5 comments about The Cabin: Inspiration for the Classic American Getaway.

1. This is the perfect companion to my dreams of a cabin of my own. Wide variety of styles, sizes, budgets. While most are in northern climates, there is one lovely Louisiana "dog-trot" cabin featured. A beautiful book -- I flip through it often.



2. I bought this book along with a bunch of others when I bought a country home. I liked this one the best-no Architectural Digest rich people cabins that none of us can afford (or even want). This book limits the size of the cabins to a modest 1200 feet or so and focuses on the creativity of the owners. Really interesting uses of space. I have given it as a gift many times and everyone has really liked it



3. This is a great book with many terrific photos that will fuel your imagination and inspiration for a future small home which, in my opinion is the wave of the near future. Less is more, and this book shows you how beautiful that can be. I would recommend you leave this book on the coffee table, people always pick it up and enjoy flipping through it.



4. In a nutshell, a beautiful book with gorgeous photos and plenty of ideas. In the few days that I've had it, its been used frequently to clarify and illustrate our own ideas about the cabin that we're planning. As far as I'm concerned it has paid for itself already.



5. God, this book is so lushly illustrated with cozy spaces and intimate hideaways that you just want to scramble for the hills after one read-through. All the houses in it are deliciously comfy and cozy, illustrating the forgotten principle of 'just enough', all look just big enough,a nd all look terribly inviting and tempting. This book is cabin porn, basically.

5 comments about Principles of Two-Dimensional Design.

1. A definitive classic for any true graphic design student, as it shows the fundamentals of developing a designer's eye in the relationship of objects in space in conveying communication through imagery. A bit abstract in terminology for the armchair reader, but its foundational language still manages to be engaging and thought-provoking for designers, seasoned and newbie alike.



2. Being new to the design world I needed a book that was simple and not encumbered with a bunch of mumbo jumbo. This book is easy to understand and perfect it really helped me to understand 2D Design. I really love this book!



3. did a good job in sending my item I would order another book from them in the future



4. This book is full of information, and is really well laid out. I use it frequently in the 2D class I teach, along with two other 2D design books. I like the clarity and the examples. However, there's no getting away from the fact that although this book is loaded with great stuff, that it is also as ugly and cheesy looking as a bad Xerox. That might be okay for a math book, but ummmmm, 2D design?



5. A romp through the construction of visual form and pattern. This book is subtle yet deep. Although the example designs are not exquisitely rendered (but rather student projects), the principles that Wong exposes should be part of any designers knowledge base.

5 comments about In Detail: Building Skins (In Detail (englisch)).

1. This books contains mostly low rise building, stadium, and stores in Europe that shows exordinary variety of materials used in exterior skins. A eye opener that give a glimps of the recent development of curtain wall design and the creativity involved in solving various problems. Each case contains at least horizontal and vertical sections drawings with materials table and background introduction of its functions, and some has enlarged photo of particular features which is useful to study how it was constructed. While in some cases I wish more close-up pictures were given, but at least for the most part it was more useful than most of architectual books which only offer overall view of the building and it liveup the name 'in detail' which I was looking for.



2. I cannot say enough about the quality of this entire series, and this book is among the best of the set. Few architecture books are of this high quality; one usually expects some level of editorial compromise; either we get lightweight analysis and documentation with beautiful photographs, or you get overly complex, teched out stuff that doesn't understand the fundamental concepts. Or it's just bad architecture. But this entire series, from the quality of the writing, the great beauty and clarity of the drawings, and finally to the aptness and excellence of the finished architecture; it represents the new state of the art. Buy the whole series, but start with this one and "Building Simply", which I'll rave about separately.



3. A must have for all architects and those interested in how buildings come together and the importance the skin plays. As specially when trying new materials.



4. There was a time when there was no question as to what the outside skin of a building was going to be, glass alternating with metal panels. Something monolithic looking like the UN building.
   
   Now significant advances in materials, architectural design, creative use of conventional materials like shingles, concrete, or sprayed on foam are producing building where the skin becomes more than just what you see.
   
   The book is organized into two main sections. The first third or so is used to describe the general changes that have been taking place in the general area of building skins.
   
   The last two thirds show where various treatments have been used in actual buildings. The buildings vary from tiny, micro houses to athletic stadiums, stores to factories.
   
   This is European publication. Most of the buildings are in Europe, with a few from Japan. They represent the most significant advances in design I have seen in a long time.



5. Great examples of innovative building skins with good details.
   Highly recommended for architects and architecture lovers.

3 comments about Planning and Urban Design Standards (Ramsey/Sleeper Architectural Graphic Standards Series).

1. This book is tremendously broad in its coverage of planning topics, though not in depth. Most topics get only 2 pages, though some get 4-5. References are listed for each topic to help you find more detailed information. The book is well organized and indexed. It's loaded with illustrations such as graphs, diagrams, flow charts, line art, photographs, and maps. Most are black and white, but there are 16 color plates that are grouped together and stuck in a seemingly arbitrary position in the middle of an unrelated topic.
   
   Some information is already out of date. For example, on page 580 it says that the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) expired in 2003 and Congress was still debating reauthorization. The new act (SAFETEA-LU) was enacted in August 2005 and is not mentioned.
   
   My only real complaint is that the type is quite small and can be difficult to read for 40+ year-old readers. On the other hand, I understand that if they used larger type this huge, heavy book would be even bigger and heavier.
   
   I also got the electronic, online version of the book and was disappointed in that, again because of the small type. Even using a 20" monitor I had a very hard time reading it. The viewer application that Amazon uses has very limited capability to zoom in on the text so it does not help.



2. This is a mandatory book in an urban planner or college bookshelf, for it has all the necessary information to complete urban projects. It is my handbook and that says all. It is also very well presented with a hardcover in good leather. The only shortcoming that I see is the absence of folded pages with urban plans in a larger scale, or renderings of zoning plans.



3. An excellent resource for anyone involved in public sector land-use planning. Contains great detail on many different subjects. Good illustrations throughout. Not the best resource for site planning, though.

2 comments about Sustainable Design: Ecology, Architecture, and Planning.

1. Planetizen, a web resource for urban planners, publishes an annual list of the top 10 books for urban planners - Williams' Sustainable Design: Ecology, Architecture and Planning was listed as #5.



2. A powerful call for an ecological approach to sustainable design that guides us through the philosophic foundation to sustainable design - not "green wash". The discussion on the need for large scale actions and particularly watershed protection is quite powerful.

1 comments about Histories of the Immediate Present: Inventing Architectural Modernism (Writing Architecture).

1. This may come down as Vidler's best critical work on Modern Architecture and the historicization of the Modern Movement. Through a critical discussion of the parcours of these four major historians [Kaufmann, Rowe, Banham and Tafuri], and by default theoreticians of modern architecture, Vidler effectively focuses on the 'faultlines' of the current architectural 'crisis', arguing, like Habermas before him, for a renewed engagement with the architectural project of Modernity, based on these critical readings that reaffirm the role of history. The conclusion may appear to some as a bit too optimistic, suggesting for instance that the work of Corbusier and Koolhaas come under the same umbrella, but this does not take away from the importance of this book as one of the few significant recent theoretical publications.

5 comments about Brushwork Essentials.

1. Beautiful reproductions...
   I enjoyed the information about water-soluble oils
   so much that I did more research on them and
   decided to give them a try.
   The information regarding brushes and the way
   to use them was thorough and met my expectations.
   I don't trust painters who don't establish their
   good credentials by showing examples of their work.
   Weber did this, with his "Realistic" and "Flemish"
   style paintings which showed his abilities
   to draw and paint at a high level.



2. I am an inexperienced beginner at oil painting who has never taken art lessons. So I read books. This book is exactly what I needed. It simply explains the different brushes, how to load them with paint and how to use them to get different effects. The text is clear and the graphics are great. I'll definitely be referring to this book again and again.



3. I'm fairly new to painting, but I have purchased a dozen books on oils, and this one has been the most helpful to me. It's pitched to the beginner or beginner-intermediate artist, not the expert.
   
   Weber mostly makes good on his promise to show you how to do things, not just finished results. He shows you a number of different ways to load a brush, for example "shovel loading, "chisel loading, "tip pull loading," "body loading," and others. The book includes helpful close-up photos of each of these techniques. He then shows you several different ways to apply each of these loaded brushes, again with close-up photos. Using the same kind of closeups, he shows you how to mix paint. I haven't seen this level of detail in any other painting book I've purchased.
   
   The book then goes on to demonstrate several techniques for blending, again using helpful series of photos depicting brushstrokes for blending, different stages in adding transitional colors, and thorough wet-into-wet blending. I really had no clue about blending until I read this material.
   
   The book didn't answer all my questions. I had hoped for some detailed instruction on how to paint water, but while there are "walkthroughs" for painting roses, a mountain landscape, and a human figure, and a couple of shots of water in photos, there wasn't a systematic treatment of water. Also, the book advocates using a "wash" to start a painting without thoroughly explaining why one would do this, although it does include an adequate description of how to go about it.
   
   But these are minor quibbles. I learned a lot from this book. I wish he'd make another, focusing on particular problems in painting, or providing more step-by-step walkthroughs, but this book will keep me busy for a while. I intend to try to reproduce his roses, for example, following his instructions.
   
   One final caveat. Weber happens to use the very same paints I do -- the DUO Aqua water-miscible (sometimes called water-soluble) oils. So for me the book was a perfect match, as he was actually talking about pigments that I'm already somewhat familiar with. Don't get me wrong; mostly his writing has a much broader application to "regular" oils, and he's quite clear about when his comments pertain only to water-miscibles. But part of my enthusiasm for the book is the happy coincidence that he uses "my" paints. For readers who use paints with very different handling characteristics, the book might be slightly less useful. But only slightly less.



4. Acknowledging that the reader may or may not have discovered some of their own techniques that render expressive painting, Mark Christopher Weber respectfully shares his vast knowledge without being preachy. This book contains beautiful, high quality reproductions of Weber's finished paintings and is a delightful read. With occasional subtle humor, and easily understandable similies (ex. "consistency of mayonnaise" and "jelly on top of peanut butter") Weber helps the reader relate painting to common everyday knowledge to get the point across. He meticulously shares different ways to "load the brush" and release the stroke to get the right effect.
   I found answers to many frustrating problems I was experiencing in my own foray into oil painting, even though I have been painting for several years now and had acquired and read a good collection of helpful books. If you are a good artist who struggles with just how to get that medium to do what you want, in other words, mastering it, this is a must-have reference for your artist's library, as well as a delightful read. Put it at the top on your art resource booklist.



5. This is a tough book to review. I give this book 3 stars (the above is inaccurate) I like the idea of learning how to apply paint to the canvas (or whatever) but somehow looking at photos and reading the text leaves something to be desired. In my opinion this would have been better as a DVD where a person could actually see the process taking place.
   
   The review of materials (in every Northlight book) gets tedious. The author seems to assume the reader hasn't painted before; however, I doubt a beginner in painting would purchase a book on brush technique.
   
   Brushwork Essentials does cover a lot of territory and it does demenstrate the importance of knowing what your combo of brush and paint can achieve. A lot of learning is included in the book. The problem is visualizing what the author is talking about. A couple of photos with text doesn't carry the ideas forward very well. Many people will benefit from this book, but it isn't something that is all that easy to grasp.
   
   After buying and reading numerous art books I have become disappointed with Northlight books. They publish a ton of books on every conceiveable subject; however, they are very repetitious and often do not manage to put the ideas forward very well. Northlight should switch to DVD or other types of presentations because their books are not cutting it as far as I am concerned.
   
   If you want to buy this book I suggest getting it used because I do not think it is worth the full price (which I paid). Cheated again by good advertising and poor execution.
   
   AD2

No comments about The Modern Architecture Pop-Up Book.

3 comments about The Classical Language of Architecture.

1. This is the best way to learn about the classical sensibility in architecture -- as well as art and sculpture. Based on Summerson's radio lectures, this book has itself reached the status of being a classic! I assigned it for years, and students never failed to appreciate its brevity, insight and immediacy.
   
   Very much worth the price of admission because it will forever open your eyes to the world of architectural forms and designs which refer to our common humanity. A necessary antidote to today's corrosive, diversity-oriented mentality.



2. I was introduced to this classic work in a course on Michelangelo by John Shearman at Harvard, and I'm writing this review because I'm convinced this book deserves wider distribution.

   It's essentially an illustrated compilation of a series of lectures Summerson gave at university in England. The topic: the 'language' of architecture through the ages. Ever look at white marble columns, or that triangular thing over a window, and think how beautiful and elegant the display of forms was? Believe it or not, those styles are not created anew each time architects design a building! Rather, they draw on our rich common heritage - the 'classical language of architecture', first defined by Vasari in the 15th century (though in use since prehistoric times). That thing over the window is called a 'pediment', and columns can be Doric (stocky), Ionic (tall and graceful), or Corinthian (elaborated with flowery scroll-work at the top.) The triangular thing over a window is called a 'pediment'.

   Intrigued? Want to know more about what the architects were thinking when they designed that building you're looking at? Buy this book, now!




3. Being about such a vaste theme, this book easily tells the most important parts of the history of architecture. Not much jargong, and well written overall!

3 comments about Design for the Other 90%.

1. I was already familiar with the catalog, but needed additional copies. I was pleasantly surprised to find the Amazon selling price was even lower than at the venue. The catalog contains links and resources to follow-up on all the displayed items and their authors.
   
   The shipping time was relatively long, but express shipment outside the US would have been too expensive.



2. "Design for the Other 90%" was published for the exhibition of the same name at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum at the Smithsonian. More like a review of an exhibition than a definitive text, the book is a nice brief review of some very interesting designs that are useful all over our planet. The book does not seem to be intended to teach you how to build, but rather to inspire you to think about building differently.
   
   The book contains a collection of inventions - most of them quite simple. Examples are a "pot-in-pot" cooler which uses evaporative cooling to keep food from spoiling, a portable water filter for drinking water, a communal solar-powered kitchen, a gravity-powered drip irrigation system, and small-scale photovoltaic lighting. There are many more interesting ideas within these pages.
   
   You won't learn the details of construction from this book, but you will be stimulated to think more broadly about designs that are useful for the majority of humans on our planet.



3. Excellent book. Besides many, many good ideas, the concept of Designing for the other 90% of the population is inspiring. If you've ever seen how people in developing nations live, you know how important and needed innovative ideas like these are.
   
   In the lines of "Poverty is our greatest common enemy", if people started designing products like these to help improve the lot of the rest of the world, the larger part of the world's problems would be solved.
   
   The only thing I'd like to see in this book is more good ideas..