Book Description

Foreword by Michael Sorkin

Introduction by Richard Guy Wilson

"This excellent book makes a strong case for a renewed appreciation of regional modernism." -- Erika Belsey, Art New England

Inflected by local climate, construction practices, regional culture, and Florida lifestyle, the work of the Sarasota school of architecture marks a high point in the development of regional modernism in American architecture.

Although the Sarasota school wasn't a consciously organized movement, it was an important chapter in American modernism that, unlike the earlier Bay Area school and Chicago school, has received little study or published scholarly treatment. John Howey provides the first solid documentation of the Sarasota group's designs and theories. He has interviewed all of the surviving architects and original clients and has included a rich archive of photographs by Ezra Stoller, Alexandra Georges, and others. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

GOOD Mid-Century Modernism
This is the story of a group of talented young architects who were in the right place at the right time. The time (1946-66) was when America was in a building boom, the public wanted fresh, clean designs. Sarasota was a growing town and Modern Architecture was going to change the world. The Father of it all was an architect named Ralph Twitchell. In 1940 Twitchell hired a young intern architect named Paul Rudolph. Rudolph would go onto Harvard GSD, serve in the Navy and return to Sarastoa in 1946, and then become Twitchell's partner in 1950. The two of them, with a group of other talented architects (most notably Victor Lundy) would go on to design some extraordinary custom homes, churches and schools. Their architecture stressed the tectonic (the use of new technologies). Although the Sarasota aesthetic was in similar vein to the California post- war architecture, it also was heavily derivative of a Florida vernacular architecture. Rudolph's early philosophy stressed five points: the Clarity of construction; Maximum economy of means; Simple overall volumes penetrating vertically and horizontally; Clear geometry floating above the Florida Landscape; Honesty in details and in structural connections. It is always a treat to see his pen and ink renderings. A must for the serious student of modernism. ... Read more

Book Description

"Texas Style," is now reflective of America itself. Rugged individualism, high quality, large living, and impeccable taste are values that Texans share with all Americans. Tyler Beard, who is known as the "King of Texas Style" and whose own ranch has been featured in dozens of books and magazines, introduces us, in a way that only an aficionado could, to homes that are incredibly appealing in beauty, architecture, and pure Texan spirit. Vibrant photography by Jack Parsons offers inspiration, ideas, and a glimpse of how Texans are living today. Beard examines architectural and design elements throughout the home, both inside and out, highlighting details of furniture, construction, art, and history along the way. An in-depth resource guide will help readers find all things Texan, no matter where they live. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Rustic Western Interiors at Their Best!
Without exaggeration, this is the best book to date documenting rustic western interiors. The extraordinary Cowboy and Indian memorabilia collections featured in these homes will make you green with envy. Large, beautiful photographs of exceptional Texas homes, no sterile contemporary interiors here. I've always admired Beard and Parsons work, this is the best to date. No disappointments here! ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (2)

Comprehensive view of California Missions
This was very interesting to read, as well as a terrific photographic reference for the California missions. The landscape-page layout lent depth to photos of the beautiful colonnades and porches these missions are famous for. I am proud that my native state of California has done such an outstanding job of restoring these missions, and enjoyed the skill Young and Levick used in crafting this volume.

Best Pictures of California Missions
I've looked and I've looked, but I still haven't found a better pictorial representation of California's missions. If you appreciate architecture, you'll love this wonderful, definitive reference source. Bravos to Melba Levick for her terrific photos - they capture the very essence of each mission in a way I've never seen. Minor quibble - earlier editions were elegantly art directed and printed on glossy stock. The design work on this edition is heavy-handed and the photo reproduction on matte stock isn't nearly as brilliant or as sharp. Ah, but those gloriously composed photos! Nothing can deter their splendor. ... 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

MiMo: Miami Modern Revealed is the first comprehensive survey of the rich postwar architecture that epitomizes the romance and energy that is Miami. Well-known for its revitalized South Beach Deco architecture, Miami's vibrant strain of modern architecture combines attention to space, form, and innovative design with a nuanced subtropical exoticism particular to the region, the gateway between the States and Latin America. From humble motels to sprawling oceanside resorts, this lively style also thrives in the city's civic, domestic, and commercial architecture. MiMo tracks the history and development of the Magic City from the days of nightclub acts and swank hotels to the advent of the crystalline downtown skyscrapers, including detailed overviews of work by Morris Lapidus, Gilbert Fein, and regional masters Alfred Browning Parker, Norman M. Giller, and others. Preservation-minded, the authors list the important buildings which did not survive decades of redevelopment, and conclude with a chapter on the effort to protect threatened MiMo masterpieces. Hundreds of recent and period photographs from the heyday of Miami glamour complete this celebration of some of the hottest architecture around. ... Read more

Book Description

For anyone who has dreamed of living in a Colonial-style home, this showcase of Colonial Williamsburg standouts is an irresistible wish book. And for the home design do-it-yourselfer, it is even more than that. Domestic design and construction expert and award-winning historic preservation writer Hugh Howard provides a tour of favorite Colonial Williamsburg restorations that will fast become a primary resource of ideas and no-nonsense information.

This magnificent treasury presents each house in beautiful new color photographs and an easy-to-read floor plan, revealing all the characteristic architectural details that define the Williamsburg style. Relating the stories of the restoration projects that gave these structures new life, this book covers large and elegant dream houses along with equally charming smaller houses, including those that are open to visitors as well as rarely shown private examples. Colonial Houses will have enormous appeal for the 800,000 guests who flock to Colonial Williamsburg each year, and for all those who simply love its aesthetic. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Williamsburg at its Best
I absolutely love Colonial Williamsburg so when this book was published I couldn't wait to receive it. The photographs of the homes and their interiors are of high quality. The book offers you a look at more that a dozen homes of the historic area with a brief history on each. In addition are several of the floor plans, before and after photos, photos of carved moldings, beautiful staircases, and furnishings. I have reordered this book for Christmas presents. A great book @ a great price! ... 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

This book is a guide to the architectural styles of American houses. Highly illustrated with photographs and overlays to identify key recognition features, it covers a variety of architectural styles from colonial to modern America. In a section by section treatment, The Houses We Live In details how the various styles were developed, its originators and proponents, the main dates when the style was popular, and the main houses and regions that saw the style. Detailed photographs show variations of the style from all angles and close-ups of key points. Contents include: Vernacular architecture (Native American, log cabin, etc.); Colonial; European Revival (Greek, Gothic, etc.); Victorian (Second Empire, Richardson Romanesque, etc.); Pre-WW2 (Neoclassical, Beaux Arts, Tudor, Mediterranean, etc.); and American Modern (Prairie, Craftsman). ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great overall reference
Like the previous reviewer, I found this book on sale at the local store. It's a super survey book, unambiguous and well illustrated with each type of house discussed in the text. It has a glossary of architectural terms, and a chapter of architect bios, including pictures of the houses they lived in. Better than a [money] Abrams art book!

Big book - Great value
I saw this in a bookstore and scooped it up without checking online prices. Its a huge book for the small price. I'm no historian, but this book seems very comprehensive. Awesome color photos, floorplans, sketches, etc. History, details of construction technics. Pretty much every photo has a description with location, date, and many times the architect. Beautiful examples of houses from each period... something for everyone. Tons of info. ... Read more

Book Description

No visitor to Britain—past or present—should be without this glorious guidebook. England’s Thousand Best Houses is a panorama of an ancient heritage, a compendium of a thousand delightful country houses from all periods—all of which are open to the public.

Breathtaking Blenheim Palace, the monumental jewel of Oxfordshire . . . the Duke of Devonshire’s opulent Derbyshire seat of Chatsworth . . . the extraordinary baroque vision of Castle Howard in Yorkshire . . . lesser known gems like Little Morton Hall—all of these celebrated houses come to life and mingle with the yet-to-be discovered. England’s Thousand Best Houses is a must-have for readers from veteran architects to armchair travelers and anyone embarking on an exploration of the stately treasures scattered throughout England. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

In the tradition of the Bungalow series, here is a marvelous celebration of the twentieth century's most delightful and whimsicalarchitectural style

Storybook Style, the rambunctious evocation of medieval Europe inAmerican housing, was born in the early 1920s and almost forgotten by the late1930s. It took its inspiration from the Hollywood sets that enthralled Americansof the period and that still appeal to our jaded modern eye. Half timbered andturreted, pinnacled and portcullised, these houses owed their fanciful bravurato architects and builders with theatrical flair, fine craftsmanship, and humor.In Storybook Style, architectural information enhances the stunning colorpictures by Bungalow and Painted Ladies photographer Doug Keister to impart awealth of information and enjoyment.

Photography by Douglas Keister. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Living in fantasyland - wonderful!
This is exactly the book I was looking for. I love this style home, but I never knew exactly how to describe it (or that it was even a 'true' architectural style). This book has not only given me some ideas about what I'd love to have in a home, but also made me aware that there are such homes in my area :) The pictures are really wonderful. A lovely book for anyone with a sense of whimsy.

Wonderful Book - From a Builder
This is the best compilation of pictures of Storybook homes, elements of Storybook architecture and the history of this wonderful style of building I have seen. As a builder of Storybook homes it is gratifying for me to see a quality book bringing attention to this subject. From my experience I know there is material for another edition, perhaps with more details of each home and the people who own them.
Thank you for publishing this treasure.

Rare original idea
My first impression of this book was that it was a trifle; once I started to read it though, I discovered it was surprisingly substantial. What a joy to look at these quaint medieval-inspired houses. Lots of them, and all those turrets! You won't find mention of this phenomenon in any of the popular books on house styles, and the author deserves credit for documenting it.

The book displays a professional knowledge of architecture, unlike many in this category which seem to be written by art historians, and you can rest assured the author will not confuse a mullion with a muntin, or claim, as another one once did, that Tudor is an early Rennaissance style. (Although he happens to be incorrect in saying "terra cotta" means "hollow tile"; it means "baked earth".)

No vacant catalog-esque prose here; the author knows his subject and enjoys telling others about it.

Whodathunkit - a page-turner architecture book!
5 stars plus! A book to delight the heart! It's so well-written you don't want to stop reading, yet you want to see what delight awaits on the next page. My suggestion - page through and look at all the pictures - then go back and read it all. Great job - please do another one!
These guys did a similar book called Red Tile Style, on spanish revival architecture - if you like this one, check it out- it's also very well done.

Homes out of Hollywood fantasy land
Idea books for cottages and cottage detailing don't get much better than this. This book tells the story of the emergence of the Storybook style in the early part of the 20th century-- a style that came right out of the fantasy world of Hollywood. In fact, many of the homes featured in this book were commissioned by the movie folk of this era. This is a larger format book-- and you'll be glad it is when you see the pictures! ... Read more

Book Description

Bungalow: The Ultimate Arts & Crafts Home is the definitive compilation of Arts & Crafts architecture, philosophy, and architectural details. Bungalow expert Jane Powell examines a variety of bungalows and Arts & Crafts homes across the U.S. and Canada, exploring and dissecting the best to come up with a book that defines the very nature of the bungalow itself.

From a sleeping porch to a claw footed tub, to hallmark uses of wood, stone, and tile, the insightful text is accompanied by Linda Svendsen's detailed and expressive photography.

With a brief history of the arts & crafts movement included, Powell's latest offering is the perfect gift for bungalow owners, Arts & Crafts enthusiasts, and those looking to restore old or build new. Go deeper into the world of Arts & Crafts, and see exactly what makes a great bungalow design-from interior design to colors, architectural elements to the littlest details. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (2)

A nice picture book on France's Chateaux
I got this because I really missed France after studying architecture there for a semester. This book really captured the same feeling of many of the historical sites I visited. My favorites are Chenonceau and Vaux-le-Vicomte, the French chateaux with formal garden.

This paper back version is only 287 pages much shorter then the first hardcover that was about 400-500 pages. I don't quite remembered, but I think there were some lesser chateaux taken out. I found the hardcover for $130 at a local architectural bookstore. So, this definitely a steal at Amazon price of $28.

The pictures are very big; every other page is a full page photograph. Some pages have a smaller picture and a written summary. This is more of a picture book with very little written texts, so you can't really use it for writing a resource paper. The picture of the building or site is very clean, since most of these places are full of tourist and it is funny seeing it empty. There are photographs of Chateaux, garden, interior design with furniture, and sculpture.

If you like France and garden after the Baroque period, this is a nice book. It would be a five star if they didn't condense the book from the in-depth first edition.

The Splendor of France
This book is an absolute treasure to anyone who loves French architecture and decoration. It contains spledid photographs of French Chateaux inside and out. While expensive it is worth every cent and then some. A Must! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Spurred by grief, hope and pragmatism, architects, artists and others have envisioned myriad new looks for the site of America's greatest devastation. Imagining Ground Zero: Official and Unofficial Proposals for the World Trade Center Site compactly yet vividly documents more than 100 proposals that range from the utilitarian to the Utopian. Drawings and models by world-famous architects (including Tadao Ando, Norman Foster, Zaha Hadid, Rem Koolhaus and Bernard Tschumi) rub shoulders with work by obscure firms. The book opens with a capsule history of the World Trade Center and its neighborhood, a chart showing the various entities that have jurisdiction over the 16-acre site and a description of the design process as of Spring 2004. Proposals of finalists in the official juried competition are represented by clusters of photographs and succinct descriptions. The winning proposal for the memorial (Michael Arad and Peter Walker's "Reflecting Absence") and Daniel Libeskind's winning site plan are allotted more space, with brief summaries of the architects’ various revisions and major critiques by the architectural press. Imagining Ground Zero also offers a sampling of entries to contests sponsored by The New York Times Magazine, New York magazine and Max Protech (an art gallery), as well as submissions received by other outlets, including the professional journal Architectural Record. Included are proposals for the master plan, the memorial and a transportation hub, as well as a few designs intended primarily as political commentaries. Grouped together, the entries' similarities become especially noticeable (for example, towers that entwine or otherwise abut one another). Lucid, attractively designed and copiously illustrated with 252 color photographs, the book offers a concise visual history of the most extensive design competition of our times. However, the lack of an index of participating architects makes Imagining Ground Zero less useful as a reference book.—Cathy Curtis ... Read more

Book Description

Architectural trends come and go, but stone endures. It speaks a rich visual language of texture, color, and pattern that no other material can convey. Stone has inspired American builders for more than three centuries, and today's architects continue to refer to the traditional construction methods and regional styles that connect stone structures to their natural surroundings. In 200 gorgeous color photographs of a vast repertoire of residences, inside and out, this glossy, handsome tome traces the development of domestic stone architecture in the United States. Providing general descriptions of featured styles and building techniques, as well as intriguing personal histories of the private homes, the informative text crosses the country as it covers everything from Dutch colonial farm houses to eclectic Victorian mansions to whimsical stone cottages to modernist expressions by Frank Lloyd Wright and others. For anyone interested in design, old houses, or American history, the book is a must. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

History of Amercian Stone Houses
Full of beautiful photo's of exteriors and interiors of 43 different Stone Houses built in America from prehistoric times through the twenty-first century, along with descriptions of each house and discussions on each time period, this is a great book for anyone interested in stone work of any kind.

The Magic Of Stone
Stone Houses is a splendid survey which focuses exclusively on residential architecture in the USA. The book begins with several breathtaking photographs of historical sites in the Southwest where the Anasazi built beguiling settlements out of local stone over one thousand years ago. It then proceeds to document numerous stone structures of interest from colonial times right through to the present. Moreover, in addition to his commentary on the buildings presented within the pages of this beautifully realized volume, Lee Goff provides a thoughtful discussion of the qualities of stone itself which makes for such a superb, durable building material in the first instance as well as an inspirational source for imaginative residential design. To quote briefly from the introduction: "Stone has different moods. It can be warm or cold, protective or inhospitable. Before all else, however, stone evokes an image of power, strength, impregnability and endurance. Even more subliminally it conveys a sense of the primordial...Instinctively, we feel the millions of years ago the stones were formed. Thus, the materials of nature become the material of shelter, and the form the shelter takes in turn reflects the origin of the stone and the house's setting, connecting the dwelling and its inhabitants to the most permanent world of all-the natural world."

Stone was the first material used for shelter. It can be (and has been) assembled in any number of creative, aesthetically pleasing ways. Stone Houses takes us on a wondrous tour of many of the possibilities inherent to this medium of construction. "Whether cottage or château, cabin or castle, stone houses embody feelings of romance and the picturesque. Their walls speak of permanence and history; their stones give whispered accounts of their prehistoric creation. They are an ongoing part of what Tennyson referred to as 'the eternal landscape of the past.' " ... Read more

Book Description

Since the AIA Guide to New York City was first published in 1967, it has been recognized as the ultimate guide to the metropolis's buildings, in all five boroughs -- Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, and Staten Island -- from nineteenth-century brownstones and tenements to modern high-rise apartments and museums. The latest edition of this urban classic takes a fresh look at the architectural treasures that define New York -- from its most characteristic landmarks to its less famous local favorites.

To prepare this edition -- the first revision since 1987 -- Norval White has visited and revisited more than 5,000 buildings, making this by far the most complete guide of its kind. This generously illustrated handbook presents the structures of the New York City--from the magnificent to the obscure -- in over 3,000 new photographs, more than 130 new maps, and hundreds of revised and new entries. Beyond the skyscrapers and historical buildings, the guide also leads the way to the city's bridges, parks, and public monuments.

From the tip of the Empire State Building to the brownstones in Brooklyn, the AIA Guide to New York City reveals how the city's spirit, fortitude, and character are captured and expressed in its architecture. Thoughtful and humorous descriptions include fascinating bits of local information that bring the city's history to life, telling the stories behind the bricks and mortar. Together, the maps, photographs, and expert critiques invite you on a special grand tour of the city at your own pace.

This guide is a definitive record of New York's architectural heritage and provides a compact, authoritative directory for lovers of New York City all over the world. Its portability and encyclopedic quality make it an ideal traveling companion for any walker in the city. For the sightseer, the architect, or anyone on a casual stroll, the AIA Guide to New York City is the book to grab on your way out the door.

... Read more

Reviews (14)

A truly classic treasure trove of NYC info.
This book is amazing in its depth of analysis and thoroughness of its study of the vast amount of architectural treasures in all five boroughs. As a native New Yorker (born in The Bronx, raised in Queens, high school in Manhattan) I was pleasantly surprised to find so many buildings that I admired to have a history behind them. A lot of little tid-bits are included in the book, for example did you know the park benches in the Battery Park Promenade are from the 1939 NY World's Fair? I didn't! Did you know that the same Guastavino tile vaulting found outside the Oyster Bar in Grand Central can be found at the Municipal Building at Centre Street? And at the NY Telephone Building at 140 West Street?

A must-have for anyone who loves New York. A true walker's handbook that includes suggested walking tours all over the city. Find out the story behind that old building you walk by on your way home to your Flushing apartment! I also found it fascinating to compare this third edition with the earlier "revised" edition of 1978 to see how much had changed and been lost. The 3rd edition was almost twice the size by the way! I hope a 4th edition is in the works by now.

Definitive
If you live in New York or you are fascinated by its architecture, you really should buy The AIA Guide to NYC. It is a remarkable tome, including more than 5000 buildings and 3000 stamp album style photos of structures in all five boroughs, ranging from Brooklyn to far Queens and from Staten Island through Manhattan and up to the extreme Bronx. It will hit your coffee table with a serious thunk, and provide endless browsing enjoyment. If you're visiting New York on a quick trip or want a selective overview, I discovered a new book that makes a good companion volume: The Architecture Traveler, by Sydney LeBlanc, which covers 250 American buildings. The author is evidently a New Yorker. About 60 of the buildings are in and around the city. It presents fewer buildings but presents a full page story on each of them. I bought both books: the AIA guide for comprehensiveness, the more selective Architecture Traveler for it's intriguing stories and for the rest of America, which it also includes.

Keep it close
I have been a New Yorker all my life and thought I'd known it all. There were buildings/structures that I knew to be older than most and probably landmarks, but never got around to checking them out. Then I picked up the AIA Guide to New York City sometime in 2001. Ever since, I have kept it with me at all times: in my back pocket, my briefcase, my jacket... Sometimes I go to some of these places in advance, with the intent of looking at them after I'd read about them. Other times, when on my way to or from work or lunch, I will see a building, stop, and look to read about what it is. My hunches aren't always correct, of course: not all the buildings I think are landmarks are. But I always keep this Guide on hand to find out.

Written in a difficult English
I am going to be straightforward: the book is written in a slightly overblown language, which is not easy to understand for non-native English speakers. If you are a non-native English speaker, think twice before getting this book.

Ultimate of its Type
I absolutely devour the 4th edition, though I am familiar with all previous editons as well. As one of the Principal Editors of the "Guide to Cleveland Architecture," 2nd edition (readers: please seek out our great book), a lover of New York and this book type in general, and a professional librarian and architectural historian, I can certainly appreciate the gigantic amount of research that went into creating what is actually a massive volume like this. Therefore I forgive some details such as inconsistency of Index selection, some date inaccuracies (very, very little percentagewise) or actual typo's, or details such as some maps of which the lettering goes in too many directions. I do wish there were some way suburban areas could be included - for the "total picture." Perhaps a companion volume? But - wow - what that would involve!
The text has so very many splendid sentences, phrases, and attitudes I can really appreciate the strong subjectivity in this case. Our text was actually criticized by our main Cleveland newspaper architectural critic as not being sufficiently opinionated like the NYC book... I did counter-criticize that critic in the "Plain Dealer" in that there are reasons for more objectivity in an urban architectural guidebook but, I can surely appreciate the magnificent writing of this book. Of course I can't agree with some of it either but, so what? The point is this book gives architectural, urban design, etc. the major, major significance it deserves. They're sure a big part of my life! Bravo!
The book also takes on an even higher relevance after 9/11, as the entire fabric in that fair-sized area of Manhattan is covered.
Nothing anywhere near up to it (Chicaco's AIA guide is the closest I've seen) and there are times I can barely put the book down! Now if I could only get to New York more... ... 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

For almost ten years, Samuel Mockbee, a recent MacArthur Grant recipient, and his architecture students at Auburn University have been designing and building striking houses and community buildings for impoverished residents of Alabama's Hale County. Using salvaged lumber and bricks, discarded tires, hay and waste cardboard bales, concrete rubble, colored bottles, and old license plates, they create inexpensive buildings that bear the trademark of Mockbee's work, which he describes as "contemporary modernism grounded in Southern culture."

In a time of unexampled prosperity, when architectural attention focuses on big, glossy urban projects, the Rural Studio provides an alternative of substance. In addition to being a social welfare venture, the Rural Studio--"Taliesin South" as Mockbee calls it--is also an educational experiment and a prod to the architectural profession to act on its best instincts. In giving students hands-on experience in designing and building something real, it extends their education beyond paper architecture. And in scavenging and reusing a variety of unusual materials, it is a model of sustainable architecture. The work of Rural Studio has struck such a chord-both architecturally and socially--that it has been featured on Oprah, Nightline, and CBS News, as well as in Time and People magazines.

The Studio has completed more than a dozen projects, including the Bryant "Hay Bale" House, Harris "Butterfly" House, Yancey Chapel, Akron Chapel, Children's Center, H.E.R.O. Playground, Lewis House, Super Sheds and Pods, Spencer House addition, Farmer's Market, Mason's Bend Community Center, Goat House, and Shannon-Dutley House. These buildings, along with the incredible story of the Rural Studio, the people who live there, and Mockbee and his student architects, are detailed in this colorful book, the first on the subject. "I tell my students, it's got to be warm, dry, and noble"--Samuel Mockbee ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Rural Studio: Samuel Mockbee and an Architecture of Decency
Creative architecture doesn't have to be paved in gold. Mockbee and his students use basic materials in the most interesting ways for creating wonderful living, playing and meeting places for poor people out of former shacks or sometimes starting from scratch. I would love to see actual planned communities for the general public built in this style. I would live there! Very inspiring...

this book is great
i am a student at the rural studio right now and the book represents the rural studio very well. the book introduced me to architecture, and now i am here in architecture school and i am at rural studio.

A beautiful book, but slightly lacking
I have been an admirer of the work of the Rural Studio from the start and couldn't wait to get this book... The photos are beautiful and touching, but the book is lacking in drawings (i.e. plans) and text. I was hoping for more about the thoughts and processes that students put into the designs, the role of Sam Mockbee in it all, and some architectural drawings that would more comprehensively showcase the projects

overrated butt-kissing
This book includes too much butt-kissing and paternalism. Sure, Mockbee and his students are helping these people, but they seem a bit too proud of themselves. I wish there was more technical information about the designs, materials, and techniques.

great book
it's inspiring to see Mockbee's design-built works extended to and enhanced another layer of communities with creative uses of materials. ... Read more