5 comments about 50 Favorite Rooms By Frank Lloyd Wright.

1. A very natural companion book to 50 Favorite Houses by FLW by the same author. I think I prefer this one. It's not often I see photos of the interior of the Marin County Civic Center though there's just one. Despite there being 22 different photographers or souces for photos, they're all credited for 1998, the year the book was printed. This could explain why almost every interior shot appears to have, as much as possible, the same camera angle, that is, to include the ceiling and floors. It gives a feeling of first walking into a room. For some reason I like this book a little better than the 50 Favorite Houses one. Not sure why, maybe it's the rich natural wood colors of his interiors while all the homes in the other book are not as dramatic in color and bright detail as these rooms are. Both are worth having if you can get them at less than full price, which, thankfully, is one of the great strengths of this site. The author does a nice job with her medium sized column of information that is on the facing page of each entry. I'm always a happy FLW big color photo book owner when the book has every single photo (except one of FLW) take up the entire page and maybe half of them also covering a third of the facing page. That's what I want in such books, big color photos of his work taking up as much of the page as possible. Worth it owning this lovely book. chrisbct@hotmail.com



2. This book is great either if you are wanting infornmation on Frank Lloyd Wright, his personal life or the works of art he created. It gives examples of his personal choices and styles. Each page includes a full page color picture of one of the rooms he designed.
   It also is a good book if you are just looking for examples of interior design or aritechture. It has unique pieces and will give you great ideas!



3. The first thing that struck me about this book is how well put-together it is. In "50 Favorite Rooms by Frank Lloyd Wright," Diane Maddex (listed in the credits as "Project Director") has crafted a book that is clean, simple and elegant in its presentation of the architect's trademark design of personal living spaces.

   If you've visited more than a few of Frank Lloyd Wright's creations, chances are they won't all be represented here. He completed hundreds of homes and buildings, which means that this book could have been entitled "250 Favorite Rooms ..." and it still would have been too thin. What you do find are superb photos which are amazingly successful in capturing the perspective and harmony of lines, space, furniture, ornamentation and even lighting. My favorite views are inside the homes, but the public spaces are interesting also. You don't have to be an architect to appreciate the mastery in Mr. Wright's designs.

   The chapters are grouped by room type (e.g., living rooms, dining rooms), with each of the pictures taking up AT LEAST one full page, and supported by 20-30 lines of text describing key design aspects of the room. The photos are of the highest quality in terms of exposure, lighting and balance. In some cases, the vantage point allows for a look beyond the windows to the surrounding landscape or greenery. A nice touch, indeed. In short, if you're looking for the definitive image of a room, you'll find a bunch of them right here.

   If Mr. Wright had designed a book, I think this is what he'd have come up with. I give this my highest recommendation.




4. Most of the 5,000 plus wonderful rooms designed by Frank Lloyd Wright are not open to the public. This book gives you a chance to go where you often cannot go in any other way to see 50 of the best.

   Unlike most architects, Mr. Wright designed in such a way that "the rooms inside would dictate the architecture outside." Even inside, he designed all elements of the room, including floor and wall coverings, art glass in many cases, lighting fixtures, furniture, and where everything should be located. He also specified that those who used the rooms should be limited to bringing in only certain types of objects, and for certain locations. For example, ornamental china was allowed on one ledge of the dining room in Robie House.

   I have had the chance to visit many Wright homes and buildings, yet this book greatly expanded my understanding of his work.

   Mr. Wright was primarily a home architect, and "the living room was the heart of the home" for him. He would use built-in benches to encourage reading, fireplaces for conversation, windows with designs to inspire contemplation, tables for informal dining and card playing, and views of nature for living more organically.

   Clearly, it would be hard to outdo a Wright living room, and most of the best examples of his work in this book are living rooms. I thought the best ones were in the home and studio in Oak Park, Dana-Thomas House, Robie House, May House, Little House, Fallingwater, Taliesin West, Wingspread, Cedar Rock, R.L. Wright House, and Rayward House.

   I liked his dining rooms best in the home and studio in Oak Park, Dana-Thomas House, Robie House, May House, and Boynton House.

   For nooks and crannies, I liked the Oak Park studio library, and the Storer House Terrace.

   Of the public spaces, my favorites were the Unity Temple Sanctuary, Coonley Playhouse, the Guggenheim Museum atrium, and the Marin County Center skylit atrium under the barrel vault.

   If you ever have a chance to see any of these, be sure you take advantage of it! Robie House is now being rebuilt in Hyde Park, Illinois, but is open for tours. Final restoration is expected to be done in 2007. The Oak Park home and studio are open every day. Taliesin West is open most days. Fallingwater has an extensive schedule of being open. Unity Temple, the Guggenheim, and Marin County Center are usually open.

   After you examine these wonderful living spaces, think about how your life would be improved in such more natural surroundings. How can you make where you live closer to his ideal?

   Look for the most natural way to be with others!




5. This book touches me in many ways. First, it brings memories of childhood, with the illusions of art full in my mind. I have always loved art and buildings and when in Sr. High School, I had the opportunity to visit one of Mr. Wright's creations, I was in awe at the sight of it. It was in Falling Water, PA. When you have the opportunity to walk into one of these homes, not houses; it is like you feel the presence of the man who designed it, not just a building. Looking at the pages in this book is as close to walking in one of the luxurious rooms as a person can get without actually physically being there. Frank Lloyd Wright truly is an Eternal Artist. His book is lively and full of feeling, as well as detailed artwork that comes from the love of designing itself. I could go on for a long time about his works, but I will leave a little to the imagination now. If you haven't already seen or looked at one of his creations, I suggest that you at least buy one of the many wonderful books about them. You will be delightfully pleased for years to come.

3 comments about Architecture ANIMALS (Preservation Press).

1. As an architect, I enjoy giving these books as gifts because they are different from your run of the mill children's books. I like how they use building pieces to teach about basic shapes and colors. It is not a book that highlights popular or historic architecture - its more about the components.
   
   I like the prose in this book in particular. Cute poems.



2. Along with Crosbie's Architecture, Colors, this is a cleverly conceived book very well executed. Good for very young toddlers, still enjoyed by my 3-year-old grandson.



3. I've been reading this book to my son since he was about 9 months. It's a great alternative to some of the more conventional books about animals. The rhymes are pleasant and encourages participation by the child as he learns to talk.

1 comments about Vernacular Architecture (Material Culture).

1. This book works very well as an introduction to vernacular architecture. It does, indeed, offer a leisurely stroll through the scholarship on vernacular architecture by demonstrating ways to read buildings in relation to American history. The approach works very well as a way to train one's eye to look at buildings, and the focus provides good ways to connect the various elements of design to wider issues about social history and cultural change -- and continuity. It's also a beautiful book to read. I especially like the way that the photographs are integrated into the text. This type of layout takes a great deal of planning, and the illustrations really support and embellish the writing. There are numerous comparisons to show how American buildings are related to various styles in England, Ireland, Turkey, Bangladesh, and various and sundry places around the world. These comparisions are designed more to illuminate an understanding of American architectural forms and to show origins of various styles rather than to provide an in-depth understanding of global history. The overall method, however, can be applied to learning about buildings in any-place.

1 comments about Precedents in Architecture: Analytic Diagrams, Formative Ideas, and Partis.

1. this is a good reference book when diagraming a structure. It has many examples and we work out of it frequently in studio.

5 comments about Phaidon Atlas Of Contemporary World Architecture: Travel Edition.

1. I build houses for a hobby, various types and sizes (26 total). I am an engineer.
   
   Buy the travel edition, and go to any university library for the huge atlas. I have found it at 6 so far around the country. It takes a little extra time, but hey - so does building, especially a house not well thought out :(,
   
   Currently I have a bluff lot overlooking the pacific, next to a cemetary with a ton of open space around it, in a funky town (mobile homes below???). Green is in in So Cal (LA is going green? yea right...pigs fly). I would like to put Fallingwater on the bluff..hee hee.
   
   This book rocks and has become my companion along with the Wright companion, Survey and Hogue. I am fairly proficient with Auodesk Arch. Desktop (now 2008). My dream - have all this material importable into Arch desktop for 3d orbits on a iPhone - those flying pigs :)



2. This nice little book lists some architecturally interesting building, but is missing nearly all my favorites. Listing geographically is a good idea, but I prefer online databases.



3. For those of you interested in the praticality of this as a travel companion, trust me, it works. The maps are not enough alone to find buildings in their respective cities but between knowing their general locations and addresses you can easily navigate your way to find them. I carried this book in my pocket around Europe and can say first hand that it was the best travel guide I had. A must for any Architect or student planning on traveling.



4. When the original Phaidon Atlas of Contemporary World Architecture was released in My 2004, several reviews were more enticed with the size of the tome in contrast to its contents. Frankly, I was put off by the price tag (albeit well deserved).
   
   However, the recently released Travel Edition of the tome has become one of the essential resources of my library.
   
   First, don't be put off of the fact that the softcover book is referred to as a Travel Edition as it contains a wealth of projects (subdivided by continents then countries). For each project there is a single project photo, project address, and the project architect. With each building a sentence or two states the significance of the project to 'Contemporary World Architecture' (an overly broad subject in itself).
   
   Second, there is a grand diversity to the projects profiled in the Travel Edition in terms of project types and locations. I haven't come across another book to date that offers such a variety of projects within the covers.
   
   Lastly, the Phaidon Atlas of Contemporary World Architecture Travel Edition provides project insights and narratives that are free of any bias or criticism. The lack of both is something that is rarely found in a subject as subjective as architecture, and is welcomed in this context.
   
   The Atlas suffers from a minor foreseeable problems. The book limits itself to projects that were complete as of the time when the book went to press. Any building completed during its printing or afterwards suffers the fate of being excluded from the Atlas; perhaps it/they will be included in future editions.



5. I think this is a book EVERY architect student should posses as a reference. It contains a large selection of references from all over the world. In comparison to the large version, which is rather costly for a student, this version contains brief descriptions and its a good size. I just wish there was a version on DISK!!!

5 comments about Siteless: 1001 Building Forms.

1. I am not an architect but I am fascinated by the multiple varieties of shapes in this book. I can literally dive into this imaginative world.
   The architectural context seems to give the work some kind of
   justification, which is not needed. It is a fine piece of art all by
   itself.
   It makes a good present as well, as the price is very reasonable, and can be a source of inspiration not only for architects but also for artists (I personally intend to offer it to a friend who is a wood sculptor). I think this book is an appealing work for all kinds of creative people.



2. This is a book that reflects the disease that afflicts modern architecture these days. Out of "boredom" with the field we are given a bunch of random meaningless forms which proudly state they have no relationship to site, community, or humanity. How clever. Even the genesis of form based on nature would be more interesting than this visual equivalent of navel gazing. Maybe this reflects the utter detachment from the real world that current modernist architects have attained. In an age where we, the human beings, could certainly use better visions for the built environment, we are offered some idle, ego-driven, abstract puttering. Anyone who needs this book as form-giver, shouldn't be practicing architecture, or attempting to learn it.



3. It's a very interesting little pamphlet, and amusing to flip to any page and see what's there.
   That being said, the forms don't communicate that much, and it requires an iron attention span to "read" for more than about 5 minutes.



4. The book filled with hundreds of small sketches, the title of each sketch is pretty mindless..
   It did not have the depth and sophistication one would like to explore when looking at this tiny sketches. All in black and white.
   I don't care who the author is, but to draw that many sketches, I think he owes more narrative to the readers how this 'manifestos' could define architecture.
   So, it is pretty much ideas without explanation.. that's it pretty much it.
   good thing is, the book is not expensive..But I'd not buy this book for more than 7 bucks.



5. This book makes a compelling opening written statement, laying out his process. Then what follows is a set of 3d 'parti' drawings, siteless, scaleless architectural 'units', drawn with a scrupulous knowledge of Jacob Chernikov's scrupulously minimal style. Each drawing is an intense, little HAND DRAWN architectural configuration, a pure expression of gestural thought, and the resulting wellspring of direct architectural applications they suggest will be a tempting crutch for a student. Any of these vivid diagrams can jar the architectural imagination, to scale these ideas, site them, and lay out the future of architecture. Not bad for a little book. Packs a great punch. A secret weapon if you're stuck, but maybe it could inspire you to your own path, and your own encylopedia of invention. So good you might want to avoid looking at it, if you want to feel original.

5 comments about The Complete Valley of the Kings: Tombs and Treasures of Egypt's Greatest Pharaohs (Complete).

1. I bought this for my daughter and she loved it. The pictures along with the writing made it very easy for her to understand, but not "babyish". I would heartily recommend this book for people that have a genuine interest in ancient Egypt.



2. Did you know that there are chambers in the bottom of many temples that are still 'uncharted"? Neither did I. This is a great book.



3. This is a truely comprehensive reference book of the Valley and like others in the Thames and Hudson series is a must for scholars of Ancient Egypt. Excellent!



4. Excellent book, if you are interest in ancient egypt, read this book, you'll learn a lot of interesting facts about the valley of the kings, the pharaohs, etc..



5. It is the best book on the Valley of the Kings. In it you can find not just information but a treasure, a treasure showing the magnificent treasures of ancient Egypt.

No comments about Historic Preservation Technology: A Primer.

1 comments about The Architectural History of Venice: Revised and enlarged edition.

1. Mrs. Howard not only describes "the stones" of this city , but illuminate the soul with details of great historic relevance.
   Beacuse of her I learned about the Ruskin's classic book on
   Venice and the influence of the Arabs on the West.
   This is a very good start point to explore in detail
   (with books and travel) the architectural treasures of
   this dream surounded by water.

4 comments about Ultimate Bathroom Design.

1. Hi,
   
   I Finally purchased this book from amazon.com as its 50% cheaper then where i lived Bali.Indonesia, I am one of stone and copper bathtub manufacture, this book has inspired me and give me much idea about bathroom..all the picture quality is good and the bathroom picture is sooo beautifull...I hope with this book will inspired me more and more so then I can make our bathtub quality and design better.thanks alot



2. Very thick book of photos, looks more like a text book. If you are looking for ideas to redo a very very old bathroom or creating a very modern bathroom, this book would probably help. It's not very helpful for the more traditional bathrooms that most people are utilizing today.



3. Buying this book I was looking for some ideas to decorate my bathrooms. I did not find a single one in the book. This book is for those who like minimalism.



4. These are all designer bathrooms. they are mostly (all?) european. Every bathroom is elegant. Every bathroom is different.
   
   Sourcing is very light and a lot of the work is custom ($$$), but there is a list of designer websites at the end.
   
   I'm using these ultimate books to communicate to my architects what kinds of things I want, not as a guide to which kind of kohler fixtures to buy. It's ideal for my use, less useful as a fixture buying guide.