5 comments about Fabrics: A Guide for Interior Designers and Architects.

1. Thank you very much the book arrived before I expected and in very good conditions!!!



2. This is not an easy reference guide, but a textbook that gives lots of information that is not needed for daily design use. It is also filled with lots of pictures which would be nice if they were really helpful, but they seem to take up a lot of space and act as fluff.



3. Well-organized and informative general reference on textiles for home or commercial use. Also has a great references section. Pictures are helpful, but I'd also recommend having a "hands-on" source in order to get a better understanding of all of the terminology and descriptions.



4. A very nice book, quite in depth.
   Covers natural and man made fibers, types of weaves, production and fabric finishes. Many color plate examples to illustrate the information.
   This book was shipped quickly by Amason at half the price I paid at the campus bookstore! Needless to say, I returned the book purchased at the campus bookstore.



5. book was in excellent condition, just as the seller specified! no torns, no highlights, no wear! arrived promptly!

5 comments about Frank Lloyd Wright The Houses.

1. This is a great book for fans of FLW. We visited his house when we were on vacation in Chicago and saw several of the other homes he had designed. This book is full of superb photographs - not just of the exteriors but of the interiors too, so you can see the furniture and fixtures that he designed.



2. This is a lovely coffee table book with mostly spectacular color photos of most of Wrights houses, including many interior shots. There is not much historical information but this is covered in other books.



3. This book was a wonderful eye opener. It will appeal to the reader for crisp pictures in beautiful settings and landscapes as well as the various style phases Wright went through architecturally. For Wright aficionados, there is a detailed, but not too intense history of his style, works and personal history as he changes design elememts during his career. Grand interior shots only enhance the overall attraction. The book will add diversity to anyone's collection.



4. 
   This is a necessary book for all who study architecture. Why? Because the photography conveys something close to the reality of Mr. Wright's works, especially so when it comes to the interiors.
   
   When I was studying architecture in college in the 1970s, the BEST photography books about Wright's oeuvre were "In the Nature of Materials" and the very expensive Wendingen Edition. Both are presented in black and white and while that kind of pared-down quality may have suited the age in which the International Style was still in its ascendancy, it did nothing whatsoever to convey the true sense of a Wright space--specifically interior space. The intimately human scale of these spaces was missed.
   
   And color is so much a part of Wright's aesthetic, and without it, one is in dreary Kansas instead of Oz.
   
   Living in the northeast, it was not possible to see many Wright buildings first hand, until that trip to Chicago... and then what a revelation! These spaces were not cold grays but marvels of ochres and greens and wood tones and conveyed so much more serenity than those older photos could suggest.
   
   Happily, future years placed me in conjunction with many of the Midwestern buildings, and a day trip could take me to Wisconsin or Michigan or other less-frequently visited residential and commercial works by F L W. Friendships with original Wright clients or owners of Wright houses opened other doors--I have experienced about one third of the places in this book, so--trust me--the photos do them justice and are almost as good as being there.
   
   I would guess that anyone who has been in these places will tell you that this book gives a very fine representation of these spaces. And thankfully, more and more of these spaces are open on a regular or annual basis for the student or admirer of Wright to visit. Some residences are even now B&Bs. Wow!
   
   The fine articles that accompany the photographs are also most helpful and enjoyable.
   
   If you find this review helpful you might want to read some of my other reviews, including those on subjects ranging from biography to architecture, as well as religion and fiction.



5. There are many different aspects to highlight when studying the work of one of Americas' greatest architects. The part of his work that is probably the most accesible, are his private houses. It was great to see all these houses together in one beautiful volume. The photographs are stunning, and it is great to see so much attention paid to the interior of these houses, as Wright was responsible for most interior design too.
   As a professional or just a fan, when you love Wrights' work and want to visually enjoy it to the fullest, this book is a must have. The only thing better is to buy one of his houses...

5 comments about The Measure of Man and Woman: Human Factors in Design.

1. This book is an excellent resource for designing products that must accomodate various shapes and sizes of people. The charts provide a useful starting point for design. Some data, however, is quite old which dilutes it's relevancy. Also, do not purchase the instant, online access to this book. There are many dimesions and small details which can't be read due to the poor resolution of the on-screen viewer.



2. As a design student this is a very useful book. It makes assignments sound great when Information in this book is referenced. The drawings are very simple and easy to understand, however it is cramped full of numbers and stats (or 'data'). So u should only be buying this book if that's what u are looking for. It covers a diverse range of human factors in design like optimal reach, grip, vision length, working temperatures, noise, radiation, lighting, ect...
   
   This is exactly what i wanted so i am extremely happy with this purchase especially since it was in high demand in my uni library.



3. I'm studying furniture design and this book will be extremely helpful for me. It gives tons and tons of measurements throughout the human life span. All kinds of positions, arrangements, etc. There is section on every age, even infants and elderly. It's also just an interesting thing to read, regardless of being an awesome reference book. I loved reading about how different abilities/capacities develop at certain ages. This way you can know when humans are able to do what. This can help better understand human's needs, in a physical and spatial sense.
   
   Great book, just get it.



4. I found a handful of pages out of this book useful for space planning. Not worth fifty bucks unless you are designing equipment and products.



5. There's minimal reading in this book, which is nice since it's good for reference. The reading that it does have is very simple with bulleted paragraphs full of information that you can't get from looking at the diagrams.
   Great diagrams for industrial design students (I got this for one of my classes), gives you the measurements, reach, sight and motion range, pretty much any numeric info you need to know for the 1 percentile, 99 percentile, and 50 percentile man/woman.
   Also has nice chart of child development w/descriptions of what the ave. child can do at each age, as well as diagrams for the elderly (and in wheelchair). This book is essential if you are going for product design or interior design.

5 comments about Case Study Houses: 1945-1966: The California Impetus (Taschen Basic Architecture).

1. I think this book is an incredible value. Wonderfully satisfying photos for the price. The designs are still very inspirational for Mid-Century Modern fans. I love the series and intend to buy the other editions in the near future.



2. The Case Study Houses -- The Complete CSH Program 1945 - 1966 by Taschen is a wonderful, comprehensive study of some of the best of the archetectural projects created from this time period. The principal photography by Julius Shulman is breathtaking and some of the original, vintage photos are presented on two pages within the huge book. When open, this jumbo edition is almost a yard across and at 34" is nearly overwhelming...and by some, too large to handle.
   The text is well written, informative and easy to comprehend. It describes, in detail, the development of these ultra modern homes located in the Los Angeles area of California which mostly use metal, concrete and glass. All of the materials were derived from various industrial usages and were considered new in the home building area, and innovative to say the least.
   Combined with the text and the extraordinary photographs, this book is destined to become a collector's item in the future and well worth the investment.



3. Ok, Ok, there's a beautiful, gigantic, definitive book on the Case Study Houses at $136. Then there's this small, slick little book, presenting each and every case study house, in order, editorially excellent through and through. An outstanding summary of an under-documented era of modern architecture, one with a crucially democratic agenda. $9.99. The book itself represents the case study ethic--great design at a price VERY within reach.
   Not a difficult choice. Highly recommended.



4. This is visually interesting as well as informative. Those interested in mid-century architecture will enjoy this concise book.



5. Optimism is the prevailing theme of the Case Study Houses. The unerring faith that the future is the brightest it can possibly be. Each house profiled in this book shouts this theme loudly and proudly! Taschen has put together a loving yet compact introduction to the Case Study Houses. If you love architecture, design or mid-century modern style, this book is a must have for your collection.

5 comments about Materials, Structures, and Standards: All the Details Architects Need to Know But Can Never Find.

1. This book is so helpful in my studies. I would highly recommend it to anyone in the profession, or students trying to get an edge in class.



2. architectural graphic standard ALWAYS checked out in the library? and all you need to know is how wide the turning radius needs to be for this stupid parking lot? yea i've been there billions of times. my friends at school all started buying this book as a quick reference and it has great information inside. it's by no means exhaustive, but it definitely has enough to get a student by. the information is written and organized in a very accessible way. i highly recommend this book



3. I purchased this book because I had experience borrowing a copy of a friend. It helps when you want to keep working, but need to get specifics. This was you don't have to fish through the Internet for standards, they are easily available in the book.



4. The person who reviewed this book and gave it two stars was definitely unaware of what the book was meant to be. I would NEVER replace graphic standards or any other set of architectural data. However, it is a WONDERFUL quick reference guide for people just starting out in the field. It gives some easy ADA info, some AIA sheet numbering, and other easy to use reference material. I agree with the person that said an architecture student and intern would get the most use out of it. That said, it should be on every student's and intern's studio desk.



5. I am a licensed architect, and have been in professional practice now for 15 years. I thought this book was going to offer me some of the common reference tables I need, or perhaps some of the general ADA measurements that must be exact, but it fell well short of my expectations.
   
   It's not really suitable for anyone in the design profession, and I think much of the book is littered with detailing and CAD standards that are not necessary for your normal do-it-yourselfer or home builder. I think it may be appropriate for architecture students, however, it really does not have sufficient information to instruct students, and much of the material selection information and detailing is flat elementary.

5 comments about Learning from Las Vegas - Revised Edition: The Forgotten Symbolism of Architectural Form.

1. I admire and respect Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown for their great career and contribution to architecture, which has yet to be fully assessed. The depth of their thinking, the vigilant efforts to achieve their aesthetic vision, their desire to overcome modernist dogma, which had mutated into marginalized elite uncivic abstraction, falsely denying vibrant areas of life...how can one argue with the importance and value of such work?
   
   Let me try.
   
   To me, this book represents one of the most interesting turning points of an architectural career, very similar to Rem Koolhaas' essay on Bigness in S,M,L,XL.
   
   Both texts are attempting to give themselves an elite artist's alibi for co-opting the corporate machinery's unself-conscious production. Here, both artists (VRSB and OMA)attempt to escape into pop art, just like their friend Andy Warhol, thumbing his nose at the self important abstract expressionists.
   
   There's just one problem with this; they are architects, not just artists.
   And this places them in significantly different political territory. Architects build in the public sphere, and therefore have a powerful civic impact. They enable some political forces, and, by physical default, suppress others. If they were artists, their voice is a singular one, an unsponsored comment, to be entertained or dismissed. Architecture cannot be waved away.
   
   So, being architects, is 'Learning from Las Vegas' and 'Bigness' an elite artist's manifesto, or a cynical architect's effort to solicit clients from the bloated and most lucrative areas of commerce? The ambiguity is disturbing, because ultimately it has proven out not to matter what their intention. Both Venturi and Rem Koolhaas have been most useful tools for the most egregious excesses of our runaway imperial corporate world.
   
   And this is a sad legacy for two brilliant architectural careers. No matter what their aesthetic accomplishments in the way of rarified architectural thought, the more brutal reality is that architects seeking fame cannot also speak truth to power. This gravely undermines their civic responsibilities.
   I am reminded of William Morris' quote, a sad retrospective look at his career, saying that ultimately, his work "only served the swinish luxuries of the rich." A bitter realization for a socialist, one who chose to retreat into archaic craft, instead of trendy pop.
   
   Pop architecture is not a game. It is an insidious symptom of the polarization of wealth, a symptom that Venturi and Koolhaas cheerfully enable, both with their particular form of dissociating irony. They can play with it as a theory, but it has wrought disastrous consequences in the physical and political landscape. Same thing happened to Frank Gehry, another symptomatic starchitectural monster, who apparently doesn't need to theorize. Hard to say when the deal went down exactly. I just don't know.



2. this book is extremely condensed into a multitude of thumbnails or panoramas and text that never fails to reiterate its point. i mean, these two architects really understand the idea of symbols, suggestions, and sheds but after a dozen pages on one idea, you already get the point.
   
   the images are really helpful in exemplifying the amount of criticism for or against the city ("idea") of las vegas.



3. This is a quite unusual and offbeat treatise on architectural theory, as applied to the world's greatest architectural monstrosity - Las Vegas. This analysis from the early 1970s is obviously outdated because Las Vegas hadn't yet become the monument to megalomania and excess that it is today, but it was already well on its way. The authors analyze Vegas' unique usages of space, lighting, placement, transportation, and building design for the purposes of communication and promotion. Strange chapter titles give a clue to the left-field analysis in store, and the authors have a clear sense of irony, underhandedly implying that Vegas presents the worst in architecture while they appear to be praising its uniqueness. Unfortunately the narrative gets bogged down in dense professor-speak terminology like "Brazilianoid" and "neo-Constructivist megastructures," along with a general overload of obtuse theory. Add to that the poor-quality and under-elaborated illustrations and you have a book that sacrifices insight and readability in favor of pedantic attempts to impress the authors' colleagues. [~doomsdayer520~]



4. Read this book to learn what you shouldn't do as an architect!

   This book follows Venturi's "Complexity and Contradiction", where you can learn how cynically to use casement windows in housing for the elderly where the elderly will happily put their plastic flowers in the windows, but *you* secretly know these are not really hormal casement windows, since they are out of scale (like fascist architecture's lack of scale?).

   This book will tell you about ducks and decorated sheds, but it will tell you nothing about building spaces which nourish creative human community. Try Louis Kahn (e.g., John Lobell's lovely little book "Between Silence and Light"). My postmodernist teachers at Harvard said Kahn's writings were incomprehensible, which says more about them than about him.

   Read Lobell's book and learn why, e.g., a city might deserve to exist. Remember: Only *you* can get beyond postmodernism!




5. Robert Venturi's study of the Las Vegas signage phenomena and it's impact on "architecture" is brilliant in it's scope. While written almost twenty five years ago, this book gains more and more pertinence as we as a society progress further into a "reality" of symbols, reproductions and representations. These words and thoughts are basically essential to the understanding of any city anymore, not just Las Vegas. Where this book misses the mark though is in the execution, as shown in Venturi's work, of these ideas. The projects put forth seem to pale in comparison to the implications the text actually has. These notions of architecture are by far some of the most relevant and important in modern theory today, it is unfortunate that their full potential could not be realized in these projects.... but maybe that is for you and I to do.

5 comments about Construction Drawings and Details for Interiors: Basic Skills.

1. This a great book for the basics of how to create Construction Drawings. It has everything you could have questions about as an Interior Designer learning how to create Documentation for a project. I highly recommend this book. It lays everything out in an easy to understand format and has great pictorial examples.



2. This book made all the difference for me in my Interior Design studies. The course that I took was intensive, and if I had not discovered and utilized this book, I would have probably scored much lower on my desk-crits, and my practical exams. Because of it's wonderfully portable size, I take it with me everywhere. It is easily carried, yet filled with pertinent information from cover to cover. Construction Drawings and Details for Interiors contains a wealth of information, and I am grateful to the author for having written this book. It is, and will remain a cornerstone of my Design library.



3. This book has been very helpful for me. It reviews perspective drawings, elevations, and sections before leading into the construction documents. It provides sufficient examples to match the text explanations. I consider this a good buy. It has served as a great reference/instruction guide for me.



4. This is a handy reference tool that goes over the basics and more, covering equipment, title blocks, various tags and elevation markers, material representation, and graphic representation of everything from doors and windows to wall sections. There are separate chapters on Floor Plans, Elevations, and Sections. Later chapters go ino Reflected Ceiling Plans, Electrical Plans, Furniture Plans, Finishes, and Schedules. There is a checklist of things to remember following every type of construction drawing discussed; this serves to reinforce the most important information in any given chapter. I found the check lists to be a great learning tool, and used them to double-check my class assignments before turning them in.
   
   One of the things that I appreciate about this book is that it was written clearly and was easy to understand the first time through, but with additional readings I continue to get more out of it. It is the book I find myself returning to when I need answers. Some of the more complex information is formatted into tables and these tables can be particularly helpful--there is a terrific section on paraline and axometric drawings, for instance. There are even step-by-step instructions on how to create one- and two-point perspective grids.
   
   Some of the illustrations are a little dated, and some information is not as complete as I think it should be. The information on lettering, for instance, is particularly light, and I found myself needing to purchase another book to really understand how to develop my lettering technique. The information on material representation is also not as complete as it probably should be. Still, this is a very worthy reference book. It is the only required textbook in at least five classes and with good reason: it provides the basics and more, enabling it to continue to earn its place on the bookshelf well after one has completed Drafting 101.



5. I have many years of architectural drafting experience. Although this book says "Basic Skills" on the cover, it is much more than basic. It's an excellent reference book, covering everything that is needed for interior design drafting: from line weights to scale, dimensioning, plans, elevations, sections, checklists, furniture and finish schedules, contract documents, and the list goes on. I highly recommend this book for students of interior design and practising designers alike.

5 comments about Modern Architecture Since 1900.

1. this is a really good reference book becuase it provides many precedents of architecture that are really good to look at for ideas and cocepts.



2. I gave up in trying to read this book. The language is too advanced for someone simply studying 20th cenury architecture class, unless this is your field of studies or you are going to write a thesis.



3. Nothing to review as you were unable to provide me with a copy of the product selected. Apparently it was out of stock. But you did provide the name of another book that I might like. Unfortunately it was for a text and that suggestion ws useless.



4. I am an architecture major and an architecture history minor. I love both fields, and I made 100 in the class that used this book. Take this review legitimately.
   
   I can go on to the academic approach to this review and tell you how this book is the best thing ever since the invention of electricity, but I won't.
   
   I am telling you this from a student's point of view, and I had to drag myself through a large majority of this book's chapters.
   
   As fairly wide-reaching as this book is with a wealth of information, this is one of the most boring reads I ever encountered, up there with Nathaniel Hawthorne. Quite frankly, I would rather drop everything right now and fly to London to drink some Earl Grey tea and choke on some exceptionally dry scones while chatting to a man in the Days of Yore curly wig and a white face of arsenic than ever have to read this book again.
   
   The only reason I would ever purchase this book (besides class) is to use it as reference.
   
   It is not a fun leisure read and it is drier than a martini with dust on it.
   
   You've been warned.



5. It's extremely difficult, if not impossible, task to write a review on
   Mr. Curtis's book on Modern architecture. Scope of time/space/subject
   is just so wide and deep to write down on a single page.
   
   However, the reason why this book stands out is that Mr. Curtis's
   writings are based on first hand experience of actual buildings.
   One can easily grasp that because he points out nitty-gritty aspects of
   Unique construction process and its critical position as "A"rchitecture.
   
   What impressed me personally was his stance on the tectonics of structure.
   He gives more credit (or may be it's just my reading of him) on the "visual structure"
   Than "actual structure." Issues of veiling, hence, comes to the foreground.
   Given his on-going interests in Spanish architects and his recent interviews and essays in
   El Croquis, it comes as no surprise.
   
   Mr. Curtis is extremely objective and logical in his analysis and his subject
   matter. However, what makes his book extremely tantalizing to read
   is that he takes a position that architecture could be more than just a composition of
   materials. Architecture should tell more than just its story. The intervention of the materiality and
   anti-gravitational nature of higher order puts architecture on a higher dimension
   
   Moreover, through the struggle between architect and client, and through
   The clash of public wantings and ambition of an architect,
   there is a moment that uplifts normative expression of construction
   into a higher and symbolic level. This sort of revealing of invisible or pervasive metaphors
   are ultimately achievable only through accuracy and precision
   
   This is only one aspect of the book. Grab it, you'll know what I mean.

5 comments about The Phaidon Atlas of Contemporary World Architecture.

1. This Atlas presents the world of architecture in a manner similar to completion boards. The sharp images and descriptive narratives make it an excellent addition to any architect or non architect's library.



2. I bought this book as a gift for an architecture student, couldn't be more perfect.Its size may be a plus but it also makes it sometimes hard to look at. Still is a must have for all architects.



3. This is really a first rate book Even though it has been out for two years it offers the most comprehensive account of world architecture yet.



4. It is a good book not only in content but on the fact that it is one of the few (atlas) dedicated to contemporary architecture



5. i fell in love with this book couple of years ago
   back in poland i could only dream to have it
   if you have anything to do with architecture you know you have to have it

5 comments about The Designers Complete Index (Boxed Set).

1. the designers complete index is a must have for all designers out there in the field.
   it includes an idea based book to get you started, a layout based book for format and a color based book, all to make the designing process seamless.
   kudos to jim krause!



2. This set is well worth it. If you are into graphic design this belongs in your book case just buy it you wont regret it. Very helpful and inspiration set.



3. Great, easy to use and comes in a cute clear plastic carrying case. Although these are meant for graphic design, I use them for ideas for my oil paintings. My boyfriend uses it for graphic design and he has said it has spurred on several ideas.
   
   I also bought the design essentials index. It comes in a tall slim yellow box and two different books included and and updated book on color.



4. I am a design student and use these books on an almost daily basis. While some aspects of them are some what simple as long as you are not going to be using these books to get ideas but rather improve upon an existing idea that you already have then these books are great. Overall there are definitely other books out there that will do the same thing but they wont be able to do it as quickly or as easily.



5. Just received this boxed set today. I expected much more. The type and examples are very, very small, with many "thumbnails" less than one inch square. The designs in the Layout Index are poor quality, in my opinion. The Idea Index contains 400 pages of lightbulb graphics and over-use of metallic ink (and I'm normally a big fan of metallic ink.) PMS colors are not mentioned anywhere. Anyone can buy a computer and call him/herself a designer, and these books prove that point well. I'm certainly glad I only paid the discounted price, because these books are certainly not worth $60.