No comments about New Transport Architecture: Travel Hubs in the 21st Century.

2 comments about Houston Deco: Modernistic Architecture of the Texas Coast.

1. Honestly, I have never thought of houston as having great art deco architecture..NYC, Miami, Chicago of course, but not Houston, and after reading this book, im still not sure. Houston really never went all the way with Deco, I mean the City Hall is a decent example, and so is Jesse Jones' Gulf Building, by far Houston's best example of Art Deco, which unfortunity had its great interiors altered, but really compare it to the Art Deco masterpiece, Buffalo City Hall, or NYC's Rockefeller Center, they dont evern remotely compare, having said that, this is a very good book, it's well researched, with vivid visuals, it's just a shame Houston is not more worthy a subject for a study on great art deco architecture. Houston is a bastion of Modern architecture, it has an embarassment of treasures in that reguard, but unfortunity in this architectural category is woefully bereft, all the more remarkable that this is such a good book.



2. The National Trust Guide to Art Deco in America (ISBN 0471143863) lists eight buildings in Houston, all are obviously in this book with another ninety or so but look through the photos and it becomes clear that many of them are living on borrowed time unless the Greater Houston Preservation Alliance can save them.
   
   The authors (they took the photos, too) have done a great job in capturing the essence of probably every Deco/Moderne building in Houston. There are a few interiors but mostly they are exteriors and some close-ups of detail. Divided into commercial, theaters, institutional, residential and industrial sections. Each section has at least one gem, I loved the interior of the Alabama Theater which is now a bookshop but unfortunately it looks like it will be demolished soon. Page thirteen has a fascinating period postcard of an aerial view of the River Oaks Community Center designed in 1937, the buildings still stands but for how long?
   
   The printing and design of the book are fine and the back includes a building index, a short bibliography and nicely an alphabetical index of architects. If you live in the city the book will be an excellent reminder of some good working architecture of past decades. For others, like me, it's a useful visual reference to a European design cleverly modified to an American style.
   
   ***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.

4 comments about Tiling 1-2-3 (Home Depot ... 1-2-3).

1. The book was expensive but I did learn a few things. Be careful about following the instructions on shower pan construction. I'm not an expert, but after reading many books on tiling, I do believe it is important to pre-slope the pan membrane to the drain and to not puncture the membrane on top of the curb with screws (it's better to do the curb with lath and mortar, not by screwing on cement board). John Bridge's site is a good all-around source on this subject inhabited by both DIY'ers and real pros.



2. I bought this book at Home Depot and returned it after a few hours upon finishing it. I could have got the same information from a free pamphlet. They ought to be ashamed. However, there were some nice pictures and I did learn a little bit, but it was just a super easy primer for the real thing. I didn't buy another book before tiling 900sf in my house. I wish I had bought a better book, as I learned all kinds of tricks "the hard way." Hint: Swimming after tiling all day can return your back to normal when it doesn't seem like anything else will help. I am now going to buy John Bridge's book before my next tiling job.



3. This is a good book for people who want to start tiling or for people who have stated but would like to get more ideas, help or tricks.



4. This book is more or less useless on it's own. It tries to make tiling look really simple and straightforward. Tiling is actually not rocket science at all, but you really do need to spend time up front deciding what you are going to do. It isn't a weekend project. Get a real book written by someone who actually lays tile professionally and not just by people who sell the latest half-baked do it yourself supplies. I recommend "Tile Your Word" or "Setting Tile". Both top notch books. In fact, get both - given how expensive tile is it'll be worth the money.
   
   This book does have some nice pictures of some steps though. That's about all I can recommend it for.

No comments about Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning: A Residential and Light Commercial Text & Lab Book (Heating, Ventilating & Air Conditioning).

No comments about In the Victorian Style.

5 comments about 100 of the World's Best Houses (Architecture).

1. This book gives a complete perception of the houses described, because of plans and multiple views inside the houses. That is what I expected from a book like that: not only a compilation of pictures



2. I have seen almost every house in this book published before and the ones that i hadn't seen weren't anything special. In fact several of the homes are quite old by Moore Ruble, Predock, Gwathmy, etc. If you have a collection of residential books allready, pass this one over.



3. Although this book has more than a handful of great contemporary homes, we get only a teasing glimpse of each of them. The author would have been better off reducing the number of houses covered, and doing a more in depth coverage of each of them. The book could have been improved by calling it, 25 or 50 of the worlds best houses, and doing a more comprehesive spread on each house. The few pictures we get of each house are of good photographic quality, but the scene selections and angles the houses are shot at, don't give the best representation of them. I have seen several of these same houses in other publications (books or magazines) and have seen them shot from better angles. Another complaint, but this one is subjective, is that, for me, there were too many "woodsy" houses in the book.
   I realize that this is only my opinion and taste, but for me, I like my contemporary homes very minimal and sleek, and with a touch of industial in the mix, with no sign of wood. There are a few like that in the book, but the majority of them are mostly wood based.
   I did purchase and keep this book, feeling it had enough fresh ideas to merit keeping it. Again everything is relative, and compared to most other contemporary architecture books, this ones a keeper.



4. This coffee-table book is massive in size. I wouldn't say that it's a cerebral book which offers much in architecture literature. The introduction is rather superficial which defines the meaning of private dwellings by Catherine Slessor, the managing editor of The Architectural Review. Her comment is simply most of the featured dwellings here are commissioned by affluent clients & they do have an impact upon the landscape, fulfillment of their lifestyle circumstances, enabling them to express themselves as much as the architects who design those dwellings. The book cut into the chase immediately with illustrations of 100 houses which span around the world. I'm pleasantly surprised that some houses in New Zealand are featured too. There are many types of houses ranging from International House to Deconstructivism to Post Expressionism to Minimalism to Intelligent House (regulating the temperature in the house by using passive means to conserve energy) & the list goes on. Should readers would like to read more about those houses, there are briefs provided at the end of the book. It would be good if there are headings given in the book but obviously, it's not done in this instance. It would be ideal if contact information for architects are provided in this book as some architecture books would have done. There are enough pictures to keep us interested and ocassionally building plans. It would be interesting if editor shares with us how she picks those houses that are featured in this book because I would like to think that preferences are rather subjective. Therefore, for what she thinks is the best 100 houses in the world, other people might not necessarily think so. Perhaps, the choice of the title of the book is questionable. Anyhow, this book does provide us with a broad view of available houses in the world. I wouldn't say that this is a definitive architecture book or a book that you should have in your collection. However, as a reference material, it shall made do. A book with enormous potential but ultimately, disappointing. By the way, many of the houses here come from the States. Is it because other places in the world are devoid of creativity or that Americans do put a lot of effort into their homes?



5. This book provides a nice selection of contemporary home design, and not just the unatainable homes often depicted in such volumes. Floor plans are included, and the photography and quality of reproduction is first-rate. Highly recommended.

4 comments about Tropical Living: Contemporary Dream Houses in the Philippines.

1. I just bought a copy of this book. The pictures are great. I have the following problems with the book 1) The title is sly and deceiving. The bolded letters say "Tropical Living", and the rest of the title are in smaller letters. I bought the book thinking the featured homes are architectural entities uniquely tropical. They were not. Instead, the book is a hodgepodge of pretty homes artificially grouped through some whimsy of the author. 2) The pictures are hard to follow when you read the text. My advice, save your money and get yourself a subscription to a home design magazine. You will be better off.



2. If you are into tropical architecture, this sure is the book for you! Not much text which makes it of "worth" + great photography! Before planning a house, this sure is a must-have! Houses featured here has its owne individuality and character! Dont miss it!...



3. This is a beautifully photographed and well-organized showcase of wonderful Philippine homes. The range of houses covered is amazing and you're sure to get inspiration from one of the many fine examples of East meets West design as well as the seamless blend of Spanish, Malay, and Western heritage that the Philippines has. The homes are fabulous and even if you aren't thinking of redecorating, you will be after you finish it. One of the things that I particularly like about this is that unlike many books on Asian homes which focus only on either architectural design OR the interiors, this one gives a good balance of both. I just wish that the book had more pages.



4. This was truly a feast for my senses. The Filipino elite is a highly sophisticated, well travelled, cosmopolitan, tropical, and casually elegant group who have developed a blended taste and style of their own. This book could be renamed "Tropical Dream Homes of the Philippines Rich and Famous". What is truly visible in this book is the rich diversity and fusion of the different cultures - Chinese, Spanish, Indonesian, Malaysian, and American - creating a Philippine cosmo-Asian blend. I highly recommend this book.

1 comments about WIND and EARTHQUAKE RESISTANT BUILDINGS: STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS AND DESIGN (Civil and Environmental Engineering).

1. EL LIBRO PRESENTA EL ESTADO DEL ARTE TANTO EN LOS ASPECTOS SISMICOS COMO DE VIENTO A TOAMR EN CUENTA EN EL DISEÑO DE EDIFICIOS ALTOS.-ME RESULTA UNA ADQUISICIÓN MUY IMPORTANTE PARA MANTENERME ACTUALIZADO EN LOS METODOS Y CRITERIOS DE DISEÑO.
   
   ATENTAMENTE
   
   ING. ALBERTO BORREGO SANCHEZ

3 comments about Berlin Then and Now (Then & Now Thunder Bay).

1. I purchased this book prior to spending a week in Berlin. I read through it on the train on the way to Berlin from Frankfurt and found that in contained great photography and solid background information on major landmarks. This book is not an in depth history of Berlin, but if you'd like to take a look at how things WERE compared to how they ARE and have the major sites explained in plain English, this book works well. It's a must have if you're traveling to the area, but makes a good coffee table book now as well.



2. All I can say is awesome.I did a now and then tour of Berlin last year in October and I can only wish that I had the book with me then. There is nothing like knowing where you stand if you are a history buff on ww2 like I am. Going over to do the Bulge at the end of April. Berlin Then and Now is money well spent.
   Greg
   greg@54.co.za



3. This book is a good size, and photos are given full priority on each page. It's kept nice and simple with old on the left, new on the right, and with just as much informed commentary as you'd need running along beneath.
   
   Only a few of the 'then' pics are from the 50s and 60s; the majority show the Berlin streets as they were before the devastation of the Second World War, and as such are as fascinating as looking at pictures of ancient Rome.
   
   An excellent book from an excellent series.

No comments about Design For Kids.