Book Description

The simple beauty of Japanese architecture and design has inspired many of the world's top architects and designers-Bruno Taut, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Terence Conran, to name just a few. The grace and elegance of the Japanese sensibility is reflected in both modern and traditional Japanese homes, from their fluid floor plans to their use of natural materials. In The Japanese House, renowned Japanese photographer Noboru Murata has captured this Eastern spirit with hundreds of vivid color photographs of 15 Japanese homes. As we step behind the lens with Murata, we're witness to the unique Japanese aesthetic-to the simple proportions modeled after the square of the tatami mat; to refined, rustic decor; to earthy materials like wood, paper, straw, ceramics, and textiles. This is a glorious house-tour readers can return to again and again-for ideas, inspiration, or simply admiration. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Beautiful Rooms, Art, and Arch. Detail
Ranks with "Japanese Style" in terms of capturing the beauty of Japanese aesthetic in interior and architectural detail. Houses depicted were of various periods, mostly traditional, and were actual homes as lived in today. Also, rooms display art, screens, indigo fabric and ikibana in real setting.

Ten stars And has proven very valuable to us...
Awesome book that is proving to be very helpful as we design and get ready to build a very "Zen Danish" style home that isn't at all the cluttered American styled home. And I love the photos that demonstrate how to have things..and have them out of site. And I simply love the clean open style of the homes which is also what we are looking for.

This is a book for those who are sincerely interested in authentic Japanese home design, and not for someone who want a bit of Japanese in their American home!

If you truly want minimalist and traditional . . .
Have too many empty rooms? Than this is the book for you. I will agree that this book was beautiful and interesting in historic architectural aspect, but if you are looking to incorporate some asian design themes into your current residence, I wouldn't recommend it. I found this book to be many examples of the same thing - an almost empty room with a screened doorway. There were some interesting gardens, but unless you are actually planning on throwing away all of your furniture (or you don't have any yet) I found it not very beneficial. Nothing wrong with this book - but felt it necessary to point this out to potential buyers as the book is appropriately pricey and the ideas hard to adapt to an already western home.

A MUST HAVE!
This book is awesome! For anyone interested in decorating in a traditional Japanese style, as I was, or just an admirer of Japanese culture, this book is a MUST HAVE!

Beautiful pictures and enough detail written to explain why things are designed the way they are...

Pure Eye Candy!
This book shows 13 houses ranging from "the teahouse" over "the traditional inn" and a "samurai residence" to "Japanese modern". It is mainly a photo book, the text is sparse. Each house gets two pages of introductory text, the rest is comments to the pictures. These are of the highest quality in terms of resolution, lighting, layout and print quality. It's easy to understand that "Noboru Murata is one of Japan's most accomplished interior photographers" (quote from the back flap). The main layout of this book is that there is one big picture covering one page (or more) completely, while the opposing page has up to three smaller pictures and the describing text.

If you are looking to get detailed information about the what, where and why of Japanese architecture with drawings, footprints and descriptions of styles or historical context you might have to look somewhere else. But if you want to immerse into the beauty deriving from the simple aesthetics of Japanese houses, than this book is for you. ... Read more

Book Description

Building small can be a sign of higher ambitions, and those who take the time to peruse these pages will undoubtedly grow to appreciate that creating a small home can be an amazingly positive and creative act, one which can enhance life in surprising ways.

THE VERY SMALL HOME presents stunning design advances in Japan. Eighteen recent houses, from ultramodern to Japanese rustic, are explored in depth. Particular emphasis is given to what the author call the Big Idea—the overarching concept that does the most to make the house feel more spacious than it actually is. Among the Big Ideas introduced here are ingenious sources of natural light, well-thought-out atriums, snug but functional kitchens, unobtrusive partitions, and free-flowing circulation paths.

An introduction by the author puts the house designs in the context of lifestyle trends, and highlights their shared characteristics. For each project, the intentions of the designers and occupants are examined. The result is a very human sensibility that runs through the book. a glimpse of the dreams and aspirations that these unique homes represent and that belies their apparent modesty.

The second half of the book is devoted to illustrating the special features in the homes, from clever storage and kitchen designs, to ingenious skylights and nooks. As with his earlier SMALL SPACES, Azby Brown has given home owners, designers, and architects a fascinating new collection of thought-provoking ideas. ... Read more

Book Description

An exquisitely illustrated history and exploration of Angkor, the world's most astonishing architectural treasure.

Built between the ninth and the thirteenth centuries by a succession of twelve Khmer kings, Angkor spreads over 120 square miles in Southeast Asia and includes scores of major architectural sites. In 802, when construction began on Angkor Wat, with wealth from rice and trade, Jayavarman ll took the throne, initiating an unparalleled period of artistic and architectural achievement, exemplified in the fabled ruins of Angkor, center of the ancient empire. Among the amazing pyramid and mandala shaped shrines preserved in the jungles of Cambodia, is Angkor Wat, the world's largest temple, an extraordinarily complex structure filled with iconographic detail and religious symbolism. Perhaps because of the decline of agricultural productivity and the expansion of the Thai Empire, Angkor was abandoned in the fifteenth century and left to the ravages of time. Today, many countries continue efforts to conserve and restore the temples, which have been inaccessible until recently. Now that the civil war has ended, Angkor is being reborn and is an increasingly popular tourist destination.

Undaunted by the difficulties of traveling through Cambodia and eastern Thailand, Jon Ortner, accompanied by his wife Martha, has photographed fifty of the most important and unique monuments of the Khmer Empire. His images include spectacular views from the rooftops of its temples, glorious landscapes, and details of inscriptions and art that few have ever seen.

The text by a team of distinguished experts provides historical, architectural, and religious analyses of Angkor and the Khmer civilization. The Appendix offers a glossary, a chronology of construction, and a chart of the kings and their accomplishments. Black-and-white floor plans and historic watercolors complete this breathtaking tribute.

Other details: 240 illustrations, 225 in full color ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A Must-Have Book on Angkor Temples
Through his magical photographic eye, Jon Ortner has created a wondrous collection of striking images and scholarly prose. His perfectly lit photographs and well-documented historic descriptions allow one to easily understand this complicated ancient subject. Each temple is clearly organized into relevant sections from the central Angkor area to the rare and never-before-seen temples in the outer lying areas. If you have visited Angkor - Ortner's book is the perfect addition to your library. Or, if you have not visited, this book provides the perfect impetus.

The Ultimate Angkor Book
The magnificent photography, the amazing text and the great printing make this THE book for anyone interested in the amazing history and culture of the Khmer.

Ortner's use of light, his incredible attention to detail and the great writing make this a must view and a must read.

Even if you never had an interest or knowledge of Angkor, this book will light a fire inside you.

I recommend this book wholeheartedly. It will look great in your home and you will not regret this purchase.

I have Jon Ortner book
ANGKOR: Celestial Temples of the Khmer Empire,

This is an excellent book I ordered online about when I first came out about a year ago. You will not go wrong with this book. Every pages I leafed through is highly insprirational. The photographs are very breath-takingly welldone. I like the chapter on the Preah Vihear(PV) temple. Again, nicely illustrated and photographed on PV. There's also a section on Cambodian temples that are in Thailand and Laos.

Athough the book is large--oversize, but worth its weight in gold on your bookself !

Almost as magnificent as seeing the ruins themselves
Having spent some time recently in Cambodia exploring the Angkor ruins, I looked forward to purchasing this new picture book by celebrated photographer Jon Ortner. I was not disappointed. The photographs literally come alive. The quality of the paper is extremely good; the colour reproduction and sharpness of the pictures are superb.

The author chose a broad selection of the ruins to be included in his coffee table size text. All the famous sites are included, as well as a number of the lesser known monuments. The essays written by experts in the field also added a lot of useful and interesting background information. Several maps also aid the reader in locating the ruins.

For those who have seen Angkor, this book is almost a must. I am certain the owner will refer to these awesome photographs time and time again to remind himself of the experience of viewing some of the most incredible architecture and art in the history of mankind.

See it in person if you can.
Top quality photographs of one of the true wonders of the world in one of the few remaining truly exotic countries. The craftsmanship and presentation are top notch, but nothing short of making the trip in person is really satisfactory. Fortunately, the trip is relatively safe in these days when even domestic travel has its risks. ... Read more

Book Description

The “Wu Family Shrines,” one of the most important cultural monuments of early China, comprise approximately fifty stone slabs from the so-called Wu cemetery in Shandong province. Depicting emperors and kings, heroic women, filial sons, and mythological subjects, these famous carved and engraved reliefs may have been intended to reflect such basic themes as loyalty to the emperor, filial piety, and wifely devotion; centuries later, they vividly bring to life the art, social conditions, and Confucian ideology of the Eastern Han.
This generously illustrated book examines the stone slabs and their rubbings as artifacts with a complex cultural history from the second century to the present, and addresses questions about the traditional identification of the structures as Han dynasty shrines of the Wu family. Written by a team of distinguished scholars in the fields of Chinese art and history, the book includes a novel examination of Han burial items in relation to burial belief, pictorial carvings, and funerary architecture.

... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

This was the pioneer
Liang Sicheng is among one of the most outstanding Chinese scholars that I admire and respect deeply. As a young man,the beauty of Chinese architecture inspired him to be the first person who studied traditional Chinese architecture scientifically with western methods.After Liang graduated from U.Penn., he moved to Harvard and registered under Graduate School of Art& Science, where he chose the subject "Chinses Architecture". Because there had almost no references in the area, he promised his professor that he will back to China to collect first hand data, and than back to US to finish his study.
The rest of his story is unbelievably dramatic.( You can find more details in <> by Wilma Fairbank)

I am very glad for the reprint of this cheaper edition, this is the book that every historian of Chinese architecture should have.Highly recommended to Chinese historians as well as architecture lover. ... Read more

Book Description

This book documents the transformation that Balinese architecture and interior design have undergone over the past five years.Cleaner lines, more imaginative use of space, A-frame roofs, and the use of stone, concrete, and ceramic roof tiles are increasingly visible along with the traditional coconut wood, teak, and thatching. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

There's no place like Bali...
Many westerners have set up homes in Bali, which have long been a magnet for western culture-hound. Here,writer and photographer showcase what the island's most inspiring examples of contemporary residences, shops, restaurants and of course the beautiful resorts that Bali is renowned. The work is well researched, featuring architectural and interior detailing of cross cultural legacy and an amalgamation of both modern and traditional. The text includes little stories of origins and legends. And as always, Lucca Invernizzi Tettoni's superb photography, mostly outdoor shots of the creme de la creme of Bali's private and resort landscaped gardens. This work captured all parts of the Balinese tropical living experience, proving why Bali is often remembered as the place to rejuvenate the soul.

Bali,Modern The Art of Tropical Living
This is just what the doctor ordered for enthusiasts of tropical decor and culture. By focusing on the use of modern (alibet, longer lasting) building materials with techniques designed to provide a tropical ambiance is neat. It's not something that I have found elsewhere. It would also be nice to provide some interior decorating schemes to be translated into the American shopping market using or importing accessories from the Bali region or using alternative sources for the "tropical" look from other areas, i. e., the British West Indies, the Caribbean, major U.S. catalogues, etc.

Thanks for the opportunity to comment. ... Read more

Book Description

Start with a warm tropical climate. Add an abundance of exotic natural building material. And then let the cross currents of Asian design and aesthetics create a rich architectural alchemy of its own. The result? The exquisite homes in the Philippines, a perfect balance of form and functionality. Tropical Living explores this dynamic experiment with breathtaking photography and a fascinating text.

Tropical Living examines diverse residential design styles in both the city and in the countryside, in mountains and at the sea. From a classic old-world penthouse in the Malate area to an Asian-fusion villa on Batangas Bay, over thirty private homes are showcased and captured in color photographs taken by noted photographer, Andrew Chester Ong. Featuring an introduction by anthropology professor, Fernando Nakpil Zialcita, this book is a feast for lovers of Southeast Asia and anyone interested in design concepts from this fascinating and under-representedcorner of the world. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Highly Recommended!
If you are into tropical architecture, this sure is the book for you! Not much text which makes it of "worth" + great photography! Before planning a house, this sure is a must-have! Houses featured here has its owne individuality and character! Dont miss it!...

A designing must
This is a beautifully photographed and well-organized showcase of wonderful Philippine homes. The range of houses covered is amazing and you're sure to get inspiration from one of the many fine examples of East meets West design as well as the seamless blend of Spanish, Malay, and Western heritage that the Philippines has. The homes are fabulous and even if you aren't thinking of redecorating, you will be after you finish it. One of the things that I particularly like about this is that unlike many books on Asian homes which focus only on either architectural design OR the interiors, this one gives a good balance of both. I just wish that the book had more pages.

Philippine Dream Homes
This was truly a feast for my senses. The Filipino elite is a highly sophisticated, well travelled, cosmopolitan, tropical, and casually elegant group who have developed a blended taste and style of their own. This book could be renamed "Tropical Dream Homes of the Philippines Rich and Famous". What is truly visible in this book is the rich diversity and fusion of the different cultures - Chinese, Spanish, Indonesian, Malaysian, and American - creating a Philippine cosmo-Asian blend. I highly recommend this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Traditional Japanese homes, with superbly crafted fine wood, great workmanship and seasonal interior arrangements have an aesthetic and infinite simplicity, embracing the innermost sanctum of the spirit.

Japan Style introduces 20 special residences which were built in the past century. With more than 250 color photos, this book showcases the stunning beauty of the old homes, and reveal how they are cared for by their owners. Unlike Japanese inns and historical buildings, the houses featured in this book are private property and are not open to public viewing. Japan Style offers a rare glimpse into the intimate world of the everyday Japanese and fascinating insight into the traditional architecture of Japan. ... Read more

Book Description

Renowned for its tranquility and serenity, its simple, elegant lines, and harmonious use of natural forms, Japanese architecture is admired by designers, architects, and homeowners alike for its easy grace. Now with a striking new cover, Japanese Detail: Architecture surveys the essential elements of the Japanese aesthetic. From rough-hewn flagstone paths to the majestic lines of traditional roofs, from luminescent shoji screens and pristine paper walls to intricate latticework and ornate furnishings, this beautiful sourcebook draws together all the exquisite details of a style that is as timeless as it is contemporary. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A good taste of life
Japanese architecrure was firstly influenced American master architect----Frank Lloyd Wright,which you could occasionally find such trails of a natural simplicity acted super perfect in his mid-life works.Wright had using many of Japanese architectural tecniques within his residential projects:for example,the garden sitting,that he agreed traditional Japanese architectural philosophy-----the private garden may bestly mirrored owner's taste of life.Consquently,Wright was a picky architect that especially paying more attention on the rendering of a small enviroment.I am appreciated the choises of materials for Japanese architecture,no more greed,just got sufficient things they need,even for the palaces,still builded without any wasting,it must be hard to looking for another country to comparing with.The structures of Japanese architecture were mainly copied from China.In the same way,it added some new thing different with Chinese architecture.Like wells,beams,doors.lanterns...etc.,Japanese improved those details,and involved in their cultures.The architecture surely centered Eastern intelligence ,moreover,the love of the life.....

Excelent Book
The book is Excellent. It is filled full of high color textures. This is one wonderful reference book for anyone interested in Japanese Architecture. The book is the closest thing to actually being in Japan and looking at the architecture on these buildings.

Simply Beautiful
If you are an architectural students or professionals, you must get this book for your visual reference. Beautiful photographs of details and traditions of Japanese architecture... you will know why it's so influential to world and modern architecture. ... Read more

Book Description

Few rooms in the house depict the changing aesthetics of design as radically as kitchens and dining rooms. With the growing trend toward more cutting-edge fixtures and fittings in kitchens, and more interactive and creative dining areas, these once formalistic rooms are redefining the Asian home. Contemporary Asian Kitchens and Dining Rooms looks at a wide range of inspirational kitchens and dining rooms, from the elegance of open-plan entertaining spaces to the raw, modern look of an industrial kitchen. Featuring the work of some of the best architects and designers from Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Bali, and with special sections on al fresco dining as well as tips on how to create the ultimate in table settings, this book offers a comprehensive and imaginative showcase of kitchens and dining rooms in the modern Asian home. ... Read more

Book Description

Admired around the world for its ingenious use of space, proportion, and material, contemporary Japanese design and architecture is a brilliant combination of the traditional and modern styles.With gorgeous four-color photos and rich, descriptive text, Japan Modern takes readers into dozens of innovative Japanese homes to discover:

* New ways of managing space

* How to experiment with materials and how to re-interpret tradition AUTHOR BIOS: Michiko Rico Nosé has written extensively on design and lifestyle-related topics for Japanese magazines and for television.

Michael Freeman has photographed extensively in Asia, both for magazines such as the Smithsonian, GEO, and Conde Naste Traveler, and for numerous books, including In the Oriental Style: A Sourcebook of Decoration and Design and Strange Foods. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Examples of Truly Innovative Design
This book provides total eye candy for design enthusiasts. Not your typical formulaic shoji screen stuff. Very original solutions to design problems from a Japanese perspective. I find it very inspiring and look at it all the time.

Stunning spaces!
This book is filled with page after page of stunning rooms and living spaces in Japan. A must for anyone who believes all Japanese live in cramped, dark, unattractive homes. An excellent conversation starter and coffee table book. ... Read more

Book Description

This lavishly illustrated book is a comprehensive and authoritative study of Chinese architecture from Neolithic times through the late nineteenth century. Six of China's greatest architectural historians have joined with a leading Western scholar to write this book, the first in-depth, collaborative history of Chinese architecture in more than fifty years.

Drawing on recent discoveries and current scholarly work inside China, this handsome volume recounts the story of China's architectural achievements, the forms they took, and the historical, political, cultural, and social factors that shaped them. Each chapter includes sections on cities, palatial architecture, religious architecture, tombs, and gardens as well as discussions of bridges, walls, fortifications, academies, and architectural writings.

Amply enhanced with color plates and line drawings-many of which are reproduced here for the first time-explanatory maps and charts, and an index that includes Chinese terms, the book will be an invaluable and accessible resource for both scholars of China and visitors to China alike. ... Read more

Book Description

Built around snatches of discussion overheard in a Beijing design studio, this book explores attitudes toward architecture in China since the opening of the Treaty Ports in the 1840s. Central to the discussion are the concepts of ti and yong, or "essence" and "form," Chinese characters that are used to define the proper arrangement of what should be considered modern and essentially Chinese. Ti and yong have gone through various transformations -- for example, from "Chinese learning for essential principles and Western learning for practical application" to "socialist essence and cultural form" and an almost complete reversal to "modern essence and Chinese form."

The book opens with a discussion of cultural developments in China in response to the forced opening to the West in the mid-nineteenth century, efforts to reform the Qing dynasty, and the Nationalist and Communist regimes. It then considers the return of overseas-educated Chinese architects and foreign influences on Chinese architecture, four architectural orientations toward tradition and modernity in the 1920s and 1930s, and the controversy over the use of "big roofs" and other sinicizing aspects of Chinese architecture in the 1950s. The book then moves to the hard economic conditions of the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution, when architecture was almost abandoned, and the beginning of reform and opening up to the outside world in the late 1970s and 1980s. Finally, it looks at the present socialist market economy and Chinese architecture during the still incomplete process of modernization. It closes with a prognosis for the future. ... Read more

Book Description

Evanescent. Restrained. Ethereal. These are some of the words used to describe the architecture of Kengo Kuma, one of the most heralded of a new generation of Japanese architects. A recent article in Architecture writes of Kuma that "he strives to give his buildings the qualities of a rainbow, composed of shimmering particles, more illusion than object, that change as you look at them."Increasingly the focus of international renown, Kuma's work is characterized by a delicate simplicity and minimalism, incorporating a wide range of ephemeral transparencies. Their ineffable vibrancy is achieved largely by the extensive and skillful use of screens: metal, wooden, bamboo, and even stone louvers or slates, as well as paper, plastic, and glass surfaces or membranes. His use of new, sophisticated, and efficient technologies, his sensitivity to site, and his attention to the ecological and prevailing social context of his work are all explored in Kengo Kuma: Selected Works, the first full-length monograph on the work of this enormous talent. Included are all of Kuma's most recent projects, including the Museum of Ando Hiroshige, the Stone Museum, the Horai Onsen Bath House in Atami, Louis Vuitton Tokyo Headquarters, and the Nagasaki Prefectural Museum. Kengo Kuma: Selected Works is an essential addition to the library of anyone interested in the best contemporary architecture. ... Read more

Book Description

Sublime landscapes, rich cultures, ancient traditions, and startling modernity: Hip Hotels Orient promises to be Herbert Ypma's most exciting book to date.

The Orient has held sway over the Western imagination since the days of Marco Polo and Genghis Khan. And that remains true in the twenty-first century, even if the world to the east of the Mediterranean is today a very different place, where potent symbols of age-old cultures—minarets, bazaars, Buddhist monks in saffron robes—exist alongside bold expressions of modernity and futuristic style.

These are some of the most extraordinary Hip Hotels yet. Live like a maharaja—with a maharaja—in the Umed Bhawan Palace in Rajasthan, a splendid art deco fantasy designed between 1929 and 1932. This enormous palace, bigger than Washington's Capitol Building, is still home to the former Crown Prince and his family. Or stay in a guest villa of King Sihanouk, now the setting for Cambodia's sophisticated new Aman hotel, which is the perfect place to unwind after days spent exploring the incredible temples of nearby Angkor. In the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, the hotly anticipated hilltop hotel by the team behind London's Metropolitan promises a fusion of sleek contemporary style with the vivid detailing of one of the last pristine mountain cultures on the planet.

One of the most remarkable projects here is the Commune by the Great Wall, a highly innovative development by an all-star cast of Asian design talent in a stunning location beside China's most famous ancient monument. Or visit Benesse House on the remote Japanese island of Naoshima, a Zen-like retreat dedicated to the display of contemporary art. Designed by Tadao Ando, an architect renowned for his pared-down places of worship, it is an intensely spiritual destination that has become a site of modern pilgrimage. 500 illustrations, 350 in color. ... Read more

Book Description

An architectural view of one of the world’s most dynamic and exciting cities.

Shanghai’s explosive development since the early 1990s has provided students and fans of architecture with myriad examples of superlatives: from the world’s tallest buildings to its longest bridges. As timely as it is comprehensive this collection of essays confronts the broader concerns of Shanghai’s role as a harbinger of China’s future and a global testing ground. Essays cover the socio-political, cultural, and historic aspects of the city as well as offer more pointed topical analyses of urban design, preservation and the developments of the city’s waterfronts. Throughout the book, color photographs and illustrations examine thirty ongoing and completed projects. The resulting overview presents a vibrant city of tension and contradiction, one that both mirrors and drives China’s struggle to break free from economic constraints while adhering to its political ideals. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Best of the Style books on Bali
Excellent photos of the best houses, building materials, gardens, fabric, crafts, and architectural details in Bali. Very beautiful as a coffee table book, quite useful as a style reference book.

The text is very nicely written, without repetition or fluff; it serves mainly to illuminate the huge variety of photographs. In other words, the reader will learn a little about Balinese geography, sensibility and culture from Walker, but not in intricate detail or with scholarly authority. I read it cover to cover in a couple of days, and felt it was a decent grounding in Bali style.

Author, editor and photographer should be praised for finding examples of all kinds of Bali style: garish, sublime, fancy, plain, funky, sophisticated, folksy, casual, formal, sacred.

A solid overview, useful to decorators, architects, mere Bali fans.

Bali style
I never read this book, so I'm very happy to discover all the informations about architecture of the Pacific area, and I'd like to be more lucky and get that book in my shelves.

When I read the editorial reviews and the hardcover, I already fall in love (déja amoureux). my mind is risen when I get the opportunity to meet very nice things, when I read very nice descriptions, and mainly when I watch very nice pictures about very nicest, cutest houses.

I really look forward to get an exemplary of this book to enhance the richness of my mind!

may day, may day, may day! Help me to get it! ... Read more

Book Description

With the possible exception of the woodblock print, no other aspect of Japanese culture has been so widely embraced outside Japan as the traditional Japanese home. Interior decorators, architects, and homeowners from the West have been borrowing from Japanese architecture since Frank Lloyd Wright, yet the fundamentals of the Japanese abode remain something of a mystery. What is the age-old sensibility behind it? Why do luminaries in the field hold it up as one of mankind's most successful blends of function, tradition, and nature?

Atsushi Ueda ably answers these questions in Inner Harmony, which became a bestseller in his native Japan and continues to be used in high schools and colleges throughout the country. Breaking down the living space into its primary elements--shoji, partitions, pillars, garden, and so on--Ueda reveals the underlying patterns and hidden harmony that took centuries to evolve: he discusses the ways in which shoji exploit the natural light to create a subdued radiance; the way decorated sliding doors and moveable partitions define one's sense of living space; and the function of a miniature garden as viewed from inside the house as well as out.

In the manner of John McPhee and Tracy Kidder, Professor Ueda unravels the concealed concepts at work in the Japanese living space, and brings compelling insights and a long-needed clarity to the subject--all in the best tradition of contemporary literary nonfiction. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

This is great!
I am writing my own book, set in the traditional Japan. This books is a marvelous help in getting the feel of the place and period with which I am working. I don't know how I could get along without this book!

It presents its information in a clear, concise manner that is easy for me to understand, and the pictures really give you a feel not just for the house, but for the mindset of the people who live there. I recommend this book to anyone studying the Japanese culture.

An unexpected delight
I am not an architect, nor am I Japanese, but I have lived in Japan and love Japanese-style rooms. I picked this book up merely because I was interested in the topic, and thought I'd get just a dry description and maybe some floor plans. Was I wrong! This book is a delight, not merely for the content-- which is a thorough introduction to the pieces of the Japanese house and the 'why' behind them-- but also for the social comment the author makes about various facets of the lives of the people who live in these houses. Ueda's opinion comes through clearly, but that's what makes this book such a good read (his solution to the unslightly-futons-on-the-balcony problem had us in stitches, and his bad attitude toward flat roofs is a riot). He starts with the base of the house (the pillars) and works all the way out to the locks on the door. He's got a nice sense of history, and you can tell he himself is very fond of the traditional house. A delightful read! ... Read more