1 comments about Werner Hegemann and the Search for Universal Urbanism.

1. Little is known about Werner Hegemann, even among urban planners and historians. But he's really one of the more profound and original thinkers about urbanization that you will find anywhere. Christiane Crasemann Collins' book is destined to be the standard work on Hegemann's life and thought. Anyone with an interest in the history of 20th century urban planning theory--or even intellectual history in general--should read this book.

No comments about Library Builders.

1 comments about Richard Neutra's Miller House.

1. This book presents the people, ideas, and history behind Richard Neutra's for Grace Lewis Miller in Palm Springs, California. The house and the process of its design and construction are well documented with reproductions of important texts, drawings, and photographs. The book's contents are fascinating for their intimate, direct presentation of these primary materials.
   
   While many photographs, drawings, and documents are presented here for the first time, the author's discussion and explication of this historically significant material is generally dry and academic. While Mr. Leet puts the project into a variety of contexts, the overall effort lacks direction and focus. That the house itself is worthy of a book-length monograph is without dispute. However, the author's attempts to intellectualize the material fall flat. A variety of interesting (but generally unrelated) material is included as part of an attempt to put the project in historical context, but these illustrations and examples tend to be somewhat forced and/or obscure. In addition, the selection of the images includes what appear to be gratuitous displays of the flesh. Such illustrations seem to appear when the text is driest, as if the somewhat sensuous nature of the images may help keep the reader from dozing off to sleep.
   
   Throughout the book, I regularly felt the desire to skip passages of text hoping to find something more compelling, original, or informative. Many writers dealing with the modern movement in architecture incessantly present stale rationalizations for the necessity for International Style modernism. These discussions typically deal with modern man's need for health, sunlight, and exercise as justification for the resulting abstract geometrical forms. Of course, one can exercise just as well in classically styled buildings, although the details and ornament tend to clutter the setting undermining the look of strength and vitality. The simplicity of modernist architecture tends to enhance the sleek, well-toned look of athletic bodies; an impassive, monotonous context tends to exaggerate a person's visual qualities, whether positive or negative.
   
   What this book essentially tells us: Mrs. Miller taught the Mensendieck system of exercise, she had the foresight to hire Neutra, and ended up with a wonderful modern winter home. The examples of partially clothed female bodies, including Mrs. Miller's, seem designed to pique our curiosity. Apparently, Mrs. Miller hoped the svelte images of her would have a similar effect on her client base. However, despite her personal beauty, impeccable taste in architecture, advertisements praising her exercise regime, and membership in Palm Spring's prestigious clubs, her well-intentioned desire to create a successful business teaching "functional exercises" never became more than an idea.
   
   The author's selection of titles and headings can sometimes border on the pretentious as with "Eliminating 'Phantomic Extension'," "The Deluge," and "Scorpions and Black Widows". In the chapter entitled "Construction by Remote Control," three of the five photographs of the construction depict Neutra and his assistant standing at the building site; the other two photographs show the house under construction with no one at all. So much for remote control building.
   
   With respect to the book's publication, its production quality is excellent. The graphic design is simple and appealing. The sans-serif font is elegant, crisp, and most appropriate to the subject. Unfortunately, it is also rather small. When the reader repeatedly comes upon entirely or essentially blank pages, its hard not to think that the font chosen could have been one or two points larger. While graphically and aesthetically interesting, the excessive use of white space seems creates the regrettable impression that there was insufficient material available to fill a book. The selected colors are appropriately muted and the photographs beautifully printed.
   
   Great thanks go to Princeton Architectural Press for publishing high-quality books on topics typically given insufficient attention by other publishers in the field. In this case, the historical material is worthy of their high standards, but the author's text is somewhat less compelling.

No comments about Spectacular Homes of California (Spectacular Homes).

1 comments about American Barns.

1. Take a tour of 240 old and new barns throughout the United States with this book's clear photographs and concise descriptions. You'll have a good introduction to our regional styles and to the amazing variety of different barn types. If you're planning to design or build a barn, you can't help but be inspired by the many photos of building details.

No comments about Outstanding Stands.

1 comments about Living Rooms: California Design Series (California Design Library/Diane Dorrans Saeks).

1. This book is the step-by-step authority on creating great living spaces. I took it on a shopping trip today and found it an incredible inspiration and resource.

1 comments about Skyscrapers--An Urban Type.

1. The first thing you will be impressed with this book is the fine photograph on the cover. It would have been impossible to choose one skyscraper from all those covered to put on the cover. So,if you can't pick one;then why not put them all on the cover;which they did. Each skyscraper was reproduced in wood at a scale of 1:2000. The largest structure in the picture is of the One-Mile High Skyscraper that Frank Lloyd Wright designed in 1956 .It was to be built in Chicago,but was never constructed.One day,its time will surely come.The model on the cover dramatically shows what a gargantuan structure this would be compared with anything built to date.
   As you go through the book you will be treated with photographs of all the skyscrapers,the context in which it was built , descriptions and illustrations detailing their structural design,typical floor-plans,circulation and facade details.Each structure is accompanied with some of its noteworthy design features.
   Since these structures were built to accomodate man;it is fascinating to see how man and these strucures inter-relate.
   It is hard to pick a favorite from so many excellent designs;but there is one particular building that interested me,more as an oddity than anything else. That being the Nakagin Capsule Tower in Tokyo,Japan,completed in 1972.This is a structure composed of 132 mobile residential units,of 20 cubic meters. That converts to 706 square feet.Assuming a ceiling height of 8 feet; that would result in a tiny room of 88 sq.ft. ;something like 11 X 8 feet.I find it unimaginable how one can think of magnificent skyscrapers and at the same time accept living in such a cubby hole.Such a tenant could ask himself only one question "With all this progress,where did I go wrong?".This reminds me of the apartment complex built in Russia many years ago. The Architect did ont equip it with any elevator.When the tenants raised a huge fuss over that;the government made the Architect move to the top floor.I think it would be poetic justice if Kisho Kurokawa was were to call one of these modules his abode.
   Another building that was of personal interest to me was the AT&T Building in New York,completed in 1984. I was working in the HQ Building Design Group of AT&T at the time this building was proposed by the Architects.When we first saw the proposal,we were nothing short of flabbergasted. Our first thought was that it resembled a Chippendale dresser. Little did we think at the time ,that Mr Johnson,who we realized to be the best of the best,was going to have such an impact on skyscraper design,as he did with this building.Although there are many buildings,particularly around Malls that have tried to incorporate Johnson's designs;I have yet to see one that even closely competes with his success.
   All in all a wonderful trip around some of the world's finest skyscrapers.

1 comments about The Sacred Place: The Ancient Origin of Holy and Mystical Sites.

1. This compelling work investigates holy places and their relationship to mankind's spiritual awareness. The author believes that monuments and temples have their roots in natural features of the landscape that inspired the religious impulse.
   
   Part One: Ancient Mind, Holy Land looks at the spirit of place, memory and the variety of sacred places, whilst Part Two explores rock art in Southern Africa, the Americas, Australia and Atlantic Europe, Palaeolithic cave paintings and natural sacred places like ritual caves, sacred mountains trees and wells.
   
   Part Three investigates magic markings, shadow play, quartz and rock art, and Part Four deals with the geographies of the ancient soul as it manifested in stone age sacred geometry, stone circles, standing stones, Minoan and Greek temples.
   
   The author concludes that here have always been profound interactions between mind and nature and that there is a spiritual power in the natural world that resonates within the heart and mind of mankind.
   
   This thought provoking book is lavishly illustrated with full color photographs and maps and concludes with a bibliography and index. I also recommend The Mind in the Cave: Consciousness and the Origins of Art by David Lewis-Williams.

No comments about Building Blocks for Planning Functional Library Space.