5 comments about Architecture Theory since 1968.

1. A bit of a tough read though.



2. I'm a graduate student in architecture, and for a theory course we read selections from this book, and two other similar theory anthologies, Kate Nesbitt's "Theorizing a New Agenda for Architecture," and Niel Leach's "Rethinking Architecture." All books attempt to do roughly the same thing, and I have to say the Hays (this one) was the one I got the least out of.

   I'll start with one minor criticism, which wouldn't condemn the book, but is extremely infuriating: the page numbers are printed on the inside upper corners of the pages near the spine, not the outside upper corners as is standard practice in books. This makes it difficult to flip through and find what you're looking for, and is just sort of a mind-bogglingly idiotic thing to do. Compounding the problem, many pages are simply not numbered!

   That little complaint aside, I guess Hays does do a pretty good job with his selection of essays. If anything it illustrates how much the discourse has obfuscated itself over the last 30+ years. To give you the the flavor of the book, here are a few selections:

   "The concept of architecture is itself an inhabited constructum, a heritage wich comprehends us even before we could submit it to thought. Certain invariables remain, constant, through all the mutations of architecture. Impassable, imperturbable, an axiomatic traverses the whole history of architecture. An axiomatic, that is to say, an organized ensemble of fundamental and always presupposed evaluations. This hierarchy has fixed itself in stone; henceforth, it informs the entirety of social space."
   (Jacques Derrida)

   "The combination of the system theory of the urban realm with its dynamic interpretation as a pressurized field gives rise to an assembly language based on impregnation, with system elements existing simultaneously, and at least virutally, everywhere, emerging to actualization only within nodes (conjunctions) of mutually interfering systems."
   (Stanford Kwinter)

   "This suggests the idea of architecture as "writing" as opposed to architecture as image. What is being "written" is not the object itself - its mass and volume - but the act of massing. This idea gives a metaphoric body to the act of architecture. It then signals its reading through an other system of signs, called traces. Traces are not the be read literally, since the have no other value than to signal the idea that three is a reading event and that reading should take place; trace signals the idea to read. Thus a trace is a partial or fragmentary signal; it has no objecthood."
   (Peter Eisenman)

   They are not all quite like that of course, but most will not find this 'easy' reading. Learning to read english like this is a skill that takes some time to develop. Hays's little blurbs preceding each writer are decent enough, grounding you a little before you take on the selection, but they are not spectacular.

   I simply cannot recommend this book to anyone other than students forced to read it or those with a highly devoted interest in contemporary architectural theory. Anybody else will find it useless. (The Nesbitt and Leach were somewhat better)




3. This is a great book for students and professionals alike. As a collogue once said, "A Hayes book is like buying a greatest hits CD, all the good things are there". Hayes compilation saves time by retrieving the most influential articles since 1968 and places them in one place, most with a preface to the article. Must have for any student. Pages are also east to underline and annotate in the margins.



4. I praise Michael Hayes for his succinct and accurate notation and massive inter-article references. This text is the bible of a discipline that ostensibly began in the twentieth century, as self-conscious writing began to absorb architecture as a theme or subject.

   Each successive wave of theorization about architecture contains similar elements of concern and patterns of approach, each multivalent through time or the pen of the author. Hayes gathers the contentious groups and individuals who have jumped into the fray of Architectural Theory and presents them neatly, their most salient essays all within one binding.




5. This book, which is very beautifully printed, shows us all the relevant texts of the post-modern architecture debate. Although this debate is very difficult to understand, all the texts are introduced by a very clear text. References and literature is everywhere and exhaustive.

1 comments about Details in Contemporary Architecture: AsBuilt.

1. AsBuilt is a new series of architecture books beint published by Princeton Architectural Press. This is the first book in the series and seems to be the prototype for the concept of the series.
   
   This book, and all of the planned books in the series, feature 25 buildings that were actually constructed in the US or Canada. Besides being interesting buildings in their overall design, the author, a practicing architect in her own right, goes beyond the facade to present how the special features of the building were designed/constructed.
   
   As the saying goes, 'the Devil is in the details.' And here are the details of these buildings discussed in the open. Many of these feature new construction materials, old materials used in new ways, or merely have designs that go beyond the expected. Ms. Killory has been able to get the architects involved to share their newest developments, right down to including the engineering drawings of particularly difficult parts of the structure.
   
   This book goes beyond the normal 'idea book' to give you the how as well. And showing only 'AsBuilt' buildings, here are buildings not just concepts on paper.

3 comments about Pamphlet Architecture 21: Situation Normal (Pamphlet Architecture).

1. The selected projects are presented with concise explanations and always that just-right drawing that conveys an idea effectively. Definitely worth owning.



2. While the pencil provides a compelling graphic for the authors, their method of representation is not the point (I think they've moved on to renderings at this stage, anyway). LTL discusses the advantages of TACTICS over STRATEGIES. Strategies rely heavily on an overall structure, while tactics are much more agile and fluid. Although definitely not the only architects to promote a situationist method, LTL offers a way of thinking in a way that is succinct, and they make their point without too much embellishment. They instead use this framework to present past (conceptual) projects. A good example of letting the work talk as much as the text, itself.



3. situation normal is a fine example or what can be done in architecture with a tool that is becoming somewhat of a lost art, the pencil. the authors use the pencil exclusively in their design process, and Situation Normal is a fine resource for architectral students and architects, whom it is very important to, to understand the power of the pencil. the pamphlet is by no means wordy, but it does contain a strong body of designs and projects by the author, that demonstrate how the pencil can holds its own in a profession where the pen and especially the computer have become the norm.

5 comments about AIA Guide to New York City.

1. This book may seem like nothing more than a tourist guide to New York City, but that assumption could not be further from the truth. This book is insightful, interesting and very eye opening, even to myself who has lived in NYC for some time. It helped me appreciate this city as a living work of art, a place where every style of architecture comes together on a truly unique canvas.
   
   A real selling point are the walks outside of Manhattan that this book offers. This shows off a side of New York hardly ever covered by other book or looked into by tourists, and it is very interesting.
   
   The pictures are few and far between, and not large enough to give you an in depth look at the buildings described, but the walks layed out in the book are well organized, easy to follow and very interesting.
   
   Buy this book and go explore one of the greatest city in the world!



2. This guide really opens up a perspective of Manhattan with tons of information on architecture and building styles. It gets you thinking about the structures that you see every day. I am learning a lot from it.



3. This book is the benchmark for books of this type. It doesn't just focus on Manhattan, it does justice to the wonderful architecture in the other buroughs. It is just amazing how many great buildings this city has, the book just goes on and on. The quality of the book is first rate and the pictures, though B&W, are crisp, though understandably small. The latest update was 2000, so the World Trade Center is mentioned as extant, and some of the newer buildings in N.Y., like Time Warner and Bloomberg are not mentioned, but that is for the next update I suppose, New York is ever changing.



4. What can we say about New York that hasn't been said? It's an awesome place, and its architecture is truly astonishing in scope, diversity and importance. This book is a selective catalogue of the City's most beloved historic buildings, with a sprinkling of important modern structures as well. I say "historic" because this guide just happens to be that way. There are some conspicuous gaps in the presentation of important modern buildings, which probably reflects the artistic preferences of the editors, but all of the most well-known modern architects are appropriately represented.
   
   This is a book for architectural historians, curious cultural tourists and general readers. The entries are many, so the words included with each are few. Readers are not treated to long narrative histories of imporant landmarks but, rather, to a book that is exceptionally wide and quite shallow. This is what one generally expects from AIA-sponsored guides, so there should be no surprises. There are tiny monochrome photographs with almost every entry, but their small size limits the reader's ability to get a good mental image of the building. Buy this book to take New York's lovely historical architecture with you wherever you go. And by all means, go to see it! No city on earth even comes close.
   
   Latest edition is 2000, so World Trade Center towers are included.



5. I have been a New Yorker all my life and thought I'd known it all. There were buildings/structures that I knew to be older than most and probably landmarks, but never got around to checking them out. Then I picked up the AIA Guide to New York City sometime in 2001. Ever since, I have kept it with me at all times: in my back pocket, my briefcase, my jacket... Sometimes I go to some of these places in advance, with the intent of looking at them after I'd read about them. Other times, when on my way to or from work or lunch, I will see a building, stop, and look to read about what it is. My hunches aren't always correct, of course: not all the buildings I think are landmarks are. But I always keep this Guide on hand to find out.

No comments about Toward an Architecture (Texts & Documents).

4 comments about A World History of Architecture.

1. This 2nd edition was published in 2003 under ISBN: 1856693538 [Hb] and ISBN: 0071417516 [Hb], in 2004 under ISBN: 1856693716 [Pb], and in 2008 under ISBN: 0071544798 [Hb] and ISBN: 1856695492 [Pb]. It is magnificently illustrated guide to the global history of architecture is an update to include the non-western world and works from women on 608 pages. This impressive survey includes a wealth of information, and is beautifully formatted and enhanced with 570 photographs (300 in color) and 350 line drawings. A series of maps precedes the informative and well-written text.
   This 2nd edition gives a deeper knowledge and wider perspective of traditions in architecture throughout the world--from prehistoric through modern structures. The book includes photos, plans, scales for important monuments, residences, government buildings, and religious structures, complete with photos, plans, and scales, including: The Parthenon, Cheops Pyramid, Pantheon, Hadrian's Wall, Versailles, Monticello, The Brooklyn Bridge, Boston Public Library, Rockefeller Center, Fallingwater, The High Museum.
   This book also examines the unique methods of great architects past and present. Among them are Alvar Aalto, Robert Adam, Leon Battista Alberti, Filippo Brunelleschi, Gustave Eiffel, Peter Eisenman, Antonio Gaudi, Frank Gehry, Walter Gropius, Imhotep, Le Corbusier, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Michelangelo, Glenn Murcutt, Andrea Palladio, Eero Saarinen, Koca Sinan, Louis Sullivan, Christopher Wren, and Frank Lloyd Wright.
   The 1st edition was published in 1989 under ISBN: 0874847842 and titled "A History of Western Architecture".
   BIOGRAPHIES:
   Michael Fazio is emeritus professor of architecture at Mississippi State University, an architect, and architectural historian. He holds a Ph.D. in the history of architecture and urban development from Cornell University.
   Marian Moffett earned a Ph.D. at the M.I.T. (1975) and taught history of architecture at the University of Tennessee, where she had collaborated and co-authored with Lawrence Wodehouse including the first edition (1989) titled A History of Western Architecture.
   Lawrence Wodehouse, a native of Norwich, England, received a Ph.D. from the University of St. Andrews (1980), taught history of architecture at the University of Tennessee and others, and was the author of many books and numerous scholarly articles, a registered architect in the UK, and a founding member of the Southeast Chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians.
   CONTENTS:
   Preface
   Maps
   Introduction 1
   Ch. 1 The Beginnings of Architecture 9
   Ch. 2 The Greek World 39
   Ch. 3 The Architecture of Ancient India and Southeast Asia 67
   Ch. 4 Traditional Architecture of China and Japan 87
   Ch. 5 The Roman World 111
   Ch. 6 Early Christian and Byzantine Architecture 141
   Ch. 7 Islamic Architecture 165
   Ch. 8 Early Medieval and Romanesque Architecture 191
   Ch. 9 Gothic Architecture 229
   Ch. 10 Indigenous Architecture in the Pre-Columbian Americas 275
   Ch. 11 Renaissance Architecture 295
   Ch. 12 Baroque Architecture 353
   Ch. 13 The Eighteenth Century 397
   Ch. 14 Nineteenth-Century Developments 419
   Ch. 15 The Twentieth Century and Modernism 475
   Ch. 16 Modernisms in the Mid- and Late Twentieth Century 533
   Glossary 568
   Bibliography 572
   Picture Credits 576
   Index 577



2. It is an outstanding book for aspiring architects who want to gain more knowledge about the history of what they study and practice. From the Egyptians to the modern architects like Frank Gehry, this book explains how, why, and where the great structures of the world were built. It is an excellent research material to use.



3. I have always admired architecture. I love wandering through cities, marvelling at their skyscrapers, and travelling to Europe to see older buildings. I bought "A World History of Architecture" so that I could better understand not only the beauty of these buildings, but their place in architectural history. "A World History" exceeded my expectations.
   
   Its sixteen chapters describe the characteristics and innovations of architecture's major movements. You will learn what makes Gothic architecture Gothic, and Romanesque Romanesque. "A World History" also explains how these styles developed from eachother. Although appearance might suggest otherwise, today's skyscrapers are the descendants of the Parthenon and Pantheon.
   
   Not all chapters describe western styles, however. There are long, interesting sections about Egyptian, Indian, Chinese, Islamic and Pre-Columbian American architecture. The authors explain how these types influenced Western architecture, something I never realized. It is fascinating to read that Islamic mosques were the source of many concepts found in medieval cathedrals, and that Mayan buildings inspired some of Frank Lloyd Wright's work.
   
   The book is well written and full of beautiful pictures that illustrate the ideas described in the text. I don't think there is a single page devoid of pictures, which alone make the book interesting to leaf through.
   
   My only complaints concern the hefty price and bulky size. This is more of a textbook than bedroom reading. I found it uncomfortable to lay down on a couch to read this, or even sit in an armchair. It is best read sitting at a desk, like your chemistry textbook in high school.
   
   Otherwise, "A World History" is perfect. Having read this, I feel like I have completed an architectural class. This book gave me a knowledge architectural history that I cant wait to use on my next vacation.



4. Professors Fazio, Moffet, & Wodehouse have assembled a book which is impressive in its scope and thoroughness. It covers each subject with a depth appropriate for an academic environment, but remains approachable to the average reader. The photographs and plates are numerous and richly illustrate each topic throughout the volume. Expect this book to become a standard text in the field.

3 comments about NorCalMod: Icons of Northern California Modernism.

1. Great transaction! Book arrived in good time and exactly as described. Would definitely deal with again.



2. This is an accessible, well-written and thoughtful book; a rarity in current architectural discourse.
   Furthermore, it is handsomely designed and illustrated with beautiful archival photography.
   Though it focuses on the seemingly narrow topic of the neglected/suppressed history of modern architecture in Northern California, its value is much broader.
   More generally, it provides lucid insights into the mechanisms of architectural history and, by extension, the very nature by which we come to understand and appreciate our built environment in the present age.



3. This underappreciated topic finally gets the attention it deserves. Great photos, interviews, etc which are obviously the result of extensive research. Color photos would have been nice.

2 comments about Architecture: From Prehistory to Post Modernism, Reprint (2nd Edition).

1. I am a Registered architect(with National Certification), Registered Interior Designer and instructor of Architectural History. Trachtenberg and Hyman have written the definitive history of western architecture in this tract. The reading is awkward at times, but the ideas conveyed comprise the foundation of todays architectural theory. There are few, if any textbooks on this subject which maintain a consistant thread of thought all the way through. This one does. If you are vitally interested in the underpinnings of today's designs, you should read it.



2. It does not take a whole lot of verbiage or a Ph.D. to describe what the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, or the modern Americans have achieved in constructing their architecture. This book is written with an unecessary amount of big words and is extremely abstract throughout and tends to over-explains simple architectural realms. It does have great color photos.
   If you want to read an excellent architectural book buy or read Sir Banister Fletcher's Architecture.

1 comments about Strange Details (Writing Architecture).

1. There is no better argument for the reexamination of "architectural language" than this excellent book by Michael Cadwell. Writing in a tradition stemming from Kenneth Frampton's "Studies in Tectonic Culture," this volume examines four buildings by canonic figures--Carlo Scarpa, Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies van der Rohe, and Louis Kahn.
   
   Cadwell writes that, in 1999, after being granted a fellowship at the American Academy in Rome, he hoped to study the work of Carlo Scarpa, in particular the Querini Stampalia Foundation in Venice, discussed at length in the first chapter. After studying and drawing Scarpa's meticulous details at length, Cadwell discovered that "The drawings refused to cooperate. No matter how I arranged the details on the walls, they resisted an order." From this resistance emerged this book, which does not discuss the clear, perfectly articulated theories of architecture (e.g. Le Corbusier and his contemporary rationalist disciples), but rather the materials of architecture that resist explanation, a thickness of material that expands beyond its physical depth.
   
   Cadwell performs this operation again and again, tying each architect's conceptual project to the physical, material nature of their buildings. Scarpa's details flow and dissolve like the water that runs through them, Wright's Jacobs house moves in and out of his idyllic, suburban vision of the broadacre city, and Mies's Farnsworth house is revealed not as a heroic mastery of nature, but as the epitome of humility, reinserting and immersing its occupant in the surrounding environment. Cadwell has the ability to make all of these apparent at a larger level, but always zooms in and out -- the details of architecture truly become the analogue for the world around it.
   
   Finally, Cadwell's book suggests an alternate path for contemporary practice (though it never does so explicitly, a tactic that I believe carries more weight than even a manifesto). The architects discussed here are concerned with the architectural object, the physical entity of architecture. Today's image-driven architectural culture is more invested in the rendering than the building itself, the concept over the detail, architecture as graphic design--flat, flashy, and fatuous. Cadwell's analyses point toward a reevaluation of the material nature of buildings, a position that will undoubtedly be disregarded by some as hopelessly atavistic, but a position that asserts architecture in its barest, most exposed state, as the physical negotiation of the myriad worldly forces surrounding it.

2 comments about Georgian Architectural Designs and Details: The Classic 1757 Stylebook.

1. I don't think balance, proportion and line can be taught. You either have it or you don't, but it definitely can be cultivated by exposure to construction challenges and real-world building. Swan practiced architecture based on a journeyman's experience with high 18th century design. His elevations are balanced and pleasing and his moulding details are sophisticated, stately and restrained. This is a must-have book for anyone who enjoys classic design or who wants to understand balance and restraint.



2. This is a very useful book for those interested in the nitty-gritty of Georgian architecture: floor plans for houses of various sizes, drawings of ornamental bridges, and architectural details including designs for whole walls.