http://192.168.2.6/english/消逝的城市.mp3

Historic preservationists say they are often passionate in their zeal to keep the wrecking ball from beloved buildings. One man even died in the process. Richard Nickel spent years with his camera documenting and arguing against the demolition of buildings in Chicago. 35 years ago Nickel died trying to preserve in pictures, a building by architect Louis Sullivan. A new book of his black and white photographes has been just published. From Chicago, EL tells us about Nickel's life.

In the 1960s and early 70s architecture photographer Richard Nickel watch the demolition of so manys buildings by Louis Sullivan and other master turn of the century masters that he wrote, I look forward to the day when I never have to enter a wet, charred, smoky building again. A few of Louis Sullivan's buildings still stand here such as the State Stree department store with its windows framed by swirling metal ornaments, celebrating the growth of seeds and leaves and trees and the s* laudatory in theater still presents the music and dance. But after World War two such buildings fell like leaves in autumn to make space for a new way of life. That's when the young photographer Richard Nickel started trying to preserve on film what he felt society was losing. The new book of black-and-white was co-edited by Michael Williams and Richard Cahan, who says the chronology of the book tells a story.

It's like watching a train, as a long train goes by you and you see the car, you get...the * train you stop looking, and then when the caboose comes by, all of a sudden you take a close look because that's the last moment you'll see the train. And art of the, the beauty of his pictures is that these buildings are about to go under; you'll never see them again.

Well in Chicago photographer Joel Meyerowitz is picked up the copy.

I'm slashed and pleased this guy is a really good photographer.

Meyerowitz as also a photographed lost buildings and people and culture at Ground Zero in New York.

His pictures are eloquent beyond words they show us the, the greed, the corporate greed that infects our cities and has made them less livable. Terms of how they blot out the light and reshape our urban experience. And he didn't use any tricks this guy, he let his heart guide him.

And his fury says the Nickel's books co-author, Richard Cahan.

I think he saw that something was wrong and he wanted to change it. But he knew that the forces were way to great change it.

By day, Richard Nickel would picket in front of buildings slated for demolition. He'd write angry letters at night. And he would sneak into the buildings when the wreckers had gone home. Architect and preservationist John Vinci would often join him to photograph and salvage Sullivan's uniquely organic ornamentation.

We never thought about it as dangerous. We had other close calls, but nothing like what happened.

On a gray April morning in 1972, Richard Nickel,43 years old, went by himself into Louis Sullivan's Stock Exchange. He didn't return home that night. John Vinci and other friends spent a couple of days looking for Nickel in the Stock Exchange rubble.

It was raining and damp, and we were, you know, walking around saying, Richard, Richard. No Richard. Then we found his camera, and his hat, I think, and his suitcase.

Part of the building had collapsed on him. It took four weeks to find his body.

Richard Nickel never complained at the photograph catalog he wanted to comply love all love Louis Sullivan's buildings. And they continued to be tore down. But Sullivan himself said form ever follows function. That's true of cities, too. If they're goal is to look forward and faster comers then you could argue who needs an all Louis Sullivan building. So John Vinci was asked, what is the lesson of Richard Nickel's life.

Oh, g* the lesson of Richard Nickel's life er...when you be careful you're going to buildings that's in toring down.

And she saved his friend's negatives. More than 11,000 of them and he started the Richard Nickel Committee and Archive. It displays fragments of Sullivan buildings and original photographic prints. The archive is in the basement of an old Victorian graystone on a nice North Side street, more on which they're tearing down an old buildings to build condos.

For Npr News, I'm Edward L in Chicago.

You can see examples of Richard Nickel's architecture photos plus a self-portrait at npr.org.

You're listening to All Things Considered from Npr News.