Hornbostel. Hornbostel went on to become an influential Beaux-Arts architect, designing several bridges in New York as well as Carnegie Mellon’s original campus — including the College of Fine Arts building, where the book launch was held.
The event featured a conversation about travel and architecture between Torello and Penn State University Associate Professor of Architecture Denise Costanzo, as well as a brief Q&A with the audience. Attendees had an opportunity to reflect on Hornbostel’s enduring legacy at CMU and beyond, celebrating this important contribution to architectural history and Carnegie Mellon’s heritage.
The book, a three-part volume, offers a rare glimpse into Hornbostel’s formative year abroad, capturing the inspirations and ideas that would shape his influential architectural career. With contextual essays by Torello and contributions by Arts and Humanities Librarian Lynn Kawaratani and former architecture librarian and archivist Martin Aurand, this edition highlights the significance of travel in architectural education, tracing how first-hand encounters with European landscapes and structures shaped Hornbostel’s approach to design.
“Time Well Spent: An American Architect in Europe, 1983” is available now through Carnegie Mellon University Press.
