5 comments about Designing Disney's Theme Parks: The Architecture of Reassurance.

1. Hungry for more Disney info...I would get the other books first, although this makes for fine reading it lacks something??? It also is a bit wordy and esoterical, perhaps a bit judgmental and highbrow, if your looking for detailed architecture and Disney's point of view, look elswhere, lots of critical observations, it misses by trying to do Disney one better, and you just can't do Disney better than Disney can, John Hench, and Ward Kimbal fans would be upset purchasing this book. Also reads a bit like Scrooge, but with out the change of enlightenment at the end, some people just can't be saved, leave the theme parks to those who truly appreciate the work that went into desingning them, leave these authors...to wine tastings and trying to outdoo each other...you can tell they just didn't get it...When I travel to W.E.D. properties I watch the childrens faces and adults too, that's all the proof I need to place this tome on the back of the shelf, because they just can't enjoy the simple things in life...deconstruction has its place, but overanylzing is just wrong...



2. This book is a must have for enthusiasts and interested scholars. The book is filled with many pictures, illustrations and original renderings of Disneyland, and the subsequent other parks. The conceptual development of the original Disneyland is the focus of the book that admirably discusses the many details involved in the process. The amazing part for me was the scholarly research and the well written quality of the text. The subject is well examined for the volume of information it covers. It is the first book I have come across that credit's Walt Disney's innovative process of applying stage set design to 3D proportionality using an over-ridding narrative to connect it all. The scholarly research by art historians and architects for the Canadian exhibition is impressive, which is done without the control of the Disney Corporation. The scholarly nature of the book lends a new dimensionality to the understanding of Disneyland as an innovative artistic development, and a new architectural expression.
   Unlike other texts I have read about Disney architecture, this one takes on the subject from the art historical perspective examining the process that creates a new architectural form. Other books seem to veer away from this in favor of the new, celebrated corporate architecture at Disney company headquarters, or on these applications at newer Disney parks. By concentrating on the original development of Disneyland as a concept of Walt Disney's, and his special team of designers, the idea is well established as creating the foundation for everything else that comes after. This difference is insightful, and makes the understanding of the original conceptual design clearer.
   I highly recommend this book for the wealth of information it provides and the good read it is. Even for a seasoned Walt Disney enthusiast, like me, it provides a new awareness of the multi-dimensional qualities of the form created, and it makes a rich addition to the information previously unknown.



3. This book is great! I also want to be a Disney Imagieer. I already designed some cool, new rides. I hope I become an Imagineer! See Ya!



4. This book is amazing. It immediately captured me. It gives valuable insight on the vison of disneys world and on how this vision becomes tangible.

   Not only it talks abou the history of the themeparks but it shows the sketches, maps, plans of different parts and attractions of the disney world. An amazing resource full of phantasy and a joy to watch. The photographs and illustrations are very well chosen and it is a plasure to flip through this pages every once in a while. A very inspiring book, showing that often it is enough to dream it and then it becomes reality.The most peculiar shapes and interior spaces are built to be reality.

   I highly recommend it.




5. Many books on Disney's art and achitecture try to convey its appeal primarily through the visual. Other books, particularly those that whole-heartedly criticize Disney, try to ignore the appeal of Disney altogether. This book attempts to integrate the visual evidence (photos, concept art) with academic writing on Disney (Karal Ann Marling, Erika Doss, Greil Marcus, etc.). Together, these aspects make for a solid inquiry as to the appeal of Disney's architecture.

   The book was written to supplement an art exhibit of the same name and, in many ways, feels a bit incomplete without its exhibition, partly because the book tries to cover a lot of territory in its two hundred or so pages. And a lot of the book's pages are used for the essays. But the essays also provide the readers with another "way of seeing" the imagineers' works, something that other books of this type tend to forgoe for more pictures. The essays are irreplaceable for this book--and many are useful for re-examining other books' materials as well (Try it!).

   Particularly useful for the Disney enthusiast is the criticism of Disney criticism by Greil Marcus. He astutely summarizes much of the current criticism of Disney: "All [the works mentioned earlier in the essay] have their moments of interest and all devolve quickly into a kind of critical voice that can perhaps best be called spite. This is not a good posture from which to practice criticism--an angry defensiveness, a fear that somehow one's faculties or tools of analysis are not up to the job disguised as contempt for the job itself...." What Marcus calls for is a real attempt to understand Disney for what it is and for how it affects people/American culture, something too few critics have done without falling into an either all-good or all-evil knee-jerk reaction. Worse, many critics make no attempt to experience Disney before making up their minds. This essay is an excellent reminder to those critics and a call to action.

   The other essays are interesting and useful, as well. The interview with Frank Gehry seems a bit brief, and perhaps Karal Ann Marling takes too much center stage in the interview (as with the entire book). Still, this book opens the door for an appreciative examination of Disney and one that embraces Disney by attempting a "thick description" of its materiality and appeal. This book will not provide an exhaustive look at Disney's theme parks but it will offer the interested reader materials with which to look at Disney's parks in a new way.

5 comments about Home Design in an Aging World.

1. Rosenfeld and Chapman do an excellent job describing the impact of an aging population on Brazil. Their discussion of the Brazilian response to aging is fascinating and critical to understanding Brazilian society. As someone who is not a gerontologist or a sociologist, I think that this book is nonetheless essential reading for anyone who is interested in understanding Brazil or the other countries discussed in the book. Home Design in an Aging World is both accessible and essential reading.



2. ".....Rosenfeld and Chapman have said something new about senior housing. They show us what we can learn from other cultures. Even before I read this book, I had an idea that the world's population was aging. But the great thing about this book is that it shows us how other cultures are dealing with the need to house older people.
   Who would have thought that the Japanese are exploring robotics as a way of improving senior-care? Or that intergenerational housing is so popular in Sweden? Home Design in an Aging World told me this, and more."



3. I picked this book up for three reasons. One, I'm an architect. Two, I have aging parents. Three, it had a nice cover. This book is a great place to look at how different cultures throughout the world take care of their elderly. If you are a designer or architect is an extremely helpful book for looking at spaces both private and public. If you are the child of an elderly parent this book will probably open up all sorts of possibilities you never thought of before. Again, it's a great resource.



4. Moving beyond the age of elder care as a byproduct of the family unit, Home Design in an Aging World looks at the immediate crisis of the aging of large populations, and the implications of a paradigm shift on environmental psychology and architecture. Through geographical case studies, the book explores the possibilities of architectural innovation for this sociological planning challenge.



5. This fascinating book observes how elder care and architecture come together throughout different parts of the world to address the issue of an increasingly aged culture, as seniors everywhere are living longer, and often require a modified space. Structural design and style lend an intriguing look through which the authors explore assisted living facilities throughout Asia, Europe, and the U.S., discussing construction, function, and the challenge of assimilating the young, old, and everyone in between for the sake of family and community. Beyond the scholarly intent and forum for the design set, the book is a must-read for anyone whose life is shared by a friend or family member currently negotiating the `golden years.'

1 comments about Power in Buildings.

1. This is an amazing compilation of drawings and written ideas from a truly visionary American architect, one considered to be among the 'inventors' of the skyscraper. Ferris was a prime force in realizing the vision of the 20th century metropolis which defined the idealism and unprecedented scale of the great American cities. This book is also a wonderful reminder, in this age of digital imagery and 3D visualization tools, of what power and beauty can be conveyed through the traditional medium of pencil and graphite. Ferris was a brilliant draughtsman and his rendering style unusually dramatic compared to most architectural renderings of his time.

2 comments about Introduction to Landscape Design, 2nd Edition.

1. "Introduction to Landscape Design" is a very comprehensive, theoretical and philosophical introduction to Landscape Design. It is composed of 4 parts (concepts and overview, design influences, contemporary application, and the future) including 17 chapters. It covers a number of subjects such as landscape meaning (method of study, meanings, axioms for reading the landscape, and landscape interpretation), people, attitudes and perception, education and design thinking, landscape process, available resources and technology, sensual and temporal aspects of perception, visual arts, geometry and circulation as ordering mechanism, spatial development, architecture and site development, placemaking and community building, professional practice, site design as problem solving, an ecology of design and landscape design education.
   
   JOHN L. MOTLOCH, PhD, ASLA, is very knowledgeable. He is a licensed landscape architect, architect, and interior designer, and Professor and Chair of the Department of Landscape Architecture in the College of Architecture and Planning at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, and Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Maximum Potential Building Systems in Austin, Texas. He is able to give a very comprehensive discussion on landscape design as a synergism of art and science, and the interplay between buildings and sites. He also discusses aesthetic, human, environmental, and technological issues associated with landscape design and various forces that influence land design.
   
   "Introduction to Landscape Design" has 352 pages and many line drawings and interior black-and-white photos. It is a very comprehensive, theoretical and philosophical introduction to Landscape Design.



2. This book is an excellent introduction to the practical aspects of landscape design. After every chapter, the student can find an extensive bibliography for further study or reference. All concepts are clearly explained, especially spatial perception and projects. If you are looking for a one-in-all book, this is it. However, do not expect it to say much about the history of landscape design. This is a practical book only, but first quality!!!

4 comments about The Four Books on Architecture.

1. I'would recommend this book to anybody who's searching for something real classical architectural mold or old type building design! #1



2. One of the most celebrated and influential of architectural texts has been republished in a highly readable version by Robert Tavernor and Richard Schofield (the first new English translation since 1738!) with facsimiles of Palladio's woodcuts, correctly placed in the text. It makes a wonderful introduction to the timeless principles of architecture and to Palladio's dazzling oeuvre. How agreeable it would be to browse this classic in the shade of the Villa Rotunda on a hot summer afternoon. (Michael Webb is the book reviewer for LA Architect magazine.)



3. Palladio was not the first to publish a book illustrating principles of classical architecture but he was the most convincing. Palladio's finely detailed, measured wood cut illustration --reproduced at a slightly smaller scale in this translation--, made the long lost principles of Roman architecture and construction easy to understand.

   In his Four Books of Architecture of 1570, Andrea Palladio balanced illustrations of ancient Roman construction, that he had drawn from observing ruins, with brief, straightforward practical interpretations of historical descriptions of Roman architectural design and construction from Vitruvius's First Century BC Treatise on Roman And Greek architecture, which had been found a century before in a Swiss monastery. To this treatise on Roman architecture, Palladio added examples of his own imaginative designs to demonstrate how ancient principles of engineering, planning, construction and decoration could enhance public and private buildings of his day.

   Palladio's successful Four Books were published and translated many times. They became one of the most cited references for architects in the West, where they dominated architectural studies until academic training for architects became standard in the 19th century. Variations on Palladio's designs are everywhere. Thomas Jefferson's house, Montecello, is one of the best known examples in the U.S.. Jefferson owned a copy of Palladio's 1570 edition of the Four Books.

   Robert Tavernor and Richard Schofield's well written, carefully annotated scholarly, 1997 translation of Palladio's Four Books --the first new English translation since 1738-- from MIT Press is a pleasure to read for what it reveals much about both great principles and fine detail of classical design and construction practices. The text explains how Palladio organized rooms in urban palaces as well as how he arranged living, storage and work areas in his rural villas to take advantage of the climate. Practical details about construction include building foundations, sizing windows, designing classical columns as well as instructions for to selecting and harvesting timber: Cut trees only in the fall after the sap has run out. Cure the lumber, covered with excrement, under a shelter for two years to prevent rot.

   The text also details how to quarry, cut and set stone --always in place--, how to prepare cement, mortar and concrete and how to build masonry formed concrete walls, as the Romans did. The reinforced masonry used today is the same in principle as Roman walls. We have merely modified the pratice in this century with larger hollow bricks, Portland cement and steel reinforcing.

   It's not possible to understand Roman and modern architectural history in the West or building technology with without studying Palladio. Original editions of Palladio's 1570 book are available in a few rare book libraries. Occasionally a copy turns up in rare book auctions. Robert Tavernor's new English translation of the Four Books makes Palladio accessible to modern English readers.




4. This is one of the most important of architectural manuals. Palladio's influence was enormous; one magnificent example of American Palladianism is Thomas Jefferson's University of Virginia Library; others can be found in the work of Philip Johnson. The design of The Four Books of Architecture is one of the reasons for this success. Drawings and plans fill the page, comments are sparing, invitations to use the eye and imagination as well as practical instructions. In this respect Palladio's book resembles that of the equally influential, equally visionary Paul Klee in his Pedagogical Sketchbooks. Seeing so much of his influence in public buildings, it is hard not to find the original sourcebook refreshing. I'd suggest looking through it alongside a general survey of the buildings themselves, like translator Robert Tavernor's Palladio and Palladianism (in Thames and Hudson's World of Art series). Tavernor has done his job very well. The english translation is neither anachronistic nor colloquial, but as lucid as the original. The book's designers have really done brilliantly in finding the most suitable typefaces to match Palladio's original woodcuts and in choosing a size and format, down to the weight and colour of the paper, that makes these ideas handsome and vivid now. An exemplary edition. Richard Bernas.

5 comments about Lake|Flato: Buildings & Landscapes.

1. The pictures, layout, descriptions and forward (by Glenn Murcutt) are all fantastic, I love this firm! Great book



2. Great book for every architect that likes contemporary architecture that is warm, inviting, and sensitive to the site



3. Although I appreciate the architecture, I am very inspired by the site work included in their projects. The tight connections between indoors and out, and the sustainable approach to the site interventions - whether planting, hardscape, structures - all inspire my work. Great book!



4. A remarkable volume on much more than architecture. The works of Lake Flato teach us that mankind can grace the environment when so many are bent on destroying it.



5. This book chronicles the work of the 2004 AIA Firm of the Year. It displays some the best work of a firm that has won numerous awards for a body of outstanding work that include some of the best examples of venecular architecture built in recent years. The forward by Pritzker Price Laureate Glenn Murcutt explains the reason this firm's work is so relevant. The introduction by Thomas Fisher provides insight into work that stands out for its clarity of meaning and use of sustainable materials. The photography and layout are equal to the high quality of the projects presented. Overall an outstanding book that is well written and photographed, capturing the work of an outstanding architectural fitm that has a lot to teach any practicing or even interested in architecture.

4 comments about Chinese Houses: The Architectural Heritage of a Nation.

1. I can't imagine there being a better book out there on Chinese houses as this book has history and expert photographs. What's more it also has well-drawn sections and plans. Most books on this subject will use old diagrams or ancient drawings that are a hassle to decipher. Here the diagrams are purpose-drawn, clean, and add a great deal to the understanding. About a third is dedicated to a general history of the form, construction methods, social life, and geographical variety; and about two-thirds to about 8 pages each on specific houses. Just enough info on each.
   
   The one gripe I would have is that, in the part of the book where he gives a general introduction of the elements and history of Chinese houses, he uses photos from the twenty or so houses that he discusses individually. It would have given a bit more breadth (and reduced a bit of redundancy later on) if he had used that opportunity for photos of houses that were not given an individual focus.



2. The amount of detail and research that's in this book is astounding. This is not another coffee table picture book. Its filled with beautiful pictures, and an equal amount of readable, scholarly writing about a culture thats slowly getting lost to the west.
   
   Get it!



3. This book exceeded my expectations. It has informative text and abundant photographs including many vintage images. For anyone interested in Chinese architecture, this is the book for you.



4. China has seen many social, political and economic changes over the centuries, yet surprisingly, has managed to preserve excellent examples of changing architectural home styles throughout these years, as Chinese Houses: The Architectural Heritage Of A Nation presents. Packed with color photos of both interior and exterior décor, Chinese Houses also presents an in-depth survey of the rituals, culture, ornamentation influences, and floor plans of homes across China, from urban to rural dwellings. If it's a strong in-depth history of Chinese home architecture which is desired, look no further than the gorgeous Chinese Houses: it's much more than the coffee table picturebook it appears a first glance.

5 comments about American Country Building Design: Rediscovered Plans for 19th-Century Farmhouses, Cottages, Landscapes, Barns, Carriage Houses & Outbuildings.

1. If you have an interest in house plans from times gone by (perhaps you'd like to build a modern home with old plans to get that special quality that only old fashioned houses possess) this book is a great resource. I have read the majority of the victorian era (1840-1900) house plan books which are available (Bicknell's Victorian Buildings, etc) and found the plans in those other books to be so fanciful and so devoid of useful details (i.e. dimensions, materials lists, etc) that they were of no use except as inspiration. This book still does not offer the level of detail that you would need to build a modern home from the old plans, but the plans it provides are more practical and were created by everyday folks who wanted to build a comfortable, smoothly-functioning home that still possessed style and grace. If you are looking for the reason why old homes seem so comfortable, this book will provide the practical explanations of why those old designs still work today (i.e. hallways centrally located provide efficiency and ventilation). This book is a good buy.



2. There was a nice range of different types and styles of buildings, but VERY sketchy information. Just wasn't quite what I was looking for.



3. This is a cool book. My wife and I are buying a 10 acre farmette with an abandoned 1880's style farmhouse, that believe me is in very rough condition. We are planning to renovate the house and construct an additional second story/wing.
   
   This book compiles many different architectural floor plans from the early to mid 1800s. By reading this book, we have a better appreciation for why the house was designed the way it is. For example, the small room off the kitchen on the main floor we determined was actually a "birthing" room (or nursery). Most of the bedrooms were upstairs but this room was on the main floor not only for easy access during the day, but also for warmth (the kitchen generally being the warmest room in the house). You will also note as you peruse through the various plans that room layout was constrained by the need to have access to the chimney/fireplace in selected rooms.
   
   It makes truly fascinating reading. There are several narrative descriptions of the room layouts as they were published in the mid-1800s, giving the viewpoint of the layout in terms of life in that era. One thing that could improve the book is additional narrative for some of the plans from their original published magazines (and why I give it only 4 stars).
   
   Our house did not have a bathroom when it was built, and most of the floor plans in this book do not either. This is not a book for those who are looking for a "new" plan that has an "old" look to it. Most of these plans would just not work well in this day and age (who needs the dairy table room and the ice house off the kitchen anymore?). But it may give you ideas on how rooms were traditionally laid out more than 100 years ago. It is more of a "fun" book than a "working" book, but for our purposes, as we delve into our restoration, it really makes enjoyable reading as it gives a window on architectural design at the turn of the century.



4. I was very disappointed in this book. Ever since I learned that the house I grew up in was built in 1752, I've been fascinated with early American architecture, particularly old farmhouses, outbuildings and barns. I was hoping to discover the original floorplans for some of these sprawling farmsteads I've seen through the northeast and midwest. None of the houses included in this book look like any of the farmhouses I've seen. What about the huge two-story farmhouses meant to hold the dozen or so children farm families had in order to work the farm? Most had a large central hall at the entrance with a large staircase. Some had the kitchen in an ell so the whole house wouldn't be heated by the wood cook stove in the summer, or even had a separate summer kitchen. There is no mention of saltboxes or sprawling capecods with the sheds that connected to the barn. Plus every barn shown has the animals housed on a floor below ground level! Most of the old barns I've seen house the animals on the main level and have a loft for the hay. If you're looking for original floorplans of old houses you're familiar with, look elsewhere!



5. This was exactly what I was searching for....a history lesson on how to properly plan a site for a home with ancillary buildings on anything over an acre.

3 comments about The Old Barn Book: A Field Guide to North American Barns and Other Farm Structures.

1. This field guide has what I consider to be soso black and white photos and drawings of each type of barn and supporting structures. If you are looking for accurate information on a style of barn and where it may be located this is the book for you. I would perfer better quality photo's and some color. Rather boring presentation!



2. For what I wanted the book for it is a fantastic resourse. I build model barns and covered bridges. This book has not only given me new ideas but also a history behind them. Love the book.



3. While the book presents numerous types of agricultural buildings from all over the U.S., it doesn't go into any sort of detail about any of them, making it of limited reference use.

No comments about Growing Smarter: Achieving Livable Communities, Environmental Justice, and Regional Equity (Urban and Industrial Environments).