5 comments about Hotel Design, Planning, and Development, New Edition.

1. I was assigned to teach at the Master Degree class on "Facility Management" subject focusing on Hotel Facility. I have gone through several books regarding hotel design. I think this book is the best of all. Any designer who reads this book back to back will certainly understand the whole concept. It is not only about how to design the hotel as an architecture piece, but the reader will also understand the hospitality business. This book also covers the design and management issues of related topics such as "Restaurant", "Entertainment Venue" in the hotel. It is the 'must have' for all architects who want to design a hotel efficiently. It can also be a good book for anyone who is in the hospitality business and currently in charge of renovating or upgrading the hotel space; or the hotel's representative who need to communicate with architects or interior designer. This book can be the great tool to evaluate the result of the hotel construction project or even to 'correct' it. The tables and formulas for space calculation in this book are easy enough for anyone to understand. This book can be of great use to all building design professionals. It can also be a valuable one for any people who is interested in hotel business.



2. The work of hotel design and planning is different from other architectural works; it requires an indepth understanding of hotel business. Therefore, the hotel architecture became one of the toughest job for architects. (Another job is the hospital architecture.)
   
   However, this book proposed design guidelines for a hotel fit to the business pattern. First, it explains various types of hotel properties. Second, it shows not only design guidelines for facilities but also planning approach methods for location selecting and size determination. Finally, if you read this book, you can consider efficient management system of the property from the early phase of design.
   
   Among numerous books on hotel architecture, I think this book is the most outstanding resource.



3. I am an Interior Design student and found this book very helpful in completing a hospitality design. It provides a breakdown of the areas of the hotel, the different types of hotels, and the type of customers that use them. It really helped me in laying out the floor plan. There are also some awesome color pictures of fabulous hotels in the world. I highly recommend for anyone interested in hospitality design.



4. This a book that be should always be close to you if you work in the hotel development industry.



5. I found this in the Rizzoli bookstore and had to slit the shrinkwrap to see what the book was like. Then sat down in a soft chair to browse through it but after a half hour decided it made more sense to just buy it and read it at home. Not disappointed. The book covers everything in great detail - lots of text - with pictures of hotels from the Chilean Andes to London and Paris and New York. A "must have" for people interested in travel and hotels and architecture.

5 comments about Tricia Guild Pattern: Using Pattern to Create Sophisticated, Show-stopping Interiors.

1. inspirational and pleasant! an eye candy, a page turner, I could not get enough! Pages filled with interiors variations from vintage cottage to modern with a chock of color. Unexpected combinations of textiles and wall hangings mixed with truly amazing architectural details. the book is the celebration of eclectic style. Almoust every page shows a fantasy home, created with such ease, charm and playfulness - it's contagious.



2. This book is eye candy offered at a great price! Wonderful photography, colors, and graphics.



3. Out of all the books from Tricia Guild, this one is her very best, I think! I am a huge fan!!!



4. You will not want to put this book down! If only I could magically transport myself to one of Tricia Guild's ethereal spaces...I would never want to leave. Opening this book is like taking a journey...it's an adventure in sumptuous fabrics, luscious colors and tactile textiles. Her patterns are romantic yet whimsical, and she masterfully juxtaposes modern and antique elements and motifs with themes of flowers and nature accented with candy colors! This book appeals to feminine sensibilities!



5. This book is absolutely gorgeous, inside and out. Rich and colorful, it's a feast for the eyes! If you design interior spaces or home textiles, this book will be an especially great addition to your collection.

5 comments about Stonework: Techniques and Projects.

1. I really like the detail that this book has, as well as the fabulous pictures. The pictures not only of works in progress, but beautiful, finished works as well, often demonstrating the technique being presented. Thanks for a wonderful resource.



2. Chuck will keep you smiling as your read his books. They contain plenty of humorous stories while they display the stone arts. There are better guides but you should read as many as possible: you'll need it.
   
   Stone work is the hardest task you'll probably ever do in your life. If your project is big, it seems to never end and you'll doubt you'll ever finish. One rock can take 2 hours to lay whereas if all goes well, you can lay 5 in an hour. So, if you are interested in stone work, I'd advise to start small on the first few projects. This book is a good guide to helping you along the way.



3. If your looking for a book about stone masonry in general, this will give you a great primer for authentic stone masonry. He details some basic projects and gives you a great detailed how to. I was looking for something a little more advanced but I wished I had a resource like this when I was first starting out. Don't know if I agree with his technique for drystone retaining walls. He says start skinny and step back, I am a hard headed Irishman who believes that your wall should be just as wide at the base as it is tall. I will have to do some more research.
   
   Good read, very useful for beginners



4. Wonderful black & white pictures of stone walls, stone arches, stone bridges and sundry projects. The author makes much of ancient Scot stone work. There are a lot of nice pen drawings used for 'step by step' construction programs. There are many, many suggestions regarding stone choice and stone placement. These comments are the best feature of the book. Finally, there are a few pages on handling large stones with hydraulic booms, pick-up trucks and front-loaders. These suggestions are not going to be found in many books.
   
   There isn't much said about hand power-tool options, nor stone shaping. There are few 'construction tips'. For example, the details of mixing motar specific to your job are only broadly discussed and there are no aids for determining correct mortar wetness. There are no 'good' and 'bad' stone arrangements to illustrate stone arrangement tricks. If you are looking for a 'first project' guide, the Black & Decker 'Stonework & Masonry projects' book offers more assistance. If you've got a few walls completed and want to take the next step towards being a mason, this is your book.
   
   Table of Contents:
   Intro: Why stone?
   Part 1: Working with stone
   Chapter 1: Types of Stone
   Chapter 2: Sources of Stone
   Chapter 3: Handling Stone
   Chapter 4: Selecting Stone for a Project
   Chapter 5: Cutting and Shaping Stone
   Part 2: Stonework Projects
   Chapter 6: Basic and Inspired (curving) walls
   Chapter 7: Retaining walls
   Chapter 8: Entryways
   Chapter 9: Stone steps
   Chapter 10: Stone Projects for backyard and beyond (bbq, birdbath, sculpture, walkway, etc.)
   Chapter 11: Stone Bridges
   Chapter 12: Stone in Interior Spaces



5. A guide to the basics of stonework that concentrates on the most common projects: retaining walls, stone fences, foundations and steps, and then adds a bit more for the adventuresome: a fireplace, an arched bridge and a moon gate. A good book for the do-it-yourselfer or to learn what to look for in working with a professional stone mason.

4 comments about Vintage French Interiors: Inspiration from the Antique Shops and Flea Markets of France.

1. This is exactly what the title says.....The book takes the reader from specific flea market or antique area in France. There are addresses, phone numbers and web sites. Several interesting catagories of Flea Market finds are examined such as vintage school posters or handmade tools. The book is divided into areas of France describing the true finds of each region. Great chapter on Isle sur le Sorgue, the altimate French antique treasure trove. I almost didn't open the book because of the bad revirews from people who were expecting a "decorating" magazine. A great addition for those of us who love Fance....great photos too!



2. Having pre-ordered this I was a little apprehensive about its contents, despite its promising description and cover. I was not disappointed! It took me on a nostalgic trip to the flea markets of Paris I had visited and wetted my appetite to visit more. I love the slightly shabby brocante featured and the imaginative displays provide inspiration. The title could be a little misleading; however, the subtitle gives an accurate description of the books contents.



3. I buy LOTS of books on interior design and decorating. I pre-ordered this book with high expectations - after all, its title is "Vintage French Interiors." A better title would have been "Junky Stuff from a Flea Market that Could Be From Anywhere." The "Vintage" part is correct if you are interested in old, rusted, chipped, broken, junky "vintage" items. As for the "French" part, there is really nothing that stands out as "French." It looks just like stuff from any American Flea Market. And, what is really disappointing is the "Interiors" part of the title. These are not photos of "interior" rooms using "vintage French" items. It is just a collection of close-up shots of items displayed at a Flea Market.
   
   I am highly disappointed and, hopefully, have learned my lesson on pre-ordering. If you are looking for photos of gorgeous rooms filled with French ambiance, look elsewhere.



4. The title of this book is misleading, there are no photos of vintage French interiors. Just chapters showcasing different French flea market vendors booths and by the looks of things the pickings are pretty slim. I knew I was returning this book when I saw the photo of the rubber pig toy. A lot of 60's and 70's items that you can find here in the states. If you want a great book buy "The New French Decor-living with timeless objects", 110% better eye candy.

5 comments about Building With Cob: A Step-by-step Guide.

1. If you are truly interested in using cob and building environmentaly friendly homes, then this book is for you. It is very descriptave in it's wording and the pictures in it help as well. This book is a must have if you plan to use or build with cob!



2. Lavishly illustrated, this is a well-organized, clearly written volume describing the processes necessary to build a range of structures using earth and straw (and a number of other natural materials). The drawings and photographs really help support the text, providing a rich introduction into the world of cob and natural building. An exceptional book for anyone thinking about getting involved with cob building.



3. Those of you who have read "The Hand-Sculpted House" by Ianto Evans will like this book. It is an excellent guide to building with cob. I felt that every aspect of building a house was covered in enough detail that you could start building with cob if you were even a little bit handy. Although building a house is covered well, it includes building fireplaces and cob ovens, too.
   
   I paid forty five dollars for my copy at the Midwest Renewable Energy Fair and see now that I could have saved fifteen dollars. Still, if you are looking for just one book to cover many aspects of using cob then you won't go wrong with this book.



4. En este volumen aparece todo lo que se necesita saber sobre una construcción Cob, lo que hecho a faltar aquí como en la mayoría de libros de construcción natural es el cálculo de estructuras para el tejado, y su correcto dimensionado.
   
   Un libro fascinante con multitud de detalles y esquemas



5. Even after reading this book pretty carefully, and even looking it up in the dictionary, I never got a good definition of the word 'COB.' None the less, what he's talking about would be called adobe in this country. That is, you take subsoil with a reasonably high clay content, mix it with sand, straw and perhaps a few other things, and you get a remarkably strong building material.
   
   I was involved with a friend that wanted to modify his adobe houst by taking out a window and converting it into a door. The adobe in his house was well aged, about a hundred years. Pulling the window out was easy. Then we got to removing the adobe. We intended to just pick up the bricks and move them aside. They wouldn't move. Pry them with a long iron rod, they wouldn't move. Hit them with a pick and it hardly made a dent. Eventually he got the bricks out of the way using a jackhammer.
   
   This book is on building houses out of earth. It's written in England where there are an estimated half million cob houses. And it talks about the way things are done over there. Not too different than here, except for the building codes. But, of coure, the building codes in this country are quite different in detail of how they are in England. I don't have any idea how many there are in the US. It is certainly no longer a common building method here. My guess is that building within a city limit will be difficult.
   
   All in all, this is probably the best book I've seen on the subject.

5 comments about WALT DISNEY IMAGINEERING: A BEHIND-THE-DREAMS LOOK AT MAKING THE MAGIC REAL.

1. This book contains an astonishing array of images and sketches from throughout the development of various projects the Imagineers have worked on. If you are interested in really understanding the forced perspective of Cinderella's Castle, or the graphical concept behind "It's A Small World", or if you're just a big fan of the Disney theme parks, this is a remarkable resource, full of life and creative spark. Though it does not have any sort of case study of the development of any particular attraction (though why would it since the most important part of the development is the final version, the one that guests get to enjoy!), a single flip through the book will reveal the vast amount of effort that goes into the Imagineer's creations. Through a closer inspection it is possible to understand the intricate ways in which the various departments collaborate on the projects. Overall, it's a spectacular collection of images and ideas, and is well worth the money for anyone who has ever dreamed of being an Imagineer.



2. Wonderful book full of information! Definitely recommend this for any Disney behind the scene facts!



3. I added this book to my collection several years ago, and it is a great addition to any Disney or Imagineering fan's collection. I personally am a huge fan of Walt Disney the man, and all the projects he was involved in. This book gives more images than anything else, but some of the images and the little bit of information it gives is definitely interesting and fun to have. If you are looking for something more in depth about Imagineering I don't know if you will really find it here - it is similar to what you might get in watching a behind the scenes special feature on a DVD, it just glosses over some of the projects and plans throughout Disney Imagineering history.



4. I taught high school art and retired a couple years ago. This was my bible for creative ideas and approach. I now teach at the college level and still use it regularly as a reference.
   
   I have gifted this book to several of my outstanding students. They loved it.



5. I loved this book because it has so many pictures. It is most interesting to see aspects of the rides that you might not get to view by visiting the park. The enthusiasm of this book is inspiring for anyone who is interested in theme park design. It does not get into anthing too technical, or show you what an Imagineer does from day to day on a regular basis. I would reccomend this book if you are interested in seeing Disneyland from another angle or if you want to be a theme park designer. It is a very good book if you aren't looking for technical advice, just to have fun and get excited!

5 comments about Building with Stone.

1. Chuck will keep you smiling as your read his books. They contain plenty of humorous stories while they display the stone arts. There are better guides but you should read as many as possible: you'll need it.
   
   Stone work is the hardest task you'll probably ever do in your life. If your project is big, it seems to never end and you'll doubt you'll ever finish. One rock can take 2 hours to lay whereas if all goes well, you can lay 5 in an hour. So, if you are interested in stone work, I'd advise to start small on the first few projects. This book is a good guide to helping you along the way.



2. An excellent introduction for anyone who is interested in learning more about stone work and masonry.
   
   I enjoyed the book for the breadth of coverage, and for the anecdotal stories. It is one thing to be told safety tips and procedures, but the lesson is much more effective with a good story. I had hoped for a more comprehensive discussion of the tools used, how to use them, and how to shape the stone. However, lack of this does not detract from the usefulness of the book. The closest I have come to stonework was moving stones around for landscaping, but now if I were armed with a set of stonework tools, I would be tempted to try something more complex.



3. This book was better than I expected. I was hoping for color photographs, but it has B&W only. Doesn't get into a lot of details, but covers quite a few topics on the subject of stone masonry. I agree with previous review. Would have been great if the section on Mortaring Stone could have been more detailed. All in all, a good starting book to refer to.



4. This book seems to have a bit of everything that has to do with traditional stone masonry. It shows how to build different types of buildings and objects. Pictures are only in Black and White. If your looking for a full colour glossy paged book on stone architecture this is not for you.



5. This is an excellent first book for those who want to learn about building with stone as an old-world craftsman, rather than a money-hungry contractor or assembly-line modern mason. Charles McRaven does not fill his book with theory, but with practical methods and ideas which are true to proper masonry techniques but allow even the most novice to begin to lay stone right away. The anecdotal style of this book makes it an easy read, and inspires confidence to pick up that trowel for the first time!

5 comments about Patterns of Home: The Ten Essentials of Enduring Design.

1. I first got this book when checking out a bunch of books on home design from the library. This one really spoke to me and stood out from the crowd. I ended up buying one copy for friends who are building a house and one for me... because SOMEDAY I am going to build my house... and just has good ways to think about what I want to do with the house I'm in and what I'd look for both as existing features and potential features of a new home. Concrete ways to think about how to create a home that feels like home.



2. I loved the original, but this one is lame. One star for pretty pictures. In a nutshell, here are the 10 patterns in this book.
   1. Be rich.
   2. Own a very large piece of beautiful property.
   3. Preferably in an environmentally sensitive area like a wetland.
   4. Or own a house in a historical neighborhood.
   5. Be very rich.
   6. Build a small house, say 4000-5000 square feet.
   7. Make sure your house is perfectly new and perfectly clean, but with mature landscaping.
   8. Use tons and tons of wood to build your house.
   9. Own several invisible cars.
   10. Be one of the .001% of the people who can afford these insane homes.
   Good luck.



3. There may be a few good principles here but they were lost on me, amidst the overwhelming ostentatiousness of the houses. Do they think the only people who read design books are multi-millionaires? The houses lacked the very thing they were going for - a sense of home-iness.



4. The architect authors have matured since they wrote "A Pattern Language" (APL), and have made a large effort to extract and apply just the essential rules from the hundred of rules of APL.
   
   True, PoH is a large, posh book of large, posh homes. The cost of the homes are far outside the means of over 99 percent of American families. However, these large designs include truly practical concepts that can be translated into more realistic homes.
   
   Each design is far more useful and welcoming that what you might find in a bool of hundreds of houseplans. We are going to build an energy efficient home under 2000 sq ft, and we will refer to PoH to stay on track with the few essential elements. No, it will not have 30 foot ceilings over a huge common room (just you try and paint it!), but it will show the roofline and include other elements.



5. This book provides valuable informaion for those who want to pursue the perfectly built and positioned home. The concepts are fasinating and could be somewhat easy to put into pratice, however, the author uses large, VERY expensivly built homes leaving the impression that only the very wealthy can afford such superior design. This is unfortunate. I do believe that some the most basic concepts can be put into play in most homes it would just take some imagination and determination.

5 comments about Case Study Houses: 1945-1966: The California Impetus (Taschen Basic Architecture).

1. Ok, Ok, there's a beautiful, gigantic, definitive book on the Case Study Houses at $136. Then there's this small, slick little book, presenting each and every case study house, in order, editorially excellent through and through. An outstanding summary of an under-documented era of modern architecture, one with a crucially democratic agenda. $9.99. The book itself represents the case study ethic--great design at a price VERY within reach.
   Not a difficult choice. Highly recommended.



2. This is visually interesting as well as informative. Those interested in mid-century architecture will enjoy this concise book.



3. Optimism is the prevailing theme of the Case Study Houses. The unerring faith that the future is the brightest it can possibly be. Each house profiled in this book shouts this theme loudly and proudly! Taschen has put together a loving yet compact introduction to the Case Study Houses. If you love architecture, design or mid-century modern style, this book is a must have for your collection.



4. Be aware that the edition that Cohen is describing in the critic's review @ the top of the page is a previous edition. This new revised copy is not nearly 400 and some pages at all, coming in @ just under 100. Recently, I found this available @ my local Barnes & Noble(if I had seen it sooner, I definitely would not have purchased this). There is very little about each of the case study homes-with literally next to nothing on a few of these. Those that get the most attention receive a couple black and white, sometimes color, photos-often only a 5 inch photo. There is a decent paragraph on each of these-but that is it as far as information goes. I would highly suggest the volume 'Contemporary' by Leslie Jackson for a much more detailed bio on the case studies-as well as this period of design in itself. That book has 100s of photos, often black and white, but, for the most part, those that are in color here are also in that book. Not to mention the photos in Jackson's book are commonly much larger, as is the book itself. Most the pictures in Jackson's reference take up a good amount of the page, as well. The description and time given these houses in Jackson's book is much fuller and well rounded. That is just simply the real book to get here, also including some design in fabric, furniture, and glass of the time. However, it is mainly on the design of the rooms of the midcentury-modern abode, most pics being the case studies. Also, for a companion piece, pickup Taschen's 'Decorative Art-the 60s'. That one IS the common Taschen reference size, coming in @ nearly 600 pages!!! It includes hundreds of photos, mainly black and white, on the room designs of the midcentury home(the real innovations in these houses came out of the later 50s-early 60s, anyway). There are also sections on the furniture(again with pics detailing the room designs), fabrics & textiles(includes wallpaper), glass, lighting, ceramics, and silver/tableware-all with very helpfull info for collectors. However, it is the room designs found under the architecture and furniture sections that I believe really make this one. That one is simply a MUST for anyone interested in design from late 50s-early 60s, with a much fairer pricing, as Jackson's 'Contemporary'.



5. I ordered this October 1 as a gift and to date delivery date has been moved twice. It has been 6 weeks and amazon has just moved the delivery date another two weeks. If you can't deliver, then please remove this item from your list.

5 comments about Modernism Reborn: Mid-Century American Houses.

1. I was looking for mid-century houses that were more in the middle classes, and you do not get that here.
   
   These are all high-end, very expansive homes, similar to the type one might come across in Dwell magazine. The book is nicely set up, with thick, distinctive paper used, and the book coming encased in cellophane, implying 'you're getting something very sophisticated and special here...', something I neglected to pick up in reality [but again I was looking for something else]. I also did not like the contrived use of marketing (paper and cellophane wrap). Always a bad sign.



2. If you want a strong, national (not just LA or Palm Springs) overview of mid-century modern, this is a good bet. Very well produced, beautiful imagery.



3. The author provides a good overview of the history and restoration of 35 architecturally significant houses
   of the 1930's through mid-century. The only thing keeping it from getting a 5 star rating is it's small format,
   resulting in smallish pictures and smaller floor plans. These wonderful houses deserved a larger page size,
   say 12" x 12", to show them to the best advantage. Still, given it's relatively modest price, this book provides
   a lot of information between the covers.



4. 
   We are in danger of losing our mid-century domestic architectural heritage.
   
   Yesterday's flat-roof, ultra-modern "home of tomorrow" is often perceived as the cramped and impractical "teardown" of today. Most real estate agents will confide that "Modern doesn't sell," and those modernist homes that are sold are usually fodder for the bulldozer; razed and discarded to make way for another McMansion.
   
   Sometimes it seems that the only folks who have any fondness for "Home, Sleek Home" are advertising directors (who love to feature hip mid-century homes in TV commercials and print ads), and subscribers to Dwell Magazine (and subscribers to the Dwell Magazine lifestyle).
   
   In his book MODERNISM REBORN: Mid-Century American Houses, architectural critic Michael Webb demonstrates that there is a growing appreciation for cutting-edge American residential architecture of the 1930s through the 1960s, and in it he highlights the intrepid homeowners who've assumed stewardship of 35 of these "Contemporary" domiciles of long, long ago. Tersely written, illustrated with floor plans, and enlivened by nearly 200 color photos by noted architectural photographer Roger Strauss III, MODERNISM REBORN explores the unique histories of these homes, and chronicles the research, labor, and expense that the adventurous owners have lavished on their preservation, restoration and sometimes, expansion.
   
   Nearly all of the 20th Century architectural greats are represented here--Frank Lloyd Wright, Richard Neutra, Philip Johnson and R.M. Schindler--as well as iconic modernist structures such as Pierre Koenig's Case Study House #21, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's Farnsworth House, and Charles and Ray Eames' own home-studio. Webb presents homes that embody various modernist impulses in thematic chapters that prove that there was no one right way (or Wright way) to be "modern."
   
   Webb's survey argues a case for Modernism as a mode (or ideal) of living, rather than a mere style (or styles). Indeed, these light-filled, open plan, spartanly furnished "homes of the brave" imply an enlightened lifestyle of Zen-like purity somewhat at odds with the ever more acquisitive and materialistic American way of life.
   
   Don't read too much into the Modernist rejection of consumerism, however, because these designer homes were status symbols in their day, and to furnish a home with "Modern classics" like Le Corbusier's Petit Confort sofa, the Eames lounge chair and ottoman, and a pair of Mies Barcelona chairs will set you back several grand. Modern don't come cheap.
   
   Ultimately, the stories that Webb weaves about the people that commissioned, designed, built, restored and live in these homes are every bit as enlightening and memorable as the homes themselves. In fact, the author makes their histories seem inseparable, as if house and owner are joined in partnership against philistine taste, obnoxious neighbors, natural (and unnatural) disasters, and metal fatigue.
   
   This is not a scholarly study, but Webb assumes a certain level of cultural awareness and familiarity with architectural terms in his reader. It is a fine book with a fresh look at a perhaps overly familiar subject, and is well worth owning for the photos alone.
   
   Reading MODERNISM REBORN makes one wonder how the home of 1950 will inform and inspire the home of 2050, the mid-century home of tomorrow.



5. I bought this interesting book because I wanted something that would cover, visually, the best of mid-century American architecture. As another reviewer has said, don't expect a full technical account of the background to these beautiful houses but if you want excellent exterior and interior photos in a well designed and printed book, 'Modernism reborn' is the one to get.
   
   The fact that these thirty-five houses have all been restored in some way gives the book extra interest. Many of them were featured in the architectural press years ago when they were first built and these are the photos you usually see in books. Some of them were neglected but fortunately the current owners thought restoration worthwhile and this is how Roger Straus photographed them.
   
   An interesting companion book to 'Modernism reborn' is Classic Modern: Midcentury Modern At Home by Deborah K Dietsch, not directly concerned with the architecture but more to do with the furniture, fabrics, lighting and style that made these houses such wonderful homes. If only I could afford to live in one!
   
   ***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.