No comments about Small House Tokyo: How the Japanese Live Well in Small Spaces.

1 comments about Walkscapes El Andar Como Practica Estetica (Land & Scape).

1. Walkscapes.
   Walking as an Aesthetic Practice
   Francesco Careri
   series: Land and Scape
   205 pp
   21 x 15 cm
   Paperback
   english/español
   ISBN: 978-84-252-1841-5
   Walkscapes deals with strolling as an architecture of landscape. Walking as an autonomous form of art, a primary act in the symbolic transformation of the territory, an aesthetic instrument of knowledge and a physical transformation of the "negotiated" space, which is converted into an urban intervention. From primitive nomadism to Dada and Surrealism, from the Lettrist to the Situationist International, and from Minimalism to Land Art, this book narrates the perception of landscape through a history of the traversed city.
   
   Francesco Careri (Rome, 1966) graduated in architecture in 1993 in Rome. His doctoral research began in Naples in 1996, resulting in a thesis entitled "The Journey". He is a member of the Stalker urban art workshop, an open interdisciplinary structure that conducts research on the city through experiences of transurbance in open spaces and in interaction with the inhabitants. He has taught at the Institut d'Arts Visuels d'Orléans and the Schools of Architecture of Reggio Calabria and Roma Tre, experimenting together with the students on methods of reappropriation and direct intervention in public space. He has recently published a book on Constant and the Situationist city Constant imagined in the late 1950s and early 1960s ((Constant / New Babylon, una città nomade, Testo & Immagine, Turin 2001), and participated with Stalker in many international exhibitions of contemporary art and architecture.

No comments about Small City Houses (Evergreen).

5 comments about Scroll Saw Puzzle Patterns.

1. Large collection of great patterns. A good way to get a lot of reward for a minimal amount of investment in terms of tools and materials. I have as much fun making them as the kids do playing with them. A decent range of patterns from simple shape/alphabet/number puzzles to more intricate circus scenes and map of USA, etc.



2. I bought this book so my husband could make christmas presents for our kids with his new scroll saw. I couldn't get him out of his shop. He found out what kind of wood to buy, how to use his new saw, and he made the coolest puzzles - much more original than anything I've seen in stores. The kids love their puzzles and play with them all day. I can't wait to see what else he creates from this book.



3. I am a beginner with the scroll saw and I wanted some easy and rewarding projects to start with. This book really fit the bill.



4. We are beginners with a scroll saw and came across this book. It is terrific! It gives a lot of how-to information and the patterns are wonderfully clear. We've already made the adorable alligator; we'll definitely be making more puzzles than we can give to our nieces and nephews; they are fun to make so we will begin to make some for charity!



5. My first and favorite scroll saw pattern book. Great stand up puzzles, inlays, and some unusual puzzles. Spielman's patterns are excellent designs, not just drawings cut into pieces. Quite a bit of how-to included, from sawing to painting and finishing tips. Most patterns are of animals (standups include: mouse, turtle, elephant, hippo, dog, bunnys...) (inlays include: bird, fish, turtle, whale...) (unusual include: apple with dowel piece, large dowel puzzle) (one jigsaw pattern and how-twos, and a stamp puzzle). A great book for any scroll saw library.

2 comments about Winery Design.

1. This book is not as bad as the previous reviewer makes it appear.
   Of course it does not pretend to be a 'how to' design a good winery sourcebook, but simply a survey of a dozen contemporary wineries designed by some of the more famous architects in the world today. It fulfills this purpose quite adequately within the limited format of this Te Neues series.



2. I am planing on building a small winery to compliment my 7 acre vinifera vineyard. The wineries that were depicted in the "Winery Design" book which I purchased was just a compilation of "show case" wineries around the world, showing pretty pictures but no design concepts with regard to constructing a small botique winery. In 5 minutes I was done looking at the pictures and gave the book away.

4 comments about Stanford University (The Campus Guide) an architectural tour.

1. This is another volume is the Princeton series on U.S. universities, using a similar format: the campus is divided into "walks," with each chapter covering one walk and commenting on each building. As one reviewer here did not seem to understand, this is not the insider's guide to Stanford, nor even a full history of the University. That said, the reviewer made a telling criticism: in a campus defined by its setting, showing the buildings without showing the surrounding trees and open areas gives a false sense of the appearance of the place.
   
   When compared with other volumes in this series, "Stanford" is a little better than average. The entries are brief and factual, without the rather elliptical architecture speak that characterizes some of the Ivy League volumes. Most buildings are represented by a small photograph. There are a very few full page pictures.
   
   Based on the date of publication, this book was not written for the Princeton series, but was adapted for it. The maps appear to have been added more recently, and the method of presentation is different from the other volumes. Here, the buildings are considered not by location but by period, starting with the original structures (including ones destroyed in the 1906 quake) and proceeding up to the present. This means that adjacent entries are adjacent in date of construction, not location. Building 71 may be half a mile away from building 72. In the original publication, written for a Stanford audience, this was not a problem, but it may be difficult for those who do not know the campus. There are a number of errors in the maps, with some buildings not listed or not marked on the maps. Finally, a few entries seem wrong: Toyon hall is listed a dormitory for 150 men. Hmm... that's what it was when built, and perhaps (I doubt this) it is today. When I lived there 20 years ago, it was a dorm for about 230 men and women. Nice picture though.
   
   In fairness, the chronological approach is more logical, even if it makes it harder to read the maps. It allows the reader to see how building one structure can change the look and the traffic patterns of a large part of the campus.
   On the whole then, I recommend this book as a good way to see Stanford, so long as you understand the limitations of this kind of history. Just don't look for pictures of the tree or LSJUMB!



2. This is the worst book on Stanford that I have ever seen. The pictures are small and faded . . . I have photos taken in 1975 with a cheap camera that look better than what you'll find here. (Ah, but the cover pic looks awfully nice, you might think. Yes, it does. Fine bit of hucksterism from Princeton Architectural Press.)



3. Let's face it. Most of us will never get to study at, or be hired by this prestigious Bay Area institution. That doesn't mean that we can't enjoy the beauty of its grounds and buildings. Stanford, in addition to being one of the very best universities on earth, is also one of the most beautiful.

   Institutional histories tend to be excessively pedantic affairs. I know of no history of a university yet written that is an exception. They're generally dull, tedious things written for people who want to be sure that THEIR college is the best. And as another reviewer has noted, the style of writing is usually over-refined and staid. This book is no exception to those rules. But that said, it gives us a portrait of a university and its history through the grounds and buildings, bringing it to we who have no other chance to learn about Stanford but with our own eyes. So, the book may be dry and incomplete, but the university itself is gorgeous. That's what saves the entire effort.

   Stanford started out life back in 1885 as an idea not unlike the ideas John D. Rockefeller had for the University of Chicago. And while Chicago became a world-class university directly out of the box, it took some decades for Stanford to catch up. It wasn't for lack of good buildings, as this book will prove. There are really two things that make Stanford exceptional in this regard. First, it transformed itself from a somewhat troubled early design, strapped by the heavy hand of the founder's wife and a devastating earthquake in 1906, into one of the world's great universities in less than 50 years. Second, when the vast majority of colleges and universities in the United States (and the world) were always seeking to make themselves into carbon-copies of Oxford and Cambridge, Stanford and its designers dared to try something new. Look at this book and then go to the university to see for yourself.




4. When I accepted an admission offer from Stanford, I wanted to learn all I could about the environment into which I would be entering. Having read the book, I developed expectations about the culture of Stanford, expectations which, upon arriving on the Stanford campus, I found to be errant.

   This book is quite a disappointment. Suffering both from poor editing and omission of crucial facts, the contents do not flow smoothly. The text is presented in a somewhat offensively over-refined and pretentious manner, the kind one finds in art museum catalogs or as introductions to Penguin Classics. The reader gains little sense of the beauty of the campus, as only a few of the photographs depict the excellent landscaping, the detail of Quad buildings, or the quality of materials and construction of the buildings. The foothills of the Stanford campus, and the trails leading up to the Dish aren't even included -- an omission that reflects poorly on the editors. Equally poor editorial judgment can be found in the photograph of the Hoover Tower appearing in one of the chapters -- this famous landmark is shown in its early construction, as an unsightly steel frame amid a dirt field.

   To the credit of the authors, they give an engaing account of the history of the variously defined Stanford master plans, and of the culture which gave rise to the different stages of the campus' expansion.

   In general, the reader's labors are not rewarded with fresh perspectives, or a sense of the spirit that habituates Stanford. If one toured the Stanford campus before reading the book, one might wonder what drove the editors to present such an excellent environment so vapidly.

2 comments about Spa Design.

1. This book was delivered within the time frame given and it was in perfect condition. I was very satisfied.



2. Gone are the days when the Spa was a bare utilitarian swimming pool or perhaps a fitness center with rows of equipment designed by the Spanish Inquisition. This is a book showing the untimate in today's Spa's from all over Europe, all over the US, and from selected locations in India, Thailand, Japan and other countries.
   
   To be sure, the Spa is still very water oriented. Here are the pools you'd expect, the hot tubs, thermal baths, but also reflecting pools, fountains -- And yes, even some of the inquisition equipment.
   
   More important though, here are the most advanced building designs, artistic but still waterproof, lighting that is a part of the design, all arranged to create an ambiance that serves to relax and invigorate the visitor. All of this is depicted with supurb photography, high quality printing on heavy weight paper, and traditional sewn binding with headbands. This is an idea book based on today's most advanced designs.

5 comments about Tropical Asian Style.

1. This is a great book, I never get sick of looking at it. Highly recommend for lover of Asian stle living



2. After reading it, I wanted to knock down every wall in my house. Or at least remove the window glass. My next house will definitely be designed based on the rooms in this book.

   I didn't read much of the text because the pictures were so captivating. They show every aspect of the tropical Asian house, except perhaps kitchens, which seem to be nothing more than a stove-type device near the dining area. The predominant theme is living among nature and even inviting it to share the living space with you (or is it the other way around?). Instead of windows and doors, you see slatted screens and netting. Very romantic. And a far cry from most of America's obsession with locks and glass. I need to move......




3. My dream is to be surrounded by teak and orchids, eating curry and sipping lime juice, and not owning any sort of time piece. Since that isn't going to happen for several more years I bought this book. I am neither a designer nor a photographer so my only input is how this book makes me feel. I have come to love Southeast Asia after several all too brief trips to the region and Tropical Asian Style, specifically Tettoni's photos, has brought some life to my dull suburban living room. And, while I realize that this book comprises several distinct cultures, it is the overall effect, not any particular region, that is so overwhelmingly beautiful. If you feel trapped in your American workaholic routine, this book is a wonderful diversion.



4. This is an excellent look at the best examples of tropical Asian luxury living.

   It is not a detailed exploration of regional design elements (look to Bali Style, Thai Style, Tropical Garden Design, et al, for the next degree of depth). It is, however, a rich overview of the best of SEAsian luxury architecture and furnishings.

   Every page is simply gorgeous, with photos "bleeding" out past the paper, one trait of a good coffee table or style book. There is little or no image repetition in the coverage of the homes or boutique hotels featured, and each photo is perfectly focused, every composition seen in its best light.

   In all the shuffle of Thai grandeur, Balinese earthiness, and Malaysian simplicity, the book might at first glance seem to be presenting a kind of fusion. I think it's fair to say that there is plenty of contemporary blurring of the distinctions between regions, but the reader can also look for regional elements and quickly learn them. Each property is given its own mini-chapter, which helps a lot. And the regional details and sensibilities really come alive when you read the accompanying texts, which are the work of expert style writers.

   In fact, the contributors list reads like a who's who of style gurus. There is the clever and quippy Made Wijaya, descriptive Diana Darling, the meticulous William Warren, and details-minded Robert Powell. It's a great read!




5. I am a collector of Luca Invernizzi Tettoni's work because ALL of them is a visual feast for the eyes. This talented man has a knack for details and never fails to capture the vivid and glowing nuances that represents the best of Southest Asia's style. Take it from me, living in the same environment, I sometimes take it for granted. This book is more than just a coffee-table piece, to complement the gorgeous photography , the text , written by various specialists, will enlighten you with well researched information on local crafts and traditions. It also shows the transformation that SEA architecture and interior designs have undergone; overall a fascinating mix 'n' match of vernacular designs and contemporary style.

No comments about New Babylonians: Contemporary Visions of a Situationist City.

1 comments about More One-Story Homes: 475 Superb Home Plans from 810 to 5,400 Square Feet.

1. I found this book useful for narrowing down my choices in what I do and don't want in my new house. Ultimately, we will probably have our house custom-designed by a local architect, so we just used this book to get ideas. It has a wide variety of single story home plans, so after we got a feel for what we DID and DID NOT want based on these plans, we went to a few home plan websites to perform more detailed searches and narrow it down further.

   I really didn't care for the organization of the book. The categories seemed a little too broad, and the plans didn't seem to be organized with much thought (not in ascending order by square footage like some other books we have looked at.)