1 comments about Language of Space.

1. I must admit I haven't read this book, but I recently attended a presentation by Bryan Lawson where he presented these ideas in some detail. He is a good, entertaining speaker and has shown very good writing skills in previous books.
   
   The topic, however, is mostly well-known stuff by designers and architects, who have been interested in how the built environment shapes our behaviour for millenia, literally. The classic studies by Jacobs ("Death and Life of Great American Cities") is a more recent (1960s) example of this concern.
   
   In all (topic + author), I'd recommend this book to readers who are interested in design and architecture topics and are not fully familiar with Jacobs and all the subsequent work in envirmomental behaviour. This is a good place to do some catching-up.
   
   It is also very much recommended to non-design people trying to understand that design is much more than 'styling' or superficial appearance.

3 comments about European Luxury Home Plans (Sater Design Collection, 1).

1. The cover claims that there are 65 floorplans, but its more like 22. The same floor plans are shown with different facades for each section. I also would have hoped that the photographs from the front of the book would have been from homes built using the various floorplans, but from what I can tell none of the pictures correspond to a floorplan. Which is too bad, considering the homes pictured were what I was looking for.
   
   The renderings are beautifully done, but hardly worth the price.
   
   You may want to consider another title before you purchase this one.



2. Very disappointed. The designs are simply ranch style homes with barrel-tile roofs. The book is divided into four sections: Italian, French, English and Spanish but they are literally the same plans in all sections with just simple modifactions to the front facade. Worse yet, most designs mix elements from all styles. You get a simple floor plan with a watercolor elevation that is often not completely reflective of the design. I particularly noticed that most designs had very large garages that are not rendered proportionally. If you are looking for unique designs that are true to the architecture of Europe this is not the book to buy. If you just want a "Spanish Look" to a ranch design this book offers nothing different than what you can find in the check out line of the local super-market. There is nothing unique or authentic in this book.



3. This book of European home plans is what I've come to expect from The Sater Design Collection, absolutely fabulous home designs! The attention to detail of each plan offered was clearly evident. I paticularly liked the open flowing floor plans. The designs seemed to bring the best of classical exterior styling with modern amenities.

   I've picked my dream home, its plan no. 8043.

5 comments about Sir Banister Fletcher's A History of Architecture. ( Twentieth Edition ).

1. I purchased this book for my daughter as a Christmas gift. She works for an architecture firm and specializes in historic preservation. She has wanted this book for years but it is pricey and she did not feel she could purchase it for herself. She is extremely pleased with book and would recommend it to anyone that is interested in the history of architecture.



2. Without a doubt, this text is the Quintessential Gold Standard for introductory Western Architecture. A must have for anybody who is serious about learning about how Western Architecture has evolved over time, and with little if any bias. Its only weak area is with architectural development in Asia and South/Central Meso America. Other than that, this is my third copy of the text and it just keeps getting better. Believe me when I say, this is one book you may never want to loan out, for it may not get returned. I know, it's happened to me once already.



3. Mine is a new 1975 edition (which was a small fraction of the new price). It is as much a history of the world--and an incredibly detailed one--as a history of architecture. It opens each of its 40 chapters with a discussion of a civilization or era, then describes the buildings very matter-of-factly. Sometimes opinions emerge: Louis Kahn is cited as an example of a flash-in-the-pan; FLLW's Guggenheim is criticized as impractical.
   
   The photos are top quality B/W, often very old. Its real strength is early architecture; by chapter 35, it is only finishing up the Renaissance. The authors are so knowledgeable, the writing so polished after 18 editions, all others pale by comparison.
   
   I don't think there's much of a market for these books outside of libraries, but those who read it will marvel at its erudition.



4. For over a century, this has been THE classic study of the history of architecture. It is a work of art in it's own right and worth owning simply for the joy of hefting it's not inconsiderable weight and browsing once in a while - even as a layman. The text is extraordinarily readable and the illustrations are a delight. It's so packed full of information - believe me, even if you have only a limited interest in architecture you will learn a great deal that will surprise you from this book! Enthusiasts for classical and other older branches of architecture may wish to consider purchasing second-hand copies of older editions - they're somehow nicer, and devote less space to the debased modern form of the art. (Yes, I'm biased and proud of it!:) Of a reasonable collection of architectural history books, (including several larger-format, beautifully-illustrated coffee-table books in the modern style)this book is easily my favourite. It has class, style and above all, character. Buy it!



5. If there ever was a book on the history of architecture this is it! So very well documented with numerous pictures and chronologies. Wow! the mother of all architecture books-well worth the price.

3 comments about Understanding Structures.

1. This is a great book to act as a conceptual supplement architects taking courses in structures. Glad I bought mine when it was still going for only $35.00 used. Knowing how good it is I would actually consider paying the high used prices it is going for now.



2. Excellent intro to architectural structures. Strong on principles and concepts with numerous case studies; illustrations (by the author) alone are worth the price; expensive.



3. i am an architect. my professor has translated this book in farsi for introduce this book to his students. i think this book is very useful for architects, because they can understand structures good with many good examples.

No comments about The State of Architecture at the Beginning of the 21st Century (Columbia Books of Architecture).

4 comments about Architecture: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions).

1. This is a good starting point for anyone with even a passing appreciation for architecture. In this fast read, Andrew Ballantyne tackles the subject in an interesting way. He addresses the social and psychological effects that architecture has on different "cultures", whether that culture is an entire ethnic group or three people with common beliefs. There is some technical and structural discussion, of course, but it is not the focus of this book.
   
   There is an emphasis on classical architecture and its various reinterpretations throughout Western history, including the Renaissance, Baroque, and Neoclassical periods. Ballantyne also spends a some time discussing modern theory and belief, and through that the nonconformist architecture of the 20th century.
   
   There are 25 images with information boxes, and I found that these were great at reinforcing the different sample "canons" that Ballantyne referred to throughout the text.
   
   This is a good start if you're interested in the social and cultural aspects and interpretations of architecture, but possibly not so much in the technical aspects. This book serves as a great foundation for the subject of architectural studies, which is exactly its intended purpose.



2. There is nothing wrong with introducing architecture from a sociological and cultural perspective, rather than the conventional approach of timelines, styles and schools. It's just that Ballantyne is not very good at it. Thus we have rambling, incoherent musings on what it means to be 'at home'. "Architecture is gesture made with buildings", the author assures us. Maybe so, but I would have appreciated a description of what those gestures were and how they evolved over time. Who built what, when, how and why? Instead we get constant reminders that it is all a matter of interpretation and perspective. An introduction to this subject should be a concrete foundation on which to build further knowledge. Ballantyne amuses himself with conceptual sandcastles and smiles knowingly as they get washed away by each new wave of speculation. Presenting architecture in a broad cultural context is a commendable aim, but to do it you need to have a firm grasp of that context. Informing the reader that philosophy is an 'idea' that was developed in Athens and 'Tragedy is farce in close-up' simply will not do. This is undergraduate essay stuff.
   
   Let it be said that the 25 annotated illustrations are excellent. Each is of a famous building, accompanied by informative text. More of that kind of thing and less of the foggy narrative in which they are embedded, and this could have been a much better book.



3. "Style" comes from the Greek word for column, as the author explains in the book. Which is just one of many fascinating facts contained inside this look at the the most expensive of fashion statements. It especially focuses on Western European architecture from about the Rennaissance on, when architecture as a profession began, although Classical and Gothic are covered because they are, after all, the models for all that followed. But it's no textbook chronology of well-known buildings.

   Instead it's an essay on society and its buildings, by someone knowledgeable enough to be able to toss in a new fact about all the familiar names. (Although his claim that the extra glass in the Reitveldt Schroder house required an industrial boiler that cost as much the house itself is a little hard to believe.)

   The writing is witty, full of good stories, and avoids the cliches often found in these books. Even manages references to recent movies, like Fight Club (the character's excessive brand consciousness) and Amelie (showcases the venerable Art Nouveau subway stations).




4. it serves its purpose very well. i skipped the second chapter because it didn't seem to interesting to me. but the other two chapters were good. i learned plenty from it. i got a few very good points from it, but it seems like the same major points were stated over and over again, but that's how i feel about everything educational i read.

1 comments about Education of An Architect: A Point of View: The Cooper Union School of Art and Architecture 1964-1971.

1. Cooper Union exhibits art showing cross up man's rectum:
   Catholic League president Bill Donohue offered his comments today: "Surely there is a difference between art, traditionally understood as conveying beauty, and junk. Admittedly there is so much junk that passes as art these days that the public can be forgiven if it is no longer capable of making critical distinctions. But we should expect more from the art faculty at a distinguished institution of higher education."That the works of this student should be deemed `major,' representing the `best' of the student contributions does not speak well for Cooper Union. On the other hand, I have the sneaking suspicion that these paintings made the cut precisely because they were an assault on Catholic sensibilities.

No comments about Architectural Drafting: Residential and Commercial.

No comments about The Survival Guide to Architectural Internship and Career Development.

1 comments about Residential Windows: A Guide to New Techonologies and Energy Performance, Third Edition.

1. I used the first two editions of this book to educate myself about modern windows. This knowledge was used to design and build a passive solar house at 7300' in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, where the winters are often severe. The design was successful since the heat has been left off for more than three years, yet the house stayed comfortable year round.
   
   Residential Windows is written at a semi-technical level that is ideal for builders, architects, and home owners. I have given several copies away (including this third edition) and recommended it without reservation to many others. All the issues pertaining to windowing are explained lucidly and are well illustrated. Other than a Consumers Union style review of named makes and models (which it scrupulously avoids doing), you could hardly ask for more.