Reviews (3)

Anti-Architecture
If the architecture of Frank Gehry, has been described as a movie composed entirely of special effects, then Tschumi's is like special effects that don't quite come off. Herbert Muschamp, the modernist cheerleader who is the architecture critic for the NY Times, began his review of Tschumi's Lerner Student Center at Columbia University by saying "By now, everyone knows that Bernard Tschumi's new Lerner Hall is a dud." And City Journal described his work as ""an agitated, irrational mix of limestone, brick, metal, and glass... giving the impression of a building on the edge of a nervous breakdown." Journalist Robert Locke has written, ""Tschumi's theoretical writings, the basis of his reputation, are a tangled mess that alternately induces dizziness and puzzlement as to whether the author actually knows what philosophy is, or merely heard it described by someone in a bar once ...... The worst of this stuff is so self-evidently empty as to defy attack". - It only remains for you to ask yourself whether you are one of those fools who will be taken in by this confidence trickster who has ruined the cities we live in, or whether you will move on to more intelligent reading. [Hint: Try Louis Kahn. It's a good start!]

diggity dank
this book is phaaaat. You know like a cold ice cream on a summers day. Man it is better than poppie's chicken. dogg

A full monography from "la Villette" To "le Fresnoy"
This monography of Tschumi is very interesting and show well the conceptual approach in his works. the design of the book is also made by Tschumi himself. We can like or don't like these esthetism, I mean the black and white pictures with low resolution. But nevertheless, this book is a full monography of all the project until the beginning of the 90's. there is a new book planned to follow this one "Event-cities 2". So I believe these two books would be good to have in your own library if you want to have a full coverage of tschumi works. ... Read more

Book Description

As Robert Fishman writes of three of urban planning's greatest visionaries, Ebenezer Howard, Frank Lloyd Wright and Le Corbusier, they 'hated the cities of their time with an overwhelming passion. The metropolis was the counter-image of their ideal cities, the hell that inspired their heavens.' ... Read more

Book Description

HiperCatalunya analyzes every component of a territory, using Catalonia as a case study but saying as much or more about the entire world. Part one of this dynamically-designed two-volume set (which holds together magnetically) takes a statistical approach to territorial research. Bursting with inventive charts and graphics, it makes use of statistics on population, climate, gross national product, surface area, flora and fauna, economic fluctuation, airplane flights in vs. flights out, transportation infrastructure, construction, energy resources, energy consumption, student migration, libraries per capita, etc., to compare the facts of Catalonia to those of territories around the world, from Djakarta to Chicago to Finland. Variables are cross-referenced with others to form suggestive connections between, for instance, education and cultural consumption. ~Part two takes an architectural and urban planning tack, inviting a world of innovative designers to propose projects and strategies, specifically for application in Catalonia, but with obvious relevance to anywhere and everywhere. Participants include Actar Arquitectura, FOA, Xaveer de Geyter, Abalos & Herreros, MVRDV, NL Architects, NO.mad Arquitectura, Javier Peña, Roche & Sie..., UN Studio, and West 8, among others. Proposed scenarios consider such issues as senior tourism, sport cities, university campuses, industrial parks, airports, and suburbia.

Essays by Manuel Gausa, Vicente Guallart and Willy Müller.

Hardcover, 6.5 x 9.5 in./800 pgs / Illustrated throughout. ... Read more

Book Description

Practical Ecology for Planners, Developers, and Citizens introduces and explains key ecological concepts for planners, landscape architects, developers, and others involved in planning and building human habitats. The book is tailored to meet the needs of busy land use professionals and citizens seeking a concise yet thorough overview of ecology and its applications. It offers clear guidelines and a wealth of information on how we can protect species and ecosystems while at the same creating healthy, sustainable human communities.

Throughout the book, the authors make ecological concepts accessible to readers with little or no scientific background. They present key ideas and information in simple and pragmatic terms, and provide numerous graphics to help explain important concepts. They also offer exercises for the reader to practice ecologically-based planning and design, along with a list of resources for practical information on ecology and conservation.

Practical Ecology for Planners, Developers, and Citizens will raise the level of ecological understanding among land use professionals and citizens, and is an invaluable new resource for anyone concerned with human land use and its environmental impacts.

Book Description

In this definitive sourcebook on urban planning design, noted urban scholar Alexander Garvin points out what has succeeded and what hasn't in the attempt to solve continuing problems in U.S. cities. He shows how the combination of small, collective private sector efforts, community level action, and broad-based government policy can and has achieved urban regeneration. Wide-ranging chapters provide urban planners, architects, builders, and others with: Insights on architectural, political, economic, social, and legal forces that shape cities in the U.S.; Methods for increasing access to affordable housing, clearing slums, preserving historical structures; Hard-to-find information on zoning law and legal concepts behind land use regulation; Hundreds of case studies and example that clearly illustrate successes and failures in urban planning and urban regeneration. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Multidiscipinary approach to Creating Change
Mr. Garvin addresses the key factors that actually create effective change for cities today. He places a heavy emphasis on sound real estate financing, but he also demonstrates the need for effective government action and political leadership to spur private develoopments. When combined with good design and a proper reading of market forces, American Cities can and will be changed for the benefit of all its citizens.

Readers must understand, however, that Mr. Garvin does not ascribe what is "Best for the City." Each city represents a unique example and requires specific consideration when planning its future. Instead, Mr. Garvin brilliantly provides an accurate set of tools to direct a city's future, thus allowing the reader to determine what the future of his or her city should be.

Whether you're intersted in planning the future of your city or simply learning what influences the development of your city, I highly recommend this book.

High on concrete details, low on theoritical underpinnings
Garvin's text is of course a classic for students of American cities. As a sourcebook on successes and failures in cities all over the country it is unsurpassed. Garvin shows a depth of knowledge in planning issues that is deeply rooted in expertise in real estate development, economics, and politics. His insights into "what works" shows a lifetime of knowing the ins and outs of how urban developments get done in the real world.

The one shortcoming of "The American City" is Garvin's lack of attention to such planning concepts as participatory planning and community building. His "six ingredients of success" make a convenient tool for teaching basic planning concepts, but the text falls short in explaining the theortical underpinnings of planning today. Students walk away from Garvin's book convinced that good planning is esentially good real estate development. Little thought is given to concepts of fairness or social justice. Garvin never asks the student, for instance, "who are we planning for?" These theortical questions are essential to give students a deeper and more nuanced view of urban planning.

How cities work--an interdisciplinary approach
When Alexander Garvin's "The American City" was first published in 1996, it fast became a classic text in universities all over the country in the study of the city. Because it is an incredibly rich and profoundly insightful interdisciplinary exploration of all aspects of the planning of cities, it has been eagerly embraced by students of architecture, planning, urban studies, government, finance, and even sociology. Because it is so compelling written and marvelously accessible, however, it has also become a beloved book by lay people interested in any and every aspect of what determines the life and success of the created environment in which they live.

Since most of the original edition was actually completed by 1990, it did not include the last decade of development in the fast-changing world of urban thinking. In this second edition, Mr. Garvin brings his study of the city into the twenty-first century, including examples, issues, and trends that did not exist at the time the first edition was written. More strikingly, however, he has also succeeded in reorganizing and restating his original material-sometimes subtly, and sometimes more extensively-in even more powerful and effective ways. But whether it is the almost completely new chapter on Retail Shopping, or the only mostly preserved gem from the first edition on Parks and Playgrounds, all of the clarity and vitality so characteristic of Mr. Garvin's writing are enhanced in this new edition. The new edition also features numerous new photographs-a particular treat to the many readers who especially appreciate the masterful way he has illustrated his points with visual images, virtually all taken by Mr. Garvin himself. (Since he is firmly committed to the principle that one actually has to experience and explore in person the environments one is studying, the author makes sure to use images that reflect his own personal vision, which fortunately for us is as artistically pleasing as it is intellectually informative.)

Whether one wishes to understand the history of American cities, learn the principles of real estate development, research the trends in government involvement in housing and urban renewal, get insight into why particular undertakings in particular cities worked or failed, or, most excitingly, sense the incredible complexity and interaction of all those forces (historical, political, architectural, legislative, sociological, economic, etc.) that determine and describe the life of the city, this book is a must-read-and one that is as enjoyable as it is informative and enlightening.

The definitive modern planning manual...newly updated
There is a very good reason that Garvin's The American City has become required reading for most of the major urban affairs programs across the country: it stands alone as the definitive book on practical urban planning as we enter the 21st century. The first edition of this book, released in 1995, was a breath of fresh air in the field as it avoided emotional polemics in favor of thorough, pragmatic analyses of virtually every aspect of urban planning. This new, 560 page edition builds on the strengths of the original but has been substantially updated. It now includes coverage of the effects of stadiums and entertainment centers, BIDs, environmental factors, and much more. It has also been updated with the latest statistical information and additional stunning photos, as well as follow-ups on the projects originally covered in the first edition.

Garvin himself is uniquely qualified to write this book. For over thirty years he has taught Yale University's Introduction to the Study of the City course, while remaining busy as an architect, real estate developer and Director of Comprehensive Planning for the City of New York. After the publication of the original edition he became the Managing Director for Planning of New York's bid to host the 2012 Olympics (which was just selected as one of the finalists), and this year he was chosen to head up the complete rebuilding of the World Trade Center site after September 11 as the Vice President for Planning, Design and Construction of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation.

If you have any interest whatsoever in the history, design, or improvement of America's urban landscape, this is the book to get. As Paul Goldberger, the former architecture critic of the New York Times has written: "I will read it again and again, sometimes from front to back, sometimes from back to front, sometimes to page through at a random, sometimes to consult and help me with a particular problem. I guarantee dog-eared pages within a year."

The definitive work on urban planning for this generation
Alex Garvin has functioned singlehandedly as the entire Urban Planning department at Yale University for over twenty years, while serving at various times as the Director of Comprehensive Planning for the City of New York, a member of the New York City Planning Commission, an expert for the Urban Land Institute, a real estate developer and the facilities analyst for New York's bid for the Olympics. This book is his masterwork, providing an expanded version of his Yale course illustrated with hundreds of examples drawn (and photographed) from cities all over America.

Without question, if you are going to get only one book dealing with the problems and solutions of contemporary urban development, this MUST be it. ... Read more

Book Description

This book is a critical reappraisal of contemporary theories of urban planning and design and of the role of the architect-planner in an urban context. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Inaccessible, and badly edited
Does not contribute much to the discussion, written in a lengthy, self-important, arrogant manner.

the best to understand cities now and then
this book, published for the first time in 1978, ask the main principle of the modern mouvement. Rowe and Koetter write about the opposition of the concept of "tabula rasa and an urban tradition taken from the historical memory and progressive sedimentation of the cities. "Collage" is a possible assimilation of the two different problematic, in the way that it's take past and future in a complex present.

Pompous garbage
This book is the most pompous garbage I have ever seen. It is unreadable drivel that has no point and adds nothing to the search for solutions to our urban problems. What were the authors thinking? They deserve the "Emperor has no clothes" award for this trash. Save your money and buy "A Pattern Language," "Edge City," "Changing Places," "Home from Nowhere," or any of many meaningful books that say something relevant.

Most Important Book on Urban Design Theory Today
Colin Rowe proposes a form of inclusive urbanism that meshes the modern city with the traditional city.

The Theoretical Underpinings of Rowe's Urban Design Studio.
Rowe and Koetter's brilliant excursus of urban design theory via the texts and contexts of intellectual history. ... Read more

Book Description

The Logic of Architecture is the first comprehensive, systematic, and modern treatment of the logical foundations of design thinking. It provides a detailed discussion of languages of architectural form, their specification by means of formal grammars, their interpretation, and their role in structuring design thinking.

Supplemented by more than 200 original illustrations, The Logic of Architecture reexamines central issues of design theory in the light of recent advances in artificial intelligence, cognitive science, and the theory of computation. The richness of this approach permits sympathetic and constructive analysis of positions developed by a wide range of theorists and philosophers from Socrates to the present.

Mitchell first considers how buildings may be described in words and shows how such descriptions may be formalized by the notation of first order predicate calculus. This leads to the idea of a critical language for speaking about the qualities of buildings. Turning to the question of representation by drawings and scale models, Mitchell then develops the notion of design worlds that provide graphic tokens which can be manipulated according to certain grammatical rules. In particular, he shows how domains of graphic compositions possible in a design world may be specified by formal shape grammars. Design worlds and critical languages are connected by showing how such languages may be interpreted in design worlds. Design processes are then viewed as computations in a design world with the objective of satisfying predicates of form and function stated in a critical language.

William J. Mitchell is G. Ware and Edythe M. Travelstead Professor of Architecture at Harvard University and a founder of the Computer Aided Design Group in Los Angeles. Among the books he has authored or coauthored are The Poetics of Gardens, The Art of Computer Graphics Programming, and Computer Aided Architectural Design. ... Read more

Book Description

Research shows that the physical environment strongly influences the behavior and quality of life of individuals with Alzheimer's disease and related dementia. This book helps designers and care providers plan environments that enhance the lives of Alzheimer's sufferers and others affected by age-related change. It defines disease-related issues and explores innovative and appropriate design solutions for dealing with them. ... Read more

Book Description

For Siegfried Kracauer, the urban ornament was not just an aspect of design; it was the medium through which city dwellers interpreted the metropolis itself. In Ornaments of the Metropolis, Henrik Reeh traces variations on the theme of the ornament in Kracauer's writings on urbanism, from his early journalism in Germany between the wars to his "sociobiography" of Jacques Offenbach in Paris. Kracauer (1889-1966), often associated with the Frankfurt School and the intellectual milieu of Walter Benjamin, is best known for his writings on cinema and the philosophy of history. Reeh examines Kracauer's lesser-known early work, much of it written for the trendsetting newspaper Frankfurter Zeitung in the 1920s and early 1930s, and analyzes Kracauer's continuing reflections on modern urban life, through the pivotal idea of ornament. Kracauer deciphers the subjective experience of the city by viewing fragments of the city as dynamic ornaments; an employment exchange, a day shelter for the homeless, a movie theater, and an amusement park become urban microcosms.

Reeh focuses on three substantial works written by Kracauer before his emigration to the United States in 1940. In the early autobiographical novel Ginster, Written by Himself, a young architect finds aesthetic pleasure in the ornamental forms that are largely unused in the profession of the time. The collection Streets of Berlin and Elsewhere, with many essays from Kracauer's years in Berlin, documents the subjectiveness of urban life. Finally, Jacques Offenbach and the Paris of His Time shows how the superficial -- in a sense, ornamental -- milieu of the operetta evolved into a critical force during the Second Empire. Reeh argues that Kracauer's novel, essays, and historiography all suggest ways in which the subjective can reappropriate urban life. The book also includes a series of photographs by the author that reflect the ornamental experience of the metropolis in Paris, Frankfurt, and other cities. ... Read more

Book Description

"Placemaking is the way in which all human beings transform the places they find themselves into the places where they live."

In this groundbreaking new book, landscape architect Lynda H. Schneekloth and architect and planner Robert G. Shibley challenge the most fundamental assumptions about the ways human beings transform the places in which they live. A call to action for a more inclusive, democratic approach to the design of human spaces, the authors use stories from their own practice to cast a new light on the relationship between communities, design professionals, and the shaping of their physical "places." The stories they tell reveal techniques for generating a collaborative spirit that will help designers, planners, and community development professionals understand the human values that lie at the heart of their professions.

"To decide to be someplace as members of a community demands that we become active placemakers again, that we participate with others in our communities in thoughtful, careful responsible action."

The death of Main Street, the blight of the inner city, the sterility of so much contemporary development—these are effects of a major disconnection between the human community and the built environment. At no time in the history of our society has there been a more urgent need to take a hard look at how we create physical environments. In response to this unmet need and moral confusion, Placemaking: The Art and Practice of Building Communities calls for a more dynamic, more inclusive design process and demonstrates new placemaking practices that have emerged from different communities and environments.

"Placemaking is the way in which all human beings transform the places they find themselves into the places where they live."

Drawing on four actual "stories" from their own professional practice, the authors show how empowered communities, working in a true democratic collaboration with planning and architecture professionals, can create places which not only support work and play, but also help foster relationships between people. These stories represent a broad range of communities and physical environments:

The First Baptist Church of Roanoke, Virginia—in rebuilding its church, a community struggles to define itself and the role of the church building within the community

The International Banking Institute—a story of change in the workplace, group dynamics, and the ability of an organization to learn about itself

The Roanoke Neighborhood Partnership—the creation of a new, more collaborative relationship between neighborhood people, city government, the private sector, and design professionals

The Rudy Bruner Award Program—an examination of what makes an "excellent" place and how the creative ability of communities can transform problems into successful projects

"Placemaking consists of those daily acts of renovating, maintaining, and representing the places that sustain us . . ."

In telling these stories, the authors demonstrate how certain practices—making a "dialogic space," "the dialectic of confirmation and interrogation," and "framing action"—can be used to create, transform, maintain, and renovate the places in which people live.

Placemaking: The Art and Practice of Building Communities is a truly visionary work that has its foundation in the daily lives of specific people and places. Its publication is bound to spark a long overdue controversy among architects, planners, designers, and all people concerned with the well-being of communities. ... Read more

Book Description

Four themes form the basis of this book and provide a structure for considering particular aspects of waterfront redevelopment-connection to the waterfront, remaking the city image on the waterfront, port and city relations, and the new waterfronts in historic cities. Broad issues that might be applicable to a variety of situations are dealt with alongside specific city case studies. ... Read more

Book Description

In The Lure of the Local, Lucy R. Lippard, one of America's most influential art writers, weaves together cultural studies, history, geography, and contemporary art to provide a fascinating exploration of our multiple senses of place. Expanding her reach far beyond the confines of the art world, she discusses community, land use, perceptions of nature, how we produce the landscape, and how the landscape affects our lives. In this extensively illustrated, beautifully produced volume, she consistently makes unexpected connections between contemporary art and its political, social, and cultural contexts. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Not Just for Writers!
I picked this bad boy up at the museumstore at SF Moma. It is a handsome, weighty book, with a beautiful, interesting cover. The book made a good impression on me.

My wife and I decided to buy this book because we have been interested in the theme of "landscape as witness". This is a concept we read about in Nancy Spector's accompanying essay in the Cremaster Cycle Guggeinheim museum catalog. Basically, the idea as it is expressed in Barney interpreted by Spector is that the landscape is a character in the narrative created by art.

As a brief survey of Amazon.com will reveal, Lippard is a well regarded writer on art. Honestly, I'd never heard of her before. This could have something to do with me not being intimately familiar with the New York City art scene or otherwise involved with the art world except as an occasional museum goer. Art is sort of at the periphery of my set of interests.

None the less, I found this a comprehensive, at times brilliant, survey of both artistic theories about the concept of place as well as a thorough documentation of the specific expressions of these theories in art work. Lippard's scope of reading and breadth of knowledge about art all over the United States (this book is entirely about the U.S.) is nothing short of stunning.

The actual form of the book is a little difficult to explain, The book has a five part structure, each part with a title: Around Here, Manipulating Memory, Down to Earth: Land Use, The Last Frontiers: City and Suburbs and Looking Around. Each of these parts contains sub-chapters that are titled with various aspects of the five parts. Lippard's style is basically to situate each chapter with a brief survey of what other writers have said about the "subject", followed by a description of different acts of arts intermingled with commentary. Each of the pages also contains images with substantive critical passages. Along the top of each page, there is a running essay about the author's experiences growing up in Maine.

I found her work to be fairly comprehensive: Although she has end notes and a thorough bibliography, I found myself doubting that any of them so totally nailed the relationship between art and the concept of place.

If the author or her representatives are reading this, I would recommend updating this book in another couple of years.

Lippard is a self-declared liberal. Although I did not always agree with her analysis, I admired the manner in which she was able to outline her bias in a non-intrusive way. She could be more forceful with her arguments. I don't think anybody could begrudge her opinions.

Great resource for interdisciplinary artists
If you are a person who cares about places, an artist who is looking for ideas on how to incorporate a place-based ethic in your work, a nomad who longs for a greater sense of rootedness, or an environmentalist who wants to explore new ways to communicate, this is the book for you. The depth and breadth of Lucy Lippard's experience of America is impressive. She has lived in Maine, New York City, and New Mexico, and has collected stories of artists who are reflecting on their relationship to the place they live from around the country. The book is incredibly diverse, looking at the issues of homelessness, the changing face of the American West, the unique personalities of suburbs, rural areas, and big cities (to name just a few topics) through the lens of geography and art.

The book is well written, although it might seem challenging to some. Expect a left-of-center view from a respected and extremely knowledgeable critic and observer of American life.

boring
this was a horrible book. i dont recommend it to anyone. read only if you dare!

Childhood Photos In My Mind Are In This Book...Yea!!!!!
My Childhood home in Georgetown Maine is in this book. I have had many dreams at night of this beautiful place. My Maine roots go back to the 1600s. I am looking forward to owning this book, to pass down to my childrens children. I live in Oklahoma. I will always prefer Lighthouses over oil wells, lobster boats over bass boats,etc. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (4)

A must read for any architect.
For those of you looking for a book on how to build a house cheaply this is not for you. This book is on how to give poor people the means to build homes, and communities, get educated, and develop careers all at the same time. All this can be orchestrated by an architect who understands the needs of the people he is designing for. Every architectural student should be required to read this book.

An economic revolution using mud
'Architecture for the Poor' by Dr Hassan Fathy

Sometimes a book is so ahead of its time it can sink beneath the waves before it's appreciated. Such a book was 'Architecture for the Poor', written in 1969 and originally published by the Ministry of Culture in Cairo. Written with the help of a fellowship from the Adlai Stevenson Institute of International Affairs it was published in America by the University of Chicago in 1973 and in a second impression in 1976. But even then it was only taken up by the fringes of the solar energy movement as a neat idea for a different culture and climate. Currently its out of print. The author died in 1989 having received some praise in his home country of Egypt but having seen no actions to take up his ideas for helping peasants take control of their lives by taking charge of the creation of their homes and communities.

Dr Fathy was officially an architect but his talents as an amateur anthropologist, sociologist, psychologist, inventor, and economist are what make him great. His holistic approach to solving the housing problems of a poverty level community (and his vision to see how they could be applied to a whole country) takes in the gamut from reviving the craft of mud brick making (along with the traditional masonry building of vaults and domes to roof simple mud structures) through to solving the problems of parasitic worm infections that debilitate entire populations infected through their water supply systems. Every aspect of village life receives his attention: how to adapt an Austrian heating system to make a cooking stove more efficient, how to share a house with cows more hygienically, where to do laundry, how to build a better school, how to provide an alternative income from tomb robbing for the peasants, and how to tactfully delouse peasants using the luxury of a Turkish bathhouse rather than the chilly chemicals of a government mandated cold shower.

His appreciation that some inefficiencies are functional within a society makes the changes he does make even more impressive. Fetching water from the village pump in water jars is one of the few occasions a girl has to be seen out in public in Moslem society. Providing running water to every house would derail the marriage process within that society. However he is happy to create plumbing inside the home ? running pipes to the kitchen from rooftop storage jars across the middle of rooms, so if they leak the occupants will have to fix them not ignore the drips until the wall is eroded. Fathy's changes are not just improvements to make a peasants life more like a modern westerners life ? that is impossible given the astonishingly low income of these people. They are changes that make life easier or healthier while striving to maintain traditions and strengthen society because they understand what is behind the tradition. For example splitting the village up into single home farmsteads would expose the individual families to roaming bands of thieves, so it's necessary to let houses huddle together for protection and for cows ? more valuable than children ? to stay inside the house.

Yet this book is not just about practicalities of house or village building ? it's also about the need for beauty in the life of even the poorest amongst us. Dr Fahey's desire to restore an appreciation for craftsmanship to all members of society especially by restoring the ability of the poor to control the creation of their own homes is inspiring. An architect can help the process along only if he or she can learn to see life outside the urban world of modern design. This book shows how an architect with an academic education can be of some help to a peasant faced with grinding poverty but only if equipped with the ability to move to the world of that peasant and see how alien western technological solutions can be.

Fahey's ideas are not just applicable to Egyptian society, reading this book made me aware of the similarities of problems faced by peoples in many middle eastern countries, particularly Afghanistan which is trying to rebuild itself and could use Dr Fahey's techniques to rehouse its population cheaply and empoweringly. It's even possible to extend his ideas to other hot dry climates such as Southern California, and the desert states of the US, to Mediterranean countries and to many parts of Africa, South America, and Australia. Wherever issues of building cost or those of insulation, shelter and energy efficiency in a hot dry climate need addressing Dr Fahey's solutions should be considered. This book needs to be reprinted; clamor for copies and see if we can make it the bestseller it should have been the first time around.

ISBN 0-226-23916-0

Principled Professionalism
This book should be required reading to obtain an Architect's license. Mr Fathy is far from perfect, but his message of democratic economy is desperately needed and eloquently stated, and his mixture of respect for and scientific evaluation of traditional building techniques is inspiring.

A new theory in architecture by a famouce Egyptian architect
This book sets a new theory in architecture by the famouce Egyptian architect Hasan Fathy. Fathy argues that you can build fancy buildings without using expensive materials. He practiced his theory in Upper Egypt, Mexico, and many other countries. ... Read more

Book Description

From the author of the bestseller 'Ecohouse' this challenging and exciting text gives you an insight into the real changes that are necessary to give our modern day built environment both 'sustainability' and 'survivability'.

The book is based on the premise that climate change is going to happen and its impacts on our lives are going to be far worse than generally expected. Sue Roaf argues that many modern buildings are not only 'unsustainable' in themselves but are also having a catastrophic effect on the global climate. In a unique argument, she illustrates that the only way we can hope to survive the following century in tact is if we not only begin to radically reduce CO2 emissions from our buildings and stop building climatically disastrous building types but also build only the buildings that can survive in the changed climates of the future.

Throughout the book, traditional and modern building types are used to: explain the history and impacts of climates past, present and future on buildings; set the scene in terms of the history of building development of where we are now and where we are going in terms of sustainability and survivability of buildings; develop two main scenarios of future building development with the 'business as usual' model and the 'survival plan' model, and to make a list of recommendations based on the two scenarios of what actions should be taken by architects, planners and engineers as well as local and national governments, businesses and ordinary people in ensuring the true sustainable nature of the built environment.

ú A unique text that reassesses the fundamentals of sustainable design
ú A discussion and design guide providing you with the full picture of true sustainability
ú Includes case studies supporting the argument that challenges orthodox architectural design ... Read more

Book Description

Around the world, mass transit is struggling to compete with the private automobile, and in many places, its market share is rapidly eroding. Yet a number of metropolitan areas have in recent decades managed to mount cost-effective and resource-conserving transit services that provide respectable alternatives to car travel. What sets these places apart.

In this book, noted transportation expert Robert Cervero provides an on-the-ground look at more than a dozen mass transit success stories, introducing the concept of the "transit metropolis" - a region where a workable fit exists between transit services and urban form. The author has spent more than three years studying cities around the world, and he makes a compelling case that metropolitan areas of any size and with any growth pattern-from highly compact to widely dispersed-can develop successful mass transit systems.

Following an introductory chapter that frames his argument and outlines the main issues, Cervero describes and examines five different types of transit metropolises, with twelve in-depth case studies of cities that represent each type. He considers the key lessons of the case studies and debunks widely-held myths about transit and the city. In addition, he reviews the efforts underway in five North American cities to mount transit programs and discusses the factors working for and against their success. Cities profiled include Stockholm; Singapore; Tokyo; Ottawa; Zurich; Melbourne; Mexico City; Curitiba, Brazil; Portland, Oregon; Vancouver, British Columbia; and others.

The Transit Metropolis provides practical lessons on how North American cities can manage sprawl and haphazard highway development by creating successful mass transit systems. While many books discuss the need for a sustainable transportation system, few are able to present examples of successful systems and provide the methods and tools needed to create such a system. This book is a unique and invaluable resource for transportation planners and professionals, urban planners and designers, policymakers and students of planning and urban design. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Excellent book with broad scope.
Cervero does an excellent job presenting each case study and its lessons with regard to urban transportation. He studies cities from the United State, Europe, Asia, and Latin America which makes the book especially valuable. He introduces and explains different types and categories of urban transportation alternatives and their respective benefits and drawbacks. Excellent book, worth reading. ... Read more

Book Description

Forms of innovative housing in an urban context are knowledgeably analyzed in this survey and introduced systematically with numerous examples from famous international architects. Architects are searching for adequate new systems for urban housing construction given the background environment of the changing cities.

The vital interest pertaining to these innovative fields of activity led the editor to critically examine realized buildings as well as planned projects. In the first section of the publication, the latest developments and research are competently placed into contexts and explained to the reader. In the second section, the housing and projects that can be considered paradigmatic are presented according to contextual aspects. The illustrative material (sketches, plans, model pictures, etc.) is for the most part published here for the first time. Works by the following architects are discussed in this volume: Adriaan Geuze & West 8, Ben van Berkel, MVRD!

V, Willem Jan Neutelings, Eduard Bru/OAS, Actar Arquitectura, Dallas/Diacomidis/Papandreou/Haritos/Nikomidos, Soriano-Palacios, Riegler & Riewe, Kees Christiaanse, Josep Llu's Mateo, Hans Kollhoff, Wiel Arets, Philippe Gazeau, Francis Soler, Steven Holl, Kas Oosterhuis, Josep Llins, Marzelle/Manescau/Steeg, Jean Nouvel, Eduardo Souto de Moura. The editor and principal author is an architect, director of the architectural magazine "Quaderns" and teaches at various universities. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

views from an architecture student
Well, honestly, I probably wouldn't have seen this book if it wasn't for my professor and his obscure references to buildings.This is a pretty good book to make one understand and become visually aware of the wayhousing affects the inhabitant and the way the inhabitant(society/culture)affects the housing... also site relationships and basically theurbanization of the world.Another thing, this book is pretty good atgiving examples of housing that breaks from the "normalcy" and"style-numbness"(that's my own term!) of today.I focused mainlyon Riegler and Riewe's apartment building in Austria and theories on"conditioned openness" and flexibility.This, and the otherexamples are pretty interesting to me, maybe a good coffee table book forsome.Pick it up and compare the many different systems to your currentform of housing...

views from an architecture student
Well, honestly, I probably wouldn't have seen this book if it wasn't for my professor and his obscure references to buildings.This is a pretty good book to make one understand and become visually aware of the wayhousing affects the inhabitant and the way the inhabitant(society/culture)affects the housing... also site relationships and basically theurbanization of the world.Another thing, this book is pretty good atgiving examples of housing that breaks from the "normalcy" and"style-numbness"(that's my own term!) of today.I focused mainlyon Riegler and Riewe's apartment building in Austria and theories on"conditioned openness" and flexibility.This, and the otherexamples are pretty interesting to me, maybe a good coffee table book forsome.Pick it up and compare the many different systems to your currentform of housing... ... Read more

Book Description

Well-grounded in the history and theory of Anglo-American urbanism, this illustrated textbook sets out objectives, policies and design principles for planning new communities and redeveloping existing urban neighborhoods. Drawing from their extensive experience, the authors explain how better plans (and consequently better places) can be created by applying the three-dimensional principles of urban design and physical place-making to planning problems.

Design First uses case studies from the authors' own professional projects to demonstrate how theory can be turned into effective practice, using concepts of traditional urban form to resolve contemporary planning and design issues in American communities.

The book is aimed at architects, planners, developers, planning commissioners, elected officials and citizens -- and, importantly, students of architecture and planning -- with the objective of reintegrating three-dimensional design firmly back into planning practice.

úFocus and emphasis on planning by 3-D design
úClear and practical presentation of how communities can improve their town planning processes
úCase studies illustrate the practice and implementation of ideas ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Correcting Ignorance
I am an architecture student at Washington University. This book is a great stepping stone into Architectural Theory. But, why I am really writing this review is to correct the unread
individual who wrote a review of this book prior to me.

phe·nom·e·nol·o·gy - noun

1. A philosophy or method of inquiry based on the premise that reality consists of objects and events as they are perceived or understood in human consciousness and not of anything independent of human consciousness.

2. A movement based on this, originated about 1905 by Edmund Husserl.

An excellent place to start
I have always been interested in architectural theory, but never knew where to start. The number of theory books is simply daunting. The key, I have discovered, is to find a book of texts edited by a clear, intelligent editor who can help ease you into the topics. That is exactly what we have here.

Because it's an anthology, there is nothing new here. What IS here is a good selection of readings from the major figures of the last 40 years, sorted by topic. Each reading is accompanied by a short introduction by the editor, explaining the context in which the article first appeared, and some background information on the author. There is also a very thorough (and highly recommended) introduction by the editor which gives background information on each of the topics covered. By the end of the book, you will, at the very least, be familiar with the philosophical underpinnings of architecture from Postmodernism on.

Granted, there's no guarantee that you'll understand what the authors are talking about. Even after reading the chapter on Deconstructionism twice, Derrida remains a complete enigma to me. On the other hand, I really enjoyed Vidler, Rowe and Frampton. As a result of reading this book, I was able to pursue further the authors and topics which most interested me (and, more importantly, skip the ones that didn't). This seems to me to be the mark of a good anthology.

Fantastic collection of works.
This book is a fantastic collection of very important works on Architecture and Architectural Theory. Containing some seminal works, such as Frascari's "The tell-the-tale detail", this book is a fantastic read for those with an interest in Architectural Theory. Beware !! if you think books on architecture need pretty pictures and white on black plans and sections, DO NOT PURCHASE THIS BOOK ! it will put you to sleep in minutes ! Otherwise, buy now and enjoy !!

theorizing these nutz
it doesn't seem like there's any new material here. thecollection of essays are all old stuff, so where's this new agenda iwas promised? the book only goes so far as to repeat what's alreadybeen done, and not really going any farther than to rehash old essays. not exactly a ground breaking six oclock news story if you ask me...it's about time someone threw THIS book away > i did. END

green! a green cover?
Come on... needs more pictures. Phenomenological.. yeah, like that's a real word. ... Read more

Book Description

Kevin Lynch's books are the classic underpinnings of modern urban planning and design, yet they are only a part of his rich legacy of ideas about human purposes and values in built form. City Sense and City Design brings together Lynch's remaining work, including professional design and planning projects that show how he translated many of his ideas and theories into practice. An invaluable sourcebook of design knowledge, City Sense and City Design completes the record of one of the foremost environmental design theorists of our time and leads to a deeper understanding of his distinctively humanistic philosophy.

The editors, both former students of Lynch, provide a cogent summary of his career and of the role he played in shaping and transforming the American urban design profession during the 1950s, the 1960s, and the 1970s. Each of the seven thematic groupings of writings and projects that follow begins with a short introduction explaining their content and their background.

The essays in part I focus on the premises of Lynch's work: his novel reading of large-scale built environments and the notion that the design of an urban landscape should be as meaningful and intimate as the natural landscape. In part II, excerpts from Lynch's travel journals reveal his early ideas on how people perceive and interpret their surroundings--ideas that culminated in his seminal work, The Image of the City. This part of the book also presents Lynch's experiments with children and his assessment of environmental-perception research. The examples of both small-scale and large-scale analysis of visual form in part III are followed by three parts on city design. These include Lynch's more theoretical works on complex planning decisions involving both functional (spatial and structural organization) and normative (how the city works in human terms) approaches, articles discussing the principles that guided Lynch's teaching and practice of city design, and descriptions of Lynch's own projects in the Boston area and elsewhere.

The book concludes with essays written late in Lynch's career, fantasy pieces describing utopias and offering new design freedoms and scenarios warning of horrifying "cacotopias." ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Cities are human!
This is THE BOOK for anyone -not exclusively urban planners- who wants to understand not only the physical form of the city, but how its citizens interact with the urban landscape. Through his experience and observation, Lynch reminds us that the most important component of a city -the reason why they are built- are its inhabitants.

Lynch's researches and projects brilliantly organized
Michael Southworth and Tridib Banerjee, former students of Kevin Lynch at MIT's School of Urban Studies and Planning, have organized a brilliant collection of most of Lynch's works. Here we can find his seminal ideas pointed out trough his researches in the field of environmental perception, as well as his urban design projects. The book still presents a good biography of Lynch and serves as a very interesting complement to the books that this fundamental author wrote. It is an extremely important work both to architectural and urban design students as well as to professionals and researches. ... Read more