2 comments about Competing Globally in Architecture Competitions (Architecture in Practice).

1. There are few reference materials available to the architectural competitor and this release in Wiley's Architecture in Practice series by Stanley Collyer proves to be quite unique in the information presented. Rarely do we have access to the rather mysterious jury process, but here Collyer pulls back the veil to reveal the often controversial, behind-the-scenes deliberations. Serious competitors will find this insight useful in developing strategies for a specific jury type.
   
   Collyer presents twenty-four case studies ranging from 1995 to 2003, organized by building type. Each architect's entry and approach to the project is discussed in detail and is presented with renderings, line drawings and model photos as available. What is lacking in the presentation of the work are the actual competition boards. The arrangement of text, diagrams and drawings is often key to a successful interpretation and understanding of a proposed design.
   
   The introduction provides a cursory overview of the competition process, outlining the reasons to compete and what criteria is critical when making the decision to enter a competition (you will find that this is a bit thin on content in general). It doesn't answer all your questions but it definitely focuses you on the broader picture.



2. A great behind the scenes account. Tells you what you need to know on the competing and selection processes and the history of some of the most interesting architectural competitions in the past 2 decades. Very rich in illustrations.
   However; it does not tell you much about how to compete and what to present in order to beat the competition.

No comments about The Landlord's Troubleshooter: A Survival Guide for New Landlords.

No comments about Creative City.

2 comments about Lettering for Architects and Designers.

1. This book was excellent for an interior design or architectural student. I highly recommed it!



2. If you have ever wondered how architects and designers form such uniform letters, this is an essential reference. It is one of few books that focus on the beauty of written forms presented on blueprints.

   Outside, the book has a simple cover. Inside, every page is filled with the author's handwriting; the letters are incredibly consistent from page to page.

   Although the author presents a limited variety of alphabets, she offers many pointers on how to perfect them. This is clearly a case where quality received a greater emphasis than quantity.

No comments about Inchoate.

5 comments about Architectural Rendering Techniques: Color Reference.

1. If you are buying this book because it is required text for his talk, do youself a BIG service and get your refund immediately. He promises to deliver how to teach you graphics in 7 or 12 days, depending on the location, and he will not deliver. He takes your money, teaches, perhaps what equates to two days of real teaching and continously tells you how privileged you are to learn these things from him. The remaining time is spent on his non-stop blathering about non-related ideas like his philosophy, websites (like myspace), etc., etc. He wastes your valuable time and your hard earned money. Be forewarned!



2. it is avery fantastic book im very happy to have it its educational and a very paowerful reference for rendering, it is time saving and easy to apply, wonderful colour schemes, i recomend this book to all architectural renderers & architects as well



3. I bought this book and disliked it so much that it was the one and only book I have ever returned to Amazon. It was terribly dated which would have been acceptable if the content was there but it wasn't. Save some money AND get what you're looking for in Color Drawing: Design Drawing Skills and Techniques for Architects, Landscape Architects, and Interior Designers by Michael E. Doyle. That's what I replaced it with and I love it!



4. I just want to emphasize to someone interested in purchasing this book...there is NO verbal technique given on how to render any drawings. There is a drawing only...with a description of paper, medium, etc...but no "how to" on reproducing it. I am a professional artist and I was hoping to learn from this book how someone else might create a drawing with certian papers, paints, etc....but, there is no information of the steps taken...just the end result.



5. Overall, a feeling of disappointment. The title claims techniques but there is absolutely no guidance, no comments, and no insight for the reader. This is a picture book filled with a collection of renderings with minimal captions noting materials used and acknowledgements. Flipping page after page the reader begins to recognize the styles of the recurring artists. This book may help you identify a style (although dated) to pursue but it ultimately becomes the reader's burden to try to reproduce selected rendering through trail and error.

1 comments about LARE Review Section B Practice Problems: Inventory, Analysis, and Program Development, 2nd ed..

1. I waited to review this book until after I wrote the exam. I felt that the format of the questions was helpful, but that it didn't adequately cover all the material being tested. There seemed to be some very specific questions on zoning, nothing on Quadrangles and townships as the book suggests.
   
   Overall, I would probably purchase it again, because it did have some useful information, but use it more as a starting point for your studying- see where you are weak and go to other sources for your information.

No comments about Architecture: A Place for Women.

1 comments about The Architecture of the Roman Empire, Volume 1: An Introductory Study, Revised Edition (Yale Publications in the History of Art).

1. Although the book is titled an itroductory study, I would not reccomend to anyone start a journey into the Ancient Rome with McDonald's work, unless you are one of those persons who have deep fascination for Classical studies and ancient architecture. This book rewards an attentive reader and in the course of reading I was reffering constantly to Roman historians such as Seutonius and Tacitus. Through the careful analysis of the four great monuments of antiquity (the Domus Aurea, Domus Augustana, Trajan's Markets and the Pantheon), all centered in Rome, an author clearly shows a connections between symbolic meaning of the space, its forms, and construction techniques. This analysis is supplied with very descriptive illustrations, plans, and major dimensions of the explored monuments. In my opinion, this is one of the very few fundamental works on the Architecture of the Roman Empire that is available in English.

No comments about Tracing Modernity: Manifestations of the Modern in Architecture and the City.