Book Description

Ross King has a knack for explaining complicated processes in a manner that is not only lucid but downright intriguing. . . . Fascinating."(Los Angeles Times)

By all accounts, Filippo Brunelleschi, goldsmith and clockmaker, was an unkempt, cantankerous, and suspicious man-even by the generous standards according to which artists were judged in fifteenth-century Florence. He also designed and erected a dome over the cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore-a feat of architectural daring that we continue to marvel at today-thus securing himself a place among the most formidable geniuses of the Renaissance. At first denounced as a madman, Brunelleschi literally reinvented the field of architecture amid plagues, wars, and political feuds to raise seventy million pounds of metal, wood, and marble hundreds of feet in the air. Ross King's captivating narrative brings to life the personalities and intrigue surrounding the twenty-eight-year-long construction of the dome, opening a window onto Florentine life during one of history's most fascinating eras. ... Read more

Reviews (54)

Great Architect, Great Book
Anyone who has been to the ancient Italian city of Florence recognizes the big dome that dominates the city. It is atop the cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore, and is larger than the dome of the US Capitol, St. Paul's in London, or even St. Peter's in Rome. It was built before any of them, in 1436. The architect, Filippo Brunelleschi, solved many problems to produce the wonder. He did away with any central scaffold on which to build the dome, and his design for such machines as an ox-powered hoist were innovative and useful. 70 million pounds of brick, mortar, marble, and more were hoisted into the air. The dome gradually rose, while below it were plagues, wars, jealous arguments against Brunelleschi, and financial problems. The book is exciting as it traces the progress of the dome, and it brings out the personality of Brunelleschi well. It gives details of Renaissance life, such as guilds, food, transportation, and brickmaking. Fascinating.

Filled with the Renaissance spirit
Brunelleschi's Dome is the story of the construction of the great dome of Florence's Santa Maria della Fiore. Filippo Brunelleschi, the architect, studied ancient Roman buildings like the Pantheon in order to understand how to construct the mammoth project. Thus the story of the construction of the dome is a recapitulation of the story of the Renaissance itself, when Europeans sought to revive the ancient learning and skills of Rome and Greece.

The book is very short but filled with interesting information on the dome's construction and on building techniques in general. It also provides a fascinating glimpse into Florence during the early Renaissance period, a time of great creative tumult and political turmoil. Perhaps only Irving Stone's The Agony and the Ecstasy matches Brunelleschi's Dome for its evocation of the glorious Italian Renaissance.

Wonderful narrative writing and historical account
Having lived in Florence for six months in 1976 and visited a number of other times since then, Brunelleschi's Dome is deeply engraved into my memory and heart. This book does well in giving one a better understanding of the difficulty in the construction of the dome and the background for the planning and construction. Well worth the read. I couldn't put it down except to sleep, thus finished it within two days.

Architect of Glory (God's & His Own)
I looked for this book after reading and enjoying Ross King's book on the Sistine Chapel ceiling, Michelangelo & the Pope's Ceiling. Now, I just wish I had read this before visiting the Duomo in Florence some years ago. This is an excellent description of the raising of the dome over the cathedral in Florence at the beginning of the fifteenth century led by the architect Filippo Brunelleschi.

There are three things that I particularly like about this book: first, it is an excellent description of the tremendous work invested by literally entire communities to raise a structure like a mediaeval cathedral. Yes, Brunelleschi was the genius behind the dome but it took thousands of workers decades to make his vision a reality. Thinking of the skyscrapers we raise today with the help of modern machines, raising these churches was an incredible achievement.

Second, this book shows how scientific and engineering discoveries are often lost and rediscovered. The Roman methods of building aqueducts, arches and domes (like the Pantheon in Rome) had long been lost and many of their methods are still only vaguely understood. Still, Brunelleschi was able to study these structures (much as his work is studied now), rediscover old methods and invent even better ones to produce his work. This is something seen over and over again in the sciences: a discovery is made and, because it is not understood at the time or the explanation is lost somehow, it is forgotten, only to be rediscovered later.

Third, this book shows how difficult it is to understand some of the amazing achievements of antiquity. Even today, though the dome stands as a monument to his genius, we don't fully understand how Brunelleschi was able to make it work. Engineers and architects still make pilgrimages to Florence in an attempt to understand how this dome was built and remains standing after nearly six centuries. Still, a full understanding eludes us. Part of this is due to Brunelleschi own penchant for secrecy but that doesn't stop it from boggling the mind--how modern technology cannot unravel the mystery of this structure.

Having climbed up into the dome myself, I felt very close to what King described in this book and would recommend it as a must read to anyone who has visited Florence or is thinking of doing so. Even without a visit, however, this slim volume is worth reading for anyone with an interest in science or architecture.

Fabulous construction
Ross King has done a terrific job of chronicling the construction of the dome of Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence. Along the way he paints a broad-brush canvas of the entire Italian Renaissance.

Brunelleschi's construction techniques were nothing short of revolutionary, although many may have been reverse engineered from his Roman Empire predecessors. His personality was almost a caricature of the Renaissance genius--gifted, quirky, paranoid, and secretive. He and his contemporaries come alive as they compete for commissions, take time out for wars, and play practical jokes on rivals.

But, the most fascinating part of the story is the design and construction of the dome itself. As an engineer, I found myself asking, "How did he know how to do that?" ... Read more

Amazon.com

A work of art in itself, The Architecture Pack is a highly sophisticated version of the beloved pop-up book that offers a unique, cross-cultural, three-dimensional tour of architecture through the centuries. By flipping the elaborately engineered pages, we learn what architects do, how they do it, and all about the great buildings of the world from antiquity to the present. It's packed with information and hands-on activities, models, fold-outs, pop-ups, and 3-D glasses; readers can even fold out a miniature version of the Colosseum in Rome or a French Gothic cathedral. There are discussions on the development of the dome, new materials and shapes, sculptural buildings such as those of Gaudi and Le Corbusier, and skyscrapers. Also included in the pack are a model (with assembly instructions) of Gerrit Rietveld's famous, flat-roofed Schroeder House; a glossary of architectural terms; a fold-out time line of the history of architecture and architects that runs from 2670 B.C. to A.D. 1997; and a cassette tape. This wonderfully accessible introduction to architecture is sure to generate enthusiasm from both children and adults, simply because people can have fun with it. ... Read more

Reviews (13)

A Jewel Of A Book
If this book had met only 1/2 of my expectations, I would have been pleased. It exceeded them. Every page is a series of surprises and delights. Whether you're interested in Architecture, or just love classy gadgets, this is your book. I cannot imagine anyone who, getting this book as a gift, would not be delighted. Read the product description, and add 50%. The only down sides are the long delivery time, and the book's delicacy. One is torn between wanting to look at its contents repeatedly, and the fear that the book might be damaged by too much handling. Order two!!

A Revelation
Contrary to other architecture books that are muddled with academicians' essays, which in turn are filled with architecture terms that amateurs like myself wouldn't possibly understand, this book or pack is informative, playful, and easy to understand. Just say that it's a crash course into architecture rather having you going thru 5 years training in a varsity with working experience. The pack guides you to the fundamentals of architecture like the origin of architecture, when is architecture becoming a distinctive profession as in miedevel time, architect is a stonemason, sculptor all blended into one; the influence of Classicim, unavoidabability of learning about Palladio and Vitruvius; structure and form; new materials & shapes; art & architecture blended as one; the changing city, influenced mostly by our usage of cars; the process, with Richard Meier's Getty Centre as a case study. To top this pack off, there a booklet informing readers of prominent &/or infleuntial architects & architecure terms commonly heard & used respectively(quite concise); timeline stipulating the architecture breakthrough since the beginning of time & where does those famous architects stand in the passage of time; a model of Schroeder house for us to build. The journey through this pack is simply a revelation, surprises everywhere & never failed to bewilder me. I'm adamant that the pop-up buildings is an art in its own rite & what about the enclosed "Mission Impossible" glasses that enable us to see the inner structure and exterior structure of buildings so that we would appreciate architecture more? Before I forget, there's also a cassette narrated by the author. Believe me, you will spend hours and hours immersing yourself in this pack forgetting how time flies when you are enjoying yourself the most. Highly recommended for architecture enthusiasts. A note of caution though, due to the fiddly but fine detailing in this book, readers are urged to handle the pack with utmost care, & it would be wonderful to have a second edition, continuing on where the author has left off in 1997.

Best Pop-up Book in the World
I have seen 100's of thousands of books, and this one is near the top of the list. Not only is it one of the best pop up books I have seen, it is very informative and educational. It is a great learning tool for most ages and it's alot of fun too. The price is worth the effort the publishers have put in. It also sub.'s as a great coffee table book as well.

Thanks for making this wonderful book affordable!
I saw this book at the gift shop of a museum and wanted it for my 12-year old son who wants to be a structural engineer. But the price tag stopped me. Now my son can have a chance to truly explore achitecture in an experiential way. The pop ups are astounding but all the other "do" things, make this book a great way to keep anyone's attention. My son and I will enjoy this book together.

The Architecture Pack
This book was the most interesting book I have ever seen, the 3-D effects really make the book worth it, an awesome buy! ... Read more

Book Description

Acclaimed furniture designer George Nakashima (1905-1990) made boldly original pieces prized for their superb craftsmanship and their organic use of the natural lines and grain of wood. Today his beautiful creations are avidly sought by private collectors and are housed in museum collections all over the world. This survey of Nakashima's life and work-written by his daughter, the noted designer Mira Nakashima-is the most revealing look we have ever had at this woodworking genius and his profound influence on contemporary design. Mira Nakashima chronicles not only the furniture designs for which her father was best known, but also his equally fine work as an architect. Illustrated with a wealth of photographs never before published and containing much new information from the Nakashima studio archives, Nature, Form, and Spirit is timed to coincide with the release of a full-length documentary film on Nakashima and an exhibition at the Mingei International Museum in San Diego. In exploring his personal and philosophic journey, Mira Nakashima provides a remarkable look at the development of an artist whose reverence for nature was at the heart of his creative work. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Japanese National Treasure
I attended an auction a few weeks ago and a fabulous 16 foot long George Nakashima bench from the Dana house in Chilmark, MA sold for $20, 000. This peaceful item intrigued me and I wanted to learn more about this modern master. Just in time to quench my curiosity, Nature, Form, and Spirit: Abrams published The Legacy of George Nakashima. Lavishly illustrated with archival photos of the family home, vintage catalogs, working drawings, plus new photos of classic pieces this oversized hardcover is a great addition to your library.

Written by his daughter Mira, Nature, Form, and Spirit showcases Nakashima's sparse strong furniture as well as his architecture. Vital, collectable, and contemporary Nakashima's furniture is memorable for its simple designs hewn from monumental pieces of wood. Represented in museum collections around the world Nakashima was declared a national treasure by the Japanese Emperor in 1983.

Although he is deceased, the Nakashima legacy continues as Mira Nakashima continues to produce her father's bold and original designs. If they are within budget check out http://www.nakashimawoodworker.com. If you can't afford a piece of this masters furniture then the next best thing is owning this gorgeous book. ... Read more

Amazon.com

With Gustav Stickley and Frank Lloyd Wright, Charles Sumner Greene and brother Henry Mather Greene defined the Arts & Crafts movement in America. From their offices in Pasadena, they created "Ultimate Bungalows," finely crafted homes characterized by the integration of architecture and interior design into a harmonious whole. Though both brothers had long and distinguished careers, the highpoint of their work came between 1903 and 1909, when they created such lasting masterpieces as The Gamble House in Pasadena, the Pratt House in Ojai, and the Thorsen House in Berkeley. Greene & Greene: Masterworks presents their work in this era in loving detail. Bruce Smith, who wrote the text for the book, is an authority on the Arts & Crafts movement, and is currently working on a biography of Charles Greene. Alexander Vertikoff's lush photography is the perfect accompaniment to the text, beautifully capturing the sweeping grandeur of each house as well as capturing the subtle details that make each Greene & Greene home a treasure. After an overview of the Arts & Crafts movement and a brief biography of the of the brothers, the book turns its attention to various details that characterized the brothers' style. In the section on entryways, for instance, they point out that

Rarely in a Greene and Greene house is there an abrupt division between inside and out. One enters by transitions, in stages. Brick steps my lead up from the garden to a porch. Shelter comes from a gabled overhang or sleeping porch that extends from above--one is covered but still able to feel the breeze. The pattern in the door's art glass evokes the natural world being left behind. Stepping inside, one still does not feel totally enclosed; across the entrance hall are doorways framing a vista of gardens beyond.

Reviews (7)

Greene Giants!
This is my first introduction to Greene & Greene's work. If your a fan of Frank Lloyd Wright or the Art's & Crafts movement you will be very pleased at what you see inside this book. Lots of history on Greene & Greene and lots of beautiful colour photos. This book should inspire any architect and it also makes a great coffee table book. A good investment for your library.

A magnificent introduction to two great architects
The Greene brothers were architects who designed in the Arts and Crafts style. Like Frank Lloyd Wright, their style was so distinctive that they are not considered as examples of a type, but as architects whose style stands by itself. Unlike Frank Lloyd Wright, the Greene brothers' practice was almost completely limited to personal residences. This has probably limited the reach of their reputation. Outside of the Gamble house, which has been made into a museum, the work of the Greene brothers is generally not accessible to the public. All but one of their houses was in California, most of them in Pasadena. One wonders how well known Wright would be had he never designed the Guggenheim, or the Marin County Civic Center, or if he had never ventured outside of Chicago.

This book addresses the problem by taking us inside twenty-five examples of Greene and Greene's work. The text is accompanied by the breathtaking photography of Alexander Vertikoff. I own a large collection of books on the architecture of this period, and those illustrated by Vertikoff stand in a class by themselves. His photos are magnificent, doing justice to the material he portrays. I doubt if there is a finer photographer working in this field today.

With photos like these, it would have been easy to turn this volume into nothing more than a glorious picture book. Instead, Bruce Smith provides an engaging story of the careers of the two architects. The best writing is found in an extensive introduction, where the author discusses the Greene and Greene style in general terms. One can see at a glance how the style starts with Arts and Crafts. Indeed, there is a wealth of Stickley furniture in many of the houses. It is equally obvious how the two went beyond the plain craftsman designs so common further east. The Japanese influence was much stronger here, and the craftsmanship in the wood joinery was much more refined. There is more woodworking than carpentry here. The woods included Burmese teak, Honduras mahogany, Port Orford cedar, oak, maple and redwood. In some cases, the brothers were able to design furniture, landscaping and gardens to go with the architecture.

For the remainder of the book, we get a tour through twenty-five houses designed by Greene and Greene. Each house is presented in the order of its design and construction, with a history of the entire house to the present day. In some cases, this includes restoration after some abuse. Some of these houses were created on a budget; others were done with no apparent limits on the imagination of the architects. All are works of art, created as a labor of love by all concerned. For anyone unfamiliar with the work of Greene and Greene, this is an excellent introduction. For those who are already captivated, this book is a must, if only for those magnificent pictures.

Greene with Envy
As an aspiring woodworker with apparently very little natural talent, I can only view Greene & Greene's work with a mixture of awe and jealousy. While I find much of what Wright has done to be at times inaccessible and dated (primarily because so many others have attempted to copy or incorporate his style into theirs - and failed miserably by the way), the Greene's work is absolutely gorgeous, and would fit in with many current styles.....But then again you all know that. The question is why buy this particular book?

If you are looking for wonderful, full-page color photographs this is it. The first 50 pages are devoted to the G&G style; there is a page or two devoted to Materials, Joinery, Lighting etc. Descriptions are quite brief, and include a couple of pics.

The next 170 pages are devoted to 25 different houses with narration about the original design process, the ensuing history, and the current state. Again tons of color pics, and lots of shots of the furniture they designed to go with the particular house.

If you are looking for an in-depth discussion, check out Randall Makinson's "Architecture as a Fine Art/Furniture and Related Designs. These two books (now available in one edition) cover the G&G history in detail, but have less photos (many in black and white). They do have many front on center views of the furniture (as well as early drawings) so if you are interested in building their furniture, these books make a suitable companion to the one being reviewed.

I love this book!!!
Those of us that love G & G have to love this book. The pictures are just great and I have to pick-up the book every time I see it. If you want to know why G & G are so loved, just read this book and you will be heading down the slippery-slope too! Their homes are Craft, made Art.

The Greenes literally turned living spaces into works of art
For those of us fortunate enough to live in Southern California and actually see a Greene and Greene work of art first hand, we know that there is nothing to hold against it in comparison. Nothing, this is, until the publishing of this wonderful book through the collaborative efforts of Bruce Smith and Alexander Vertikoff. For as long as I can remember I have found the Greene & Greene homes in the Pasadena, California area to be the most uniquely beautiful structures imaginable. Two years ago my wife and I toured The Gamble House, and were overwhelmed by the workmanship, the level of detail and the thoughfulness incorporated into its construction. There is nothing like physically being inside a Greene & Greene home. Smith and Vertikoff provide us with second best; the opportunity to see the inside of these works of art. The exterior views and the interior photographs provide a wonderful insight into these magnificant structures. Bruce Smith provides the reader with just enough description as to leave one wanting more. My concluding reaction to their superb effort is to want more. More photographs, more narrative, diagrams of the homes, and understanding owners willing to open their homes, their charges, to a public filled with appreciation for this type of beauty, so seldom experienced. ... Read more

Book Description

Mexican architect Luis Barragan (1902-88) was one of the twentieth century’s most creative designers and one of its best-known architects. Self-taught, he achieved international renown for his remarkable personal artistic vision. Using vegetation, water, primary geometric forms, and vivid colors, Barragan created a poetic and painterly yet elegantly simple architectural style that transformed the Mexican building tradition into an abstract architectural language. This revised edition of our best-selling monograph – the first comprehensive compilation of Barragan’s work (102 buildings and 12 additional projects) – contains new photographs and an updated bibliography. Its intelligent analyses and superb illustrations demonstrate the complexity and scope of this genius, as both an architect and a landscape designer.Barragan – The Complete Works collects over 300 illustrations including Barragan’s drawings; photographs of his work; re-drawn plans, elevations, and scale models of important projects; texts by Alvaro Siza, Antonio Toca, and J. M. Buendia, as well as an essay by Barragan himself; and an unabridged transcription of his Pritzker Prize acceptance speech. this book is the essential compendium on the work of this great master architect. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Barragan: The Complete Works
I extolled the first edition of this definitive, splendidly illustrated survey when it appeared in 1996, and urge you to add it to your shelves if you haven't already. Luis Barragan (1902-88) was a master of earthy yet sophisticated buildings that had nothing to do with style and look better with every year that passes. This revised edition is little changed, but for an update of the bibliography and a perceptive essay by Antonio Ruiz Barbarin, from which I learned that Barragan was an almost exact contemporary of Marcel Breuer, Lucio Costa, Arne Jacobsen, and Ivan Leonidov. Truly a vintage year! (Michael Webb is the book reviewer for LA Architect magazine.)

be inspired
for a sensitive humane and theatrical perception of space color and interaction of mater and living creatures is the legacy of a great muster, his buildings as elements of a living construction interact with the elements of life, viewing the composition is relaxing and inspiring.

Great photographs of works by Mexico's Greatest Architect.
Luis Barragan's gift to twentieth-century architecture is inspiring. His impressive sensitivity, simplicity, and masterful use of color, was captured here for generations of architects to enjoy. ... Read more

Book Description

Inspired by the British Arts and Crafts movement, Craftsman-style homes captured America's heart at the turn of the 20th century. Bungalows and larger houses with broad roof overhangs, comfortable porches, and hand-hewn wooden details grew out of California's warm climate and influenced a range of other building types, from resort hotels to churches and schools. Today Craftsman-style structures can be found as far east as New York State. Intricate woodwork gives them a timeless handcrafted look, and rustic materials tie them to the earth. Behind each element lies a hint of a craftsman plying his art.

This handsome volume is a celebration of Craftsman-style architecture, which flourished in America from about 1895 into the 1920s. It took on a more natural and rustic form on this side of the Atlantic than its British counterpart, in keeping with the rugged American frontier ethos. Robert Winter, one of the country's leading authorities on the Arts and Crafts movement, has supplied the informative text, which complements the gorgeous color photography by Alexander Vertikoff. ... Read more

Book Description

FIRST MAJOR WORK PUBLISHED ON 20th CENTURY MASTER APARTMENT BUILDING DESIGNERS, ROSARIO CANDELA AND JAMES CARPENTER

Living on Park Avenue or Fifth could be regarded as a good sign you've arrived in New York but, for some, good is never quite good enough. True arbiters of taste define ultimate opulence by what hovers above and beyond the address: past the uniformed doorman, up the elevator, and across quiet thresholds. Here lies a world only a very privileged few call home — the coveted suites created by Rosario Candela and James Carpenter, time-honored masters of 20th century apartment house design.

Now, Acanthus Press offers the first major work on two of the most significant figures in the history of apartment house architecture: "The New York Apartment Houses of Rosario Candela and James Carpenter, by Apartments of the Affluent author Andrew Alpern.

Richly illustrated with archival photographs and floor plans, Alpern's book provides the architectural and social history of the great buildings of Candela and Carpenter, demonstrating the breadth of the designers' contribution to Manhattan's exterior and interior landscape. Added to the vintage photographs of elevations and interiors are later interiors done by some of New York’s design elite: Buatta, Couturier, Cullman, Ferguson Shamamian & Rattner, Gwathmey, McMillen, Mark Hampton, Molyneux, Parish-Hadley, and others. Illuminating the volume with carefully researched facts and anecdotal narrative, the author demonstrates how Candela (1890–1953) and Carpenter (1867–1932) produced a golden age of apartment house design that was parallel to the golden age of New York's skyscrapers.

"Rosario Candela has replaced Stanford White as the real estate brokers' name-drop of choice," writes New York Times "Streetscapes" columnist, Christopher Gray."Nowadays, to own a 10- to 20-room apartment in aCandela-designed building is to accede to architectural, as well as social cynosure."

Indeed, Candela and Carpenter not only understood the needs of discerning clientele; they effectively defined those needs. In concert with enlightened builders, these distinguished designers helped the affluent appreciate the amenities that separated the finest New York edifices from common residential buildings."There was a wonderful assurance and solidity to his [Candela's] buildings," writes architecture critic Paul Goldberger. "They don't display any visible effort, in the greatest traditions of old money."

With well-proportioned rooms and imaginative layouts, Candela and Carpenter created the lavish structures that to this day continue to be the gold standard of Manhattan living spaces. More than a half-century later, their suites of rooms in the 124 remaining structures of the 127 they built prevail as the homes of the most successful New Yorkers.

The New York Apartment Houses of Rosario Candela and James Carpenter, features introductory essays by Christopher Gray and the prominent architectural designer David Netto. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Fancy buildings with awkward, boring floor plans.
I'm an architect and I bought this book hoping that I would get some good ideas from famous architects. I was disappointed.

The floor plans are choppy with poor flow. Rooms are awkwardly shaped. Foyers are not as grand as I would hope for. There's nothing special about these apartments except for probably their price tags.

Andrew Alpern's Labor of Love
Candela and Carpenter were two of New York's most noted architects of the inter-war era, specializing in luxury apartment buildings. Architectural historian Andrew Alpern has assembled a reference text of their buildings, organized in geographic sequence. In this book, a typical building has two pages dedicated to it. One page consists of a floor plan, and the facing page has a photo or rendering of the exterior, combined with a one-to-six sentence description. Also, there are several brief essays at the beginning of the book.

I enjoyed this volume, which Alpern has directed at a very narrow segment of readers, but it's not for everyone. This is a volume for architectural enthusiasts who are intrigued by room arrangements. Others might be better served by a book broader in scope (including some by this same author).

Alpern's best work yet
Alpern has written several books about New York apartment buildings and this is his best. This time he focuses exclusively on the genius of two ground-breaking designers, James Carpenter and Rosario Candela. If you are not adept at reading floor plans (of which there are many), it might not be immediately obvious what defines the genius of these two architects. It is the innovation of their layouts and the graciousness of their spaces that made apartment house living so desireable, allowing for the migration from town house to apartment building. Regardless, everyone will still enjoy the exterior and interior views of these great New York buildings and get a sense of how the rich really live. Alpern raises our awareness of the apartment house type in the City to a higher level, just as others had focused on the greatness of NYC's commercial structures.
Each building is described in detail and there is some chatty material about who lived where, who bought what, and maybe a little more of that would have added fun to the book. There is a chronology of all the buildings and I would have liked to have seen thumbnail pictures of the buildings next to the timeline, since the book is organized geographically. It is otherwise an excellent and elegant study of the complete apartment house works of these two great designers.

New York Luxe
Alpern has collected a comprehensive array of images and information both past and present that illustrate the breadth of work by Carpenter and Candela. Their buildings still house the privileged members of New York's social set that these apartment houses were designed for. Netto's intro is overwrought, pretentious and obviously included to lend a certain cachet from a card carrying member of Park Ave society. The book is a good visual reference, yet somewhat anticlimactic in it's format. ... Read more

Book Description

Published on the centenary of his birth, Louis Kahn lauds the lifework of this master American architect, a figure whose importance has only increased since his death in 1974. Acclaimed as one of the most innovative minds of 20th-century architecture, Kahn's impact is evident in such landmark buildings as the Kimbell Art Museum in Fort Worth, Texas, the Salk Institute in La Jolla, California, and the Exeter Academy library in Exeter, New Hampshire.

In his text, eminent architectural historian Joseph Rykwert presents a fresh assessment of Kahn's achievement. Roberto Schezen's photographs--taken especially for this definitive volume--examine 15 major projects. Sketches and plans from the Kahn archive at the University of Pennsylvania supplement the stunning illustrations and thoughtful text. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Khan-spiracy
I purchased this book through a book club at a dramatically reduced price, even at that I am disappointed. It is a big, beautiful book, but it is superficial and skin deep. Rykwert's essay, while competent, is brief. The photographs are beautiful, however the graphics (plans and sections) that are so essential to understanding Kahn's work are almost non-existent. Most projects contain only one floor plan that is usually "floating", i.e. devoid of any context. There are no sections or elevations. Seldom is there a site plan. If you have all or most of the books on Kahn and feel you need another, then perhaps this book is for you. If you are looking for a nice Kahn coffee table book, this book is for you. If you are looking for an in-depth understanding of this master architect, than I suggest other sources, such as the MoCA "In the
rhealm of architecture" catalogue published back in 1991. ... Read more

Book Description

These two volumes provide a comprehensive documentation of the creative processes which underlie Santiago Calatrava's diverse and prolific architectural output, featuring his personal thoughts, unique documents and analyses.The first volume presents Calatrava's doctoral thesis which combines the varying disciplines of engineering, mathematics and architecture.In the second volume, three of Calatrava's key sketch books are presented, capturing the essence of his more experimental, biomorphic, surreal, metaphorical, and analogical thinking.It is said that there are two types of creative thought processes; the analytical, problem-solving method and the analogical approach.Traditionally analysis is imbued with the Apollinan spirit whilst Analogy stands for the Dionysian spirit, and artists usually tend towards one or the other principles.In this publication, the editors examine the hypothesis that both creative tendencies are evident in Calatrava's works.These volumes provide a unique glimpse into the mind of this architect where both opposites seem to form a rare synthesis, producing works of the highest quality. ... Read more

Book Description

America's most famous architect was obsessed with small houses. Even though this exciting aspect of his work has been long overlooked, the truth is that Frank Lloyd Wright spent most of his career addressing the problems of houses intended for individuals or small families of modest means. In the only book on the master architect to focus on "the house of moderate cost," Wright expert Diane Maddex takes the reader inside a selection of his small houses from across the country, turning the spotlight on Wright's ingenious solutions to make these homes look and feel large. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great pictures. Terrible text.
I think the premise of the book is right on target. FLW best work was in his small houses. They are much harder to design, build and were done so on a tight budget. The pictures of the houses in the book are fantastic. They are current day pictures versus pictures taken 10 or 20 years ago.

The text is not well written. Could have done a better job.

inspiring
The pictures and text boxes do a terrific job of explaining the reasons that Wright's architecture works. The themes of unity, making walls disappear with windows, use of natural materials and building for the site can be applied to many architectural styles, not just the prarie style he is known for ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Inspiration for interior designers today, this book showcases the work of a legendary interior decorator.

The career of Frances Adler Elkins (1888-1953), the sister of the renowned Chicago architect David Adler, spanned more than three decades. An avant-garde decorator and arbiter of taste, Elkins was celebrated for inspired designs that integrated various periods and styles, from country French to chinoiserie to art deco, and featured furnishings by such modern designers as Alberto Giacometti and Jean-Michel Frank. This book offers a tour of twenty-nine luxurious Elkins interiors, including several collaborations with Adler. Elkins's illustrious clientele extended from coast to coast and as far afield as Hawaii, including many private and public commissions in northern and southern California and the Midwest. Generously illustrated with 160 stunning color and black-and-white photographs, the book includes a list of selected clients and a visual inventory of selected furniture, fabrics, wallpapers, and accessories favored by Elkins. 100 color and 60 black-and-white illustrations. ... Read more

Book Description

Among the most talked-about names in contemporary architecture, the firm of Diller + Scofidio has for the last two decades redefined what architecture can be. Through site-specific, highly conceptual works such as the acclaimed redesign of the famed Brasserie restaurant in New York City's Seagram Building, to the "Blur" building, created for the Swiss Expo 2002 and composed entirely of mist, the firm has consistently challenged and expanded the role of architecture and design in our technology-oriented environment.

In this first-ever comprehensive survey of the work of this internationally recognized firm, published to accompany a traveling exhibition organized by the Whitney Museum of American Art, 10 of Diller + Scofidio's most important site-specific pieces are examined, along with several of the artifacts they have created in order to examine issues of gender, surveillance, place, and travel. With essays by respected scholars and a contribution by contemporary artist Laurie Anderson, this fully illustrated volume offers a compelling look at the work of Elizabeth Diller and Ricardo Scofidio. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Aberrant Architecture of Diller + Scofidio
The companion book to an exhibition at the Whitney, which runs through June 1, is a work of art in itself. The lenticular plastic cover shimmers enigmatically; folded pages with elliptical cuts allow you to peer inside, propelling you through the book in search of what can be imperfectly glimpsed. It's an appropriate, teasing metaphor for this collection of installations, exhibits, and as yet unrealized projects, plus Blur from the Swiss Expo 02. Elizabeth Diller and Ricardo Scofidio ponder our obsession with display and call everything into question. (Michael Webb is the book reviewer for LA Architect magazine.) ... Read more

Book Description

These distinguished houses are located in diverse settings across the United States, from San Francisco’s Russian Hill to the Rocky Mountains to the Long Island and New England coasts. In every case, Stern has emphasized the importance of context by exploring the nature of the place through houses that embody the region’s vernacular architectural heritage, as well as gracefully reflect each site’s unique natural setting. Whether considering classical New York town houses, Shingle Style "cottages" by the sea, or Scandinavian log houses as reinterpreted on the American frontier, Stern has fostered a strong sense of architectural continuity and connection to the past by participating in the dialogue across time that he believes lies at the heart of architecture. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

True craftsmanship
What a beautiful display of true Architecture for Architectures' sake. Yeah, you may need a bit of $$ to personally afford buildings with this calibur of workmanship, but it will be well worth it and timeless. Builders and purchasers of todays' Suburb homes need to look to great works like these to realize the real issue of urban sprawl.

Great book. Great photo's. Great ideas. Great craftmanship. Outstanding architecture.

fabulous
Photography is breathtaking, projects included are well covered, array of homes represents a wide variety, shows tremendous range of styles. A truly necessary addition to your home library!! ... Read more

Book Description

Phylogenesis--wait, we'll explain the title soon--is structured as a reflection on the work that Foreign Office Architects (FOA) has produced during its first 10 years of practice. With its genesis as a primarily speculative and academic endeavor, FOA has recently expended much energy in the development of a technical arsenal for implementing real projects. Such explorations have been undertaken through a series of competitions, speculative commissions, and lately some real projects, some of them already completed, others still under construction. The outcome of these years is seen not just as a series of experiments, defined by the specific conditions of a project, but as a consistent reservoir of architectural species to be proliferate, mutated, and evolved in the near future. With the spirit of a scientific classification, the genesis of the projects is here identified as the evolution of a series of "phylums," actualized--and simultaneously virtualized--in their application to the specific conditions where the projects take place. Phylogenesis also includes an FOA-curated compilation of previously published texts from several critics who analyze "external" topics that relate to different aspects of the firm's discourse.

Excerpts by Bernard Cache, Manuel de Landa,SanfordKwinter, Farshid Moussavi, Detlef Mertins, Alejandro Zaera-Polo, Sandra Knapp and Mark Wigley.

Hardcover, 6 x 8 in./600 pgs / Illustrated throughout. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Encyclopedia of FOA
Very good book with an interesting structure/classification system for their projects. Projects are well described in text and graphics, and the essays that are inserted between 'sections' add an interesting perspective towards architecture and artistic/cultural theory in contemporary practice from several authors viewpoints, not just the firms. This is FOA's S,M,L,XL (with less bulk) with all projects (to date) presented and explained in detail. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

Continuation of a Fine Biography
First, let me warn you: my perspective is "Alvar Aalto is THE great 20th century architect." Yes, Wright, Corb, Mies, Gropius and Kahn had more immediately recognizable & defiable styles, but Aalto was just as groundbreaking as any of them and more practical (and practicable) than any of them. That said, this is NOT really about his buildings. Rather, the man Aalto is examined, and thereby the mind that gave us the buildings. The whole thing is interesting (you don't need to have read the earlier two volumes to gain insight; this isn't Calculus). I found the chapters on the illness & death of his partner & wife Aino, a gifted designer in her own right and a huge part of Aalto's life, particularly affecting. I was tempted to give this book five stars, but it is, while very interesting and well written, incomplete. Not in the lack of knowledge of Aalto's earlier life/career, but in that his history as a designer is left to Schildt's later catalog of Aalto's work. The two are best read together. ... Read more

Book Description

This pioneering proclamation by the great architect expounds Le Corbusier’s technical and aesthetic theories, views on industry, economics, the relation of form to function, "mass-production spirit," and much more. Profusely illustrated with over 200 line drawings and photographs of Le Corbusier’s buildings and other important structures.
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Reviews (8)

Where it all began
Probably the most important book in Modern Architecture. Certainly the most villified over the years, especially since the death of Le Corbusier. In it he laid the ground work for Modern Architecture, extolling the virtues of an architecture that was the product of the machine age rather than a pastiche of historical styles.

Le Corbusier illustrated the principles which he felt should govern architecture, drawing from historical references such as the Parthenon, but stressing the need to come up with a new proportional system reflective of concrete construction. He had developed the Dom-ino system by this point and had designed a few villas along these lines. Included are wonderful sketches and models of his Citrohan House, which he hoped would be mass-produced like the automobile. He even approached the French car maker, Citroen, in this regard.

He explored low-scale housing solutions based on what he called the "Honeycomb" principle, porous housing blocks that allowed light and air to pass through the buildings for better ventilation and more airy courtyards. He forsaw many of the environmental concerns architecture now faces, despite the many attacks to the contrary.

Le Corbusier would reshape many of his ideas over time, but this book outlines his early view of architecture in the machine age, which led to the quote most often taken from this book, "a house is a machine for living." But, Le Corbusier saw it in much more human terms than his critics have.

Historically important, but not to be taken as gospel
First of all, the guy that wrote that corbu's architecture is anti-human is wrong about that point. But he's right about everything else. Le Corbusier's theories about urban planning and architecture have done terrible damage to the built environment since they were adopted by practitioners. However, if one doesn't learn about the errors of the past, one risks repeating them. It's a good book for philosophical debate, and a good book to learn about for history's sake, but don't take the theories to heart.

Biggest Oops of Architecture Ever
I should probably come clean and say I'm not a big fan of Corbu right off. Something about a man who has the pomposity to change his name, and publish a magazine pushing his own ideas, then quote from the same magazine in his own book just irks me a little bit.

But I thought I'd give him a chance, after all, my professors seem to think this Corb guy is important in the history of Architecture. That is- he completely destroyed what many previous writers have defined as architecture. This indeed establishes his importance.

All architectural students should read this book- its very quick and easy. Corb didn't use very complicated language- though he shows some traces of being the father of today's ArchiSpeak gobbledegook when he uses a word like "modalities."

Corb idolizes the Parthenon (rightly so), but twists his love for it to fit his ideas of what 'architecture' is. He has a deep fasciniation with 'pure' forms, and believes that the use of pure forms and geometries will arrive at beauty. In a nice paragraph, he dismisses Gothic architecture as "not very beautiful" because it uses muddled complex forms that don't fit his dictated palette. So in order to consider the Parthenon (which uses subtle complex forms to achieve its beauty) beautiful, he likes to call the columns 'cylinders,' turning a sculpted, crafted element with entasis into one of his 'pure' forms. In actuality, the Parthenon is strongly rooted in artistic sculpural expression and cultural tradition, not an attempt to achieve 'pure' forms as Corb would like to see.

Its little contradictions that abound as well- He praises the Acropolis's use of interesting site planning and progression to create angled views rather then flat on views, and then on the next page he cries for ordered, rigid compositions in his cities.

And then there's the whole fascination with the Engineer and Industrial-designed objects. Unfortunately grain silos, WW1 bombers, and automobiles are nothing like buildings. Attempting to make a house a 'machine for living.' Bleah. Who wants to live in a machine? A machine has no soul, humans can't define themselves in a machine. Corb has crazy notions like you should hide all your paintings in the closet and take them out one at a time rather then clutter up your modernist, pure, architecturally designed walls with them. How dare an inhabitant of a house try to express themselves in a way that detracts from how the architect is trying to express himself! It all slips out on page 142: "... a chair is in no way a work of art; a chair has no soul; it is a machine for sitting in." So by simple reasoning, Corb's machines for living in have no art, and no soul. He recognizes this lack of soul with his little mantra:

"We must create the mass production spirit.
The spirit of constructing mass-production houses
The spirit of living in mass production houses
The spirit of conceiving mass production houses."

Since there was no love for modernism when he was writing, Corb recognized that he must create it. And the whole boook is an attempt to do so. There is a danger to trying to create something the ramifications of which you don't fully understand. Jane Jacobs does a nice critique of Corb's "City for six million" in The Death and Life of Great American Cities- his city planning was dangerously influential, and his architectural ideas have had an impact of similar magnitude on the Western world's built environment. (much for the worse, IMHO :)

If anything, this book is pure propoganda for modernism. He upright tells you that cities of today (well, cities of then) do not work, that people hate their old houses, and that his architecture and city planning will solve everything. It also fits the propoganda mold by being incessantly repetitive. He must think his average reader has a brain the size of a pea- passages are repeated SEVERAL times, when there is no logic, try repetition to hammer your ideas into other people's heads.

All said and done though, every student of architecture should nab this book and have a read through it. Le Corbusier, along with Mies Van Der Rohe, Adolf Loos, and Walter Gropius were the big guys of Modernism, but Corbusier was definitely the man that had the biggest impact. The text is nice and big, and there are lots of illustrations, so it goes quickly.

A seminal work
This book is inspirational for those who believe in modern architecture. The ideas are still as potent as ever. This book reflects the optimism of those early 20th century architects who worshipped new technology, who had a fervent desire to do every "modern" using industrial materials, who denounced old materials like stone and wood, who preached the benefits of a social architecture for the masses. For almost a century, this book has also influenced every great architects in the 20th century.

Having said all that, this book needs to be read with the reminder that not everything it preaches is "correct" and the many manifestations of modern architecture is darn right "de-humanizing" and "souless". This book is best contrasted by the work of Frank Lloyd Wright and many contemporary architects who emphasize the importance of a sense of "living" space in architecture.

best book on the bauhaus
who is this crazy person who gave this book one star?? i had to read this book for an architecture class and i have to say, after the class was over, i sold all the books back except for this one. the whole concept of 'eyes which do not see' is so smart. it definitely takes some understanding of the whole bauhaus movement and architectural snobbery to get it. people who are fans of classical architecture and think that louis xvi furniture and victorian glassware is "beautiful" probably won't like this book, but people who see the intelligence and beauty underlying modernism and industry will most definitely appreciate this book. le corbusier is a total genius and one worth studying. ... Read more