5 comments about The Good Home: Interiors and Exteriors.

1. I Am an Optimist but I Am also a Realist, some people would give something in the road dead a good review but there are some things nothing good can be said about it.

   I bought 2 books "The Good Home" and "The Cabin" The Cabin is a little bit better but both are over priced, $8.00 would be a better price. they are a professional looking books hard cover with high gloss pictures.

   The information these books give have little to be desired, sometime these books will tell what materials was used and a little bit about the history of the owenrs but that is about it.

   If You are look for a these books to show You how to build it, forget it! these books are more like if they were written by a real-estate agent or something not a Carpenter.




2. This is a gorgeous book. The images are of extraordinary quality, and, like another reviewer commented, make one feel as though you're in the room. The text is, well, charming. And that's a good thing. This isn't a dry, academic tome, and the reader is engaged by the almost poetic descriptions. One really begins to think about what's being conveyed. My hat is off to authors Dennis Wedlick and Philip Langdon.

   But foremost is the rare talent of Wedlick. There are many bad architects out there, and the global built fabric has been significantly diminished these past five decades by Bad Modernism (as opposed to the rare Good Modernism). More rare these past five decades are architects conversant with a language of tradition. Even rarer still are architects who work this ancient language with skill, humor, and economy of line. Wedlick, like Sir John Soane, knows how to break the "rules" without ever descending into silliness.

   The crisp plans reveal an impressive attention to compact arrangements, and offer a rebuke to the needless Bigger Is Better phenomenon that has swept America. Wedlick is unusually adept at making sense from complicated geometry (notably with his star-shaped house). His ability to work with both a language of tradition AND modernism is remarkable, and it's to his credit that he has deftly maintained a foot in these opposing camps. The built world would be infinitely improved if more architects kept their feet engaged as such!

   My only complaints are:
   1) The plans are grouped at the end, forcing one to flip back and forth while reading about a house.
   2) Some highlighted houses don't have plans!
   3) No site plans are included.
   4) There's almost no information about Wedlick. One yearns to know more about the man, his practice, and clients.

   These concerns do not offset my giving the book five stars.




3. This is an enjoyable book. It consists of photo spreads of several homes by the architect author, with explanatory text. It's much more focused than similar books, but, like them, uses polished professional photography and ghost writing.

   The theme is houses with Picturesque charm, or at least as much as can be had with new construction. I feel true charm is always accidental and only accrues over time, but, for those who feel instant charm is better than none at all, there are no better examples. At least for modern homes. Otherwise, Storybook Style: America's Whimsical Homes of the Twenties takes the cake.




4. Dennis is one of the most talented young architects in America. Anyone who has come into contact with his work, whether its been a real built home or an exhibit such as the ones put up in the Winter Garden at the WFC, Grand Central Station or the Mall of the Americas will walk away saying "that's really neat...I wish I could live like that for a day". Rarely has someone so gifted focused on designing and sharing those concepts with everyday people on budgets. Most architects with a quarter the talent are the ones that design impractical spaces for Wall Street budgets. Refer to the LIFE magazine house of the year series. Dennis' design is by far the most popular one built, in spite of trophy talent like Graves, and Stern sharing the winners circle. To the reader who said he was disappointed...think about this. The mere fact that Dennis' floor plans are in the book is invaluable....try buying a better floor plan for $50. That reader should stick to buying stock house plan magazines at the checkout counter.



5. The person who wrote that the houses seem impractical to live in does not know what they are talking about. I live in one of Dennis Wedlick's magical houses and I can attest to the fact that I find the space thoroughly livable and practical in addition to being inspiring. Every day in this house is a life-enriching joy and everyone who visits here comments on what a magnificent house it is. People leave here changed by the experience of the place. It is annoying when people write reviews about things they have no experience of whatsoever.

No comments about Barn Building: The Golden Age of Barn Construction.

No comments about Planning and Design of Outdoor Recreation Facilities.

2 comments about Fences, Walls & Gates (Black & Decker Outdoor Home).

1. If you're thinking about building any type of fences (wood, ornamental metal, chain link, brick & cedar, stone & rail, cedar & copper), or any type of walls (temporary wall, post & wire trellis, wall of arbors, hedges, framed trellis wall, mortarless block wall, mortared block wall, dry stone wall, mortared stone wall, glass block wall)and any type of gates (basic gates, gate with stained glass, wood/copper gate, arched gate, trellis gate combination), this book will show you how in a clear and simple step by step process. It includes great pictures. A must read!



2. This book will help your yard become the envy of the neighborhood. Just wait until you see the cool shadow box.

No comments about Anxious Modernisms: Experimentation in Postwar Architectural Culture.

No comments about Castell Coch (CADW Guidebooks).

3 comments about Rebuilding the Reichstag.

1. If you want to know more about Lord Norman Foster's contribution towards Germany, then, this book would be it. It tells you all you need to know about Reichstag, probably the most controversial building ever built in the history of Germany. Along the way, you get to learn more about Germany as a country. This book was well presented with high quality pictures abound, taken by several prominent photographers of all aspects & angles of Reichstag, pictures of Lord Foster's previous works (to understand his way of seeing things), pictures of Reichstag's past and present (to let us appreciate how far that building has gone through). Moreover, to enhance diversity & to understand Reichstag from many prespectives, Norman Foster invited several scholars to complement his own writings. The final result was simply spectacular. I wouldn't find this book academic. Rather, I found it highly entertaining & I came out of it a better knowledgeable person. Definitely a must-have for architecture enthusiast or if you want to have a cerebral hard bound book to display on top of your coffee table. Among the highlights of the book was reading about the competition stage, about Lord Foster pitching against other international superarchitects (such as Santiago Calatrava) and local architects from Germany, & of his reservation if Germany was sincere towards its invitation of international people other than Germans to participate or the whole thing was just for show; his emphasis of 4 points, ie. Parliament being intertwined with Reichstag's history, an understanding of the institution & its inner workings, economics in terms of meeting the budget in the restoration of Reichstag & the savings achieved through reduced running costs via technology advancement & clever planning, & lastly the emphasis on energy ecology by using sustainable environment friendly for sources of energy other than its reliance on fossil fuels- reinforcing Germany's image as the country that takes the lead in fostering better technology that would reduce the unfavourable impacts towards our fragile environment; a project all on its own for Lord Foster to design the eagle or better known as the "fat hen" that signified Germany; Lord Foster's involvement with avantgarde artists such as Jenny Holzers (American), Christian Boltanski (French), Gerhard Richter & Sigmar Polke (German) & many others -reminding readers that Reichstag is not merely acting as a Parliament but also as an important Art Gallery (3% of the construction cost of the building, already 1% higher than the norm); the evolving stage of deriving the iconic dome, which was deemed as a 'boiled egg' by some critics at one stage but eventually, being deemed as the icon that all Germans are proud with in the end; Lord Foster's invitation of Danish graphic artist, Per Arnoldi to look into colour coordination of the place; the intensity (at times, heartbreak) but effectiveness of constant dialogues with the Building Committees, the techniques used in the restoration process re the graffitis left behind by the Allies armies after WW2, Claude Engle (lighting consultant)'s invaluable contribution of the lighting design by channelling xenon lights towards the cone & thus, channelling them through all corners of German, symbolising the democracy at work & spreading thru all corners of the land, & so forth. The book also contained a proper Reichstag's chronology, end credits, postscripts to bombard us with even more information. Lord Foster stressed the significance of getting in touch with the past, to live the present, & anticipate the future with optimism, sensitivity towards the history of a building to come up with a building solution that is appropriate for its time rather than having to resort to brutal reconstruction, the necessity of having transparency & lightness interior in contrast with the solid mass exterior to show the passage of time & the changes made in terms of thinking. Highly recommended.



2. I recently spent a month in Europe. I was suprised after visiting Berlin, Vienna, Prague, Budapest, and London- that Berlin emerged as my favorite place.... that despite what I thought beforehand, I left my heart in Berlin, not Prague.

   I only went to Berlin because I studied many historical events that took place there, and Berlin was the epicenter of The Cold War! West Berlin was THE capitalist showpiece and East Berlin was THE communist showpiece. United, Berlin will become (when all the construction has been completed) Europe's showpiece and greatest city- WITHOUT A DOUBT.

   This book is the story of the awesome history of Berlin, a history that seems more embedded in tragedy than triumph. But, alas, Berlin has survived two devastating wars and the harsh reality of the WALL. Now, it is Berlin's turn. It's Berlin's turn to show the world what a magnificant place she was, is, and will become.

   The Rebuilding of the Reichstag not only talks about the post-Wall renovations, but illustrates in great detail the history of the building, and thus the history of Berlin- you are taken on a journey of the history of a city and it's people....the people of Berlin who always seem to have to pick themselves up, dust themselves off, and begin again. In this book, the Reichstag shares with you what she has witnessed. You are there in 1933 when Hitler's men torched the place. You are there in 1945 witnessing the hollow shell of the war damaged Reichstag. You are there witnessing the division of the city as the Wall ran directly behind the building. You are there witnessing the divisions end as the wall comes tumbling down, and you are witness to the jubilation outside the Reichstag upon German unification.

   After reading through this great book, I realized what a centerpiece to Berlin's history the Reichstag truly is. It's not just a parliament building- it's Berlin! The Reichstag speaks for Berlin's history. The fate of the Reichstag seems to run parallel to that of Berlin. What has happened to the Reichstag has happened to Berlin.

   This book is full of awesome illustrations, from grand photos, to models, to architectural plans. Not only does it show the evolution of the Reichstag- it shows various plans for the building from the beginning and throughout its history. That is perhaps the most interesting part- the plans that people came up with. It's really too bad the "Big Roof" idea didn't pan out- because it would have been truly awe inspiring.

   Even if you are only interested in architecture and have no interest in history- this book is still definitely for you.

   That is why this book is so great.... I thought upon first seeing it, it would be pure architecture... it is pure architecture, but Foster has managed to capture something huge and so great. Foster has managed to capture Berlin.... a city on the verge of finally becoming.




3. I recently spent a month in Europe. I was suprised after visiting Berlin, Vienna, Prague, Budapest, and London- that Berlin emerged as my favorite place.... that despite what I thought beforehand, I left my heart in Berlin, not Prague.

   I only went to Berlin because I studied many historical events that took place there, and Berlin was the epicenter of The Cold War! West Berlin was THE capitalist showpiece and East Berlin was THE communist showpiece. United, Berlin will become (when all the construction has been completed) Europe's showpiece and greatest city- WITHOUT A DOUBT.

   This book is the story of the awesome history of Berlin, a history that seems more embedded in tragedy than triumph. But, alas, Berlin has survived two devastating wars and the harsh reality of the WALL. Now, it is Berlin's turn. It's Berlin's turn to show the world what a magnificant place she was, is, and will become.

   The Rebuilding of the Reichstag not only talks about the post-Wall renovations, but illustrates in great detail the history of the building, and thus the history of Berlin- you are taken on a journey of the history of a city and it's people....the people of Berlin who always seem to have to pick themselves up, dust themselves off, and begin again. In this book, the Reichstag shares with you what she has witnessed. You are there in 1945 witnessing the hollow shell of the war damaged Reichstag. You are there witnessing the division of the city as the Wall ran directly behind the building. You are there witnessing the divisions end as the wall comes tumbling down, and you are witness to the jubilation outside the Reichstag upon German unification.

   After reading through this great book, I realized what a centerpiece to Berlin's history the Reichstag truly is. It's not just a parliament building- it's Berlin! The Reichstag speaks for Berlin's history. The fate of the Reichstag seems to run parallel to that of Berlin. What has happened to the Reichstag has happened to Berlin.

   This book is full of awesome illustrations, from grand photos, to models, to architectural plans. Not only does it show the evolution of the Reichstag- it shows various plans for the building from the beginning and throughout its history. That is perhaps the most interesting part- the plans that people came up with. It's really too bad the "Big Roof" idea didn't pan out- because it would have been truly awe inspiring.

   Even if you are only interested in architecture and have no interest in history- this book is still definitely for you.

   That is why this book is so great.... I thought upon first seeing it, it would be pure architecture... it is pure architecture, but Foster has managed to capture something huge and so great. Foster has managed to capture Berlin.... a city on the verge of finally becoming.

1 comments about Building for Hearst and Morgan: Voices from the George Loorz Papers.

1. Taylor Coffman is an extraordinary thinker and writer. His far-ranging mind covers both in depth and in scope a unique era and two of its most intriguing and passionately creative personalities. Mr. Coffman has a way with words that is delightfully entertaining and keenly informative. This is a five-star performance and worth every penny!

No comments about Self Build and Renovation for Dummies (For Dummies).

No comments about Intelligent Buildings: Design Management and Operation.