2 comments about Treehouses: Living a Dream.

1. I bought some books on tree houses cause I want to build one. This was no help. Nice pictures (and ideas, maybe), tough.
   If you want to look pictures and dream, buy the book. Otherwise don't.



2. There are an awful lot of 'pretty house' books out there. Some of them offering quite unusual house designs. But nothing I've ever seen compares with the designs in this book. ==I've seen houses built on poles because they are located in a flood plain. Of course the Swiss Family Robinson and the Ewoks of StarWars fame lived in tree houses. I had one as a kid, and when my daughter came along, she had one (she could pull up the ladder and keep her brother out).
   
   In this book however professional architects from all over Europe, Tasmania, and the U.S have been used to design houses that live up in trees. The houses are mostly not the entire living structure but are offices, retreats, studios, and some of the most exciting entertainment areas imaginable. The results are unbelievably striking.
   
   The integration of the advanced design with the natural look of the trees gives a feeling of working together that I wouldn't have expected. This is true if the tree house is ultra modern, traditional, or some that I guess I'd just call unconventional. A surprising book.

5 comments about The Space Planner: A Home Decorating Design Workbook.

1. This is a very complete space planner, templates for all sizes and shapes of furniture, and quite a bit of advice on space planning. However, the scale used was just too small for comfortable use. I ended up using my own larger scale graph paper and made my own larger templates, which is what I've done for years. None of the space planners available use a large enough scale in my opinion. But this is a very complete book and guide -- providing you have 20-20 vision.



2. When we purchased our first home we had a million things to purchase and plan out when it came to rooms. This workbook has nice large grid pages as well ad"budget sheets" to help you figure out how much you are spending on paint/accessories.
   
   This book went everywhere with me from getting carpet estimates to picking up gallons of paint.
   
   The book even has a few pages of pockets to hold inspiration pictures as well as plastic furniture pop outs in the back to use when planning.
   
   In terms of all the work books of this type I looked at I was most happy with this simply designed medium sized one.



3. if u just got a new home, or u are planning a move in the future this book is for you, it helps u decide how to organize and decorate every room, you cant go wrong with this one, great tips and ideas!!



4. Pretty cool, wish it had a dry erase marker with it and less book. I mainly just wanted the stickers to map out models I do.



5. I was hoping for something that could be used for our designers and maybe I was looking for to much. I own a Home Decor store along wiht my wife and have tried to use different project planning guides/books. This space planner though well laid out and offering good prompting questions for the non-professional, had little new info. If you are non-computer literate and want to play with a few ideas it may be just fine but rather laborsome to use on a regular basis.

No comments about Restroom: Contemporary Design.

1 comments about Architectural Regionalism: Collected Writings on Place, Identity, Modernity, and Tradition.

1. The intent of this volume was to construct a coherent history of the idea of regionalism from its many many supporting texts and ideas. It is an important collection of writing that covers the entire 20th Century intellectual history of Regionalism in Architecture and includes such authors as: Lewis Mumford, Le Corbusier, David Williams, Mary Colter, Pietro Belluschi, Christopher Alexander, Wendell Berry, Kenneth Frampton, Sigfried Giedion, Harwell Hamilton Harris, Richard Ingersoll, Benton MacKaye, John Gaw Meem, Richard Neutra, Paul Ricouer, Alan Colquhoun, Juhani Pallasmaa, among others (44 in all). Further, it considers Regionalism in an international context, particularly the developing world through the writings of Suha Ozkan (Middle East), Balkrishna Doshi (India), and Kenza Boussora (Algeria). In it are provided contextual introductions to each text and an introduction that attempts to place the discourse, as a whole in reasonable framework. The topics include: Regionalist theory, Referential Regionalism (1920s & 30s), Regional Modernism (1930s-1960s), Regional Planning, Bioregionalism, Critical Regionalism, and a set of essays that update and extend the discourse into the future via performativity theory, sustainability, and the socially-critical work of the Rural Studio.

5 comments about Wright Style: Re-Creating the Spirit of Frank Lloyd Wright.

1. The book landed on my doorstep 2 weeks after I ordered. The photos are well made and the whole atmosphere breathes the true wright stories.
   Too bad that the webshops listed have very little to offer which was the only disappointment.
   The level of detail and attention for seperate elements gives inspiration on how I want to decorate my house and how the harmony was created.



2. All of the other customer reviews were extremely positive, and I would like to concur in their respective judgments.

   Wright's life was filled with controversy, and his work is subject to complex interpretation. Other authors, in my opinion at least, devote way too much book space to these matters; Lind, on the other hand, has done a masterful job in organizing the key elements of Wright's style (furnishings, usonians, etc>) and gathering stunning, modern photographs that illustrate each.

   If you buy one book on Wright, this should be the one. Better than anything else I've seen, it will demonstrate why the man's work lives on -- 45 years after his death.




3. This book takes a look at what makes Frank Lloyd Wright's designs still so popular today. The book itself is so gorgeous, focusing not just on the houses but also on the furnishings, which can be breathtaking! The photos were excellent and conveyed the feeling of really being there.

   I read three books about this architect this weekend, and this one was the most complete of them all. It gave me a peek into so many of his uniquely designed buildings and the furnishings and decorative arts that he created for them.

   Something I had never seen before: at the end of the book there is a catalog of items that can be purchased from different vendors. These are FLW reproductions, items inspired by FLW, and those "in the style of FLW". These items range from furniture to rugs to lamps to fabrics and decorative items.

   On my "tour" of over 40 houses (designed by both Wright and his followers), I saw that all of the designs were simple ones, with natural colors and finishes, the buildings seeming to spring out of the earth. I saw the open flowing floor plans that are sheltered by overhanging, gently sloping roofs. Many of the places I "visited" had built-in furniture and fixtures.

   It was interesting to view all of the things that Wright designed for his homes....besides the items mentioned above, he also designed the windows (art glass), light fixtures, skylights, wall murals, and even the landscaping!

   Wright changed American architecture forever, resulting in open floor plans, multi-purpose rooms, naturally-lit spaces--- and showed us a different way of living.




4. This is a wonderful book: gorgeous color pictures with an informative and most insightful text. Far beyond a coffee table collection, this is a real contribution to understanding Wright, and American housing. Lind discusses the design ideas of a number of Wright's most famous or typical extant buildings. You get a good idea of the exhilarating play of light and space in his houses, and the real significance of such modern cliches as ranch-style, strip and corner windows, patio doors, and built-ins. Besides real insight into Wright's aesthetic, the book is notable for its unique coverage of 12 houses by Wright disciples, and appendices on interior arts and sources of reproductions. (Wright would be appalled, since he saw furnishings as uniquely integral and scaled to particular houses!) A "dangerous" book, it singlehandedly reawakened my interest in Wright's architecture. It may draw you, too, into learning more of Wright, and influencing your choice of home.



5. The book has many photographs an does a credible job of detailing each of them. I found that the book well organized. . I would highly recommend this as an intro to Wright's work. The author tries to touch on as many subjects a possible, as result there are times when it was somewhat lacking in depth. That being said there is a great reference of things Wright in the back of the book that is worth the price of admission alone.

2 comments about Tall Buildings.

1. 25 selected, half realized and half not projects are very well depicted in this survey by excellent photos, renderings, plans, sections, site plans, models, sketches, details, hard line presentation drawings, etc. There is a balance between larger photos and more numerous tech. drawings. The book "Skyscrapers: The New Millennium" (ISBN: 3791323431) includes more projects, but fewer tech. drawings.
   CONTENTS:
   Foreword 7
   Preface 8
   Tall Building as Metaphor 10
   PROJECTS 33
   Edificio Manantiales, Santiago 34
   Monte Laa PORR Towers, Vienna 38
   Max Reinhardt Haus, Berlin 42
   Elephant and Castle Eco Towers, London 46
   Electricité de France (EDF) Headquarters, Paris 50
   Landmark Lofts, New York 56
   Arcos Bosques Corporativo, Mexico City 62
   Fifth Avenue and Forty-second Street Tower, New York 68
   30 St. Mary Axe, London 72
   New York Times Headquarters, New York 80
   Turning Torso, MalmO 86
   Industrialized Housing System, Korea 92
   122 Leadenhall Street, London 98
   Central Chinese Television (CCTV) Tower, Beijing 102
   Highcliff and The Summit, Hong Kong 110
   JR Ueno Railway Station Redevelopment, Tokyo 116
   London Bridge Tower, London 122
   World Trade Center, New York 126
   New York Times Headquarters, New York 132
   Jin Mao Tower, Shanghai 138
   Togok (XL Towers), Seoul 144
   Kowloon Station Tower, Hong Kong 150
   World Trade Center, New York 156
   World Trade Center, New York 164
   7 South Dearborn, Chicago 170
   Appendix 177
   Acknowledgments 187
   Photograph Credits 189
   Trustees of The Museum of Modern Art 191



2. This book by MOMA is tremendously informative and visual. Great images from drawings, renderings, models and actual building photos really enhance the viewing of this book. There is also a corresponding exhibition at the MOMA QNS from July 2004-Sept 2004.

5 comments about The Distinctive Home: A Vision of Timeless Design (American Institute Architects).

1. Well done. I loved it. Great insights into building. Knowledgeable & yes, Timeless. Worth the price and worth the read for those who wish to build that are from "all walks of life".



2. But, sadly I was dissapointed. I recently updated a 'distinctive' home, I cannot think of anything more distinctive that a classic American farmhouse, yet IMO the homes feaured were cold. The Author writes well and is tops at his craft but I was expecting something else. I agree w/ other reviews it pertains more to new construction rather than restoring a historic home.



3. Would highly recommend this book to all! Covers many sound Design ideas, a must have for any designer or architect!



4. I really enjoyed looking at the pictures and picturing in my head what those ideas could look like in my area.



5. Another high-quality, gorgeous book from Taunton Press, a company that I remember from its inception when I lived in Newtown, Connecticut!

   This book is full of countless beautiful color photos and drawings that add immensely to the author's viewpoints and to his descriptions of the components of a distinctive home.

   Eck discusses every aspect of a home: siting the house; the roof; the landscaping, and everything in between. He overlooks no detail that will aid homeowners in deriving a sense of satisfaction from their homes. The homes he describes are livable and comfortable.

   I especially liked reading Eck's four elements of a "pleasing" house and the significance and importance he attaches to each element.

3 comments about New Civic Art : Elements of Town Planning.

1. The New Civic Art is simply the best reference book available on the art and science of urban planning. Its encyclopedic nature provides an invaluable reference for those practicing in the field or those simply interested in the underlying principles and their application to communities and cities across the country. While providing minimal "textbook" style narrative, the book is arranged in a series of 2,000+ entries illustrating the core theories of new urbanism and its historical predecessors. Each entry is accompanied by a concise description and context upon which to view the example. Needless to say, one could spend a lifetime working through and analyzing the content of this massive volume. And on the other hand, it's a very pleasurable book to simply flip through and enjoy the tremendous variety of perspectives represented.



2. This book beautifully builds upon the foundation of Hegeman & Peets' Civic Art. Andres Duany is a master at organizing elements of urban design and town planning into this sort of encyclopedia that is easily understood and usable by planners and designers.



3. If you don't have the first Civic Art, originally published in the twenties, you ought to buy it immediately. Having said that, this book is reiterates many of the same ideas, principles, and messages of the first Civc Art, but from a perspective including all of the developements (and learning from all of the problems) introduced into urban design in the last 80 years. It should be in the library of every architect and of those interested in architecture and urban design. I couldn't recommend it more highly.

No comments about Hip Hotels Beach.

5 comments about The Chrysler Building: Creating a New York Icon Day by Day.

1. This is a wonderful book with amazing vintage black and white period photos. The book mostly focuses on the building of the skyscraper in the 30's and my only qualm with the book is the lack of current photos of the building, but that is a minor critisism and should not reflect on the overall excellent quality of the book. The Chrysler Building is a pinnacle of Art Deco style and I love it. The history of the building is so interesting and story of the spire is such a quenticential New York moment. I recomend this book to anyone who loves the romance of the skyscraper and this one is magical.



2. This book is very expensive, but very worth it.
   
   As described, the author discovered, almost by accident, a real treasure trove of exquisitely high quality photographs taken to document the building's completion to architectural specification. Rounding out a wonderfully detailed description of the economic and entrepreneurial forces behind its construction, these beautiful pictures bring the reader back into not just a major building project but a whole era. See the clothes, the cars - everything that made this a pinnacle of American exuberance and optimism.
   
   While the text is good, you might want to look at two other better examples of stories of the buildings that symbolized this era: John Tauranac's book on the Empire State building and "Great Fortune," Daniel Okrent's rendering of "The Epic of Rockefeller Center."
   
   They were hard times, to be sure, but often remembered with special fondness for those things which symbolized what we aspired.



3. The photos are undeniably great. All that is missing is the Cloud Club. But I'm still trying to figure out who David Stravitz is. Certainly not the author. Not one of the photographs is his. By his own admission he stumbled across this work. The firm actually responsible, Peyser & Patzig does merit a few mentions but not on the cover or the title page. Of course none of this detracts from the photos but as a photographer himself, Mr. Stravitz might be a little sensitive about taking credit for the work of others. Even Christopher Gray, who contributes a lot more than Mr. Stravitz gets low billing.



4. Author David Stravitz wisely bought over five hundred, soon to be destroyed, negatives in 1979. They pictured New York in the 1920s and 30s and in particular one hundred and fifty showed the day by day construction of the Chrysler Building. Over a hundred of them are reproduced in this stunning book. Taken by commercial photographers Peyser & Patzig, most likely as a record for the contractor Fred Ley, they show the building as a hole in the ground on November nine 1929 to the completion of the annex in January nine 1931.

   There is something about pre-war photos, perhaps the chemicals used on glass plates or the type of paper used for the black and white prints but whatever, old photos seem to have a richness of texture that enhances their appearance and you certainly notice this in these pictures. As well as their quality (don't forget this was straightforward commercial photo assignment) there is plenty to see of the building construction, what is going on in the surrounding streets and several panoramas of mid-town Manhattan taken from the Chrysler Building, including a dramatic four-page gatefold.

   This is the sort of detail you'll see, pages eight and nine show the empty building site (taken on November nine) and traffic on three sides, turn the page to see a photo (November seventeen) showing dozens of male spectators looking down on the building site, now full of working construction equipment, traffic and a newsstand has appeared on a corner, by December one this newsstand has become a hut and incorporated into the fencing that now runs round the site. After the exterior, the cameraman went inside to capture the lovely deco detailing.

   In the back of the book there are thumbnails and captions for the photos. Page 154 has five floor plans (I was rather disappointed that there were not more diagrams showing the exterior decorative work) and you realise that the building is not oblong, the non-street end has a chamfered side. Just one of the many insights that you'll get from this fascinating photo study of one of the world's great landmarks.




5. This is it.
   This is the one you want, if you have a love for the Chrysler building's construction, her insides and outsides.
   Beautiful photos - all black and white, in a beautifully presented book. It creates a brilliant record of the construction of one of the most loved buildings in the world.
   Highly recommended.