5 comments about How Buildings Work: The Natural Order of Architecture.

1. The underlying premise of this book is that architecture is an imitation and application of the principles of nature. To build is not merely to impose our will on nature. It is to cooperate with nature.
   
   Shelter is a natural human need. Building is the art of meeting that need. It does so, according to Allen, by following the example of nature herself and applying her principles. An organic analogy runs through the book. Buildings live and breathe. A building, like a human body, is matter so arranged that it interacts dynamically with its environment and thus perpetuates the arrangement. Buildings, however, are highly dependent on human beings, whom they serve. The parts of buildings, e.g., the roofs, walls, windows and mechanical systems must work together with the other parts in such a way as to "survive" but most importantly to provide optimal human shelter. Buildings that outlive their usefulness "die."
   
   My favorite passage from the book is a section entitled "People as the Measure" (pp. 169-171). Drawing on his extensive knowledge of the history of architecture, Allen explains how "people literally became the measure of buildings." For example, the brick... was standardized in medieval times within a range of sizes and weights that could be easily manipulated by the left hand of the mason, leaving the right hand free to operate the trowel." Allen cautions against bulk materials manipulated by machines instead of people: "[T]he finished product will not automatically display the human-scale texture that hand-sized components have and that occupants often subconsciously identify with."
   
   This book was very educational for me, a Ph.D. in philosophy who has left academia to help run a construction business. I highly recommend it to new students of architecture or engineering or anyone who has amateur interest in those fields.



2. This is a book on how buildings are designed. It's not a book on how to design a building, that's the architect's job. It's a book on what the architect is going to do to design the building you want.
   
   The book contains hundreds of line drawings on the components of a building. This is how a wall is built, this is how heat circles around a room, this is how a truss structure holds up the roof, this is how electric power is brought into the house and distributed.
   
   This is not a book on how to design a house, you can put the bedrooms anywhere you want, you can have as many bathrooms as you want. This is the basic design of how the building does its job of providing the walls that make up the bathroom, keep it warm/cool, with water inside but kept where you want it.
   
   I consider this book to be interesting to anyone interested in the subject. I consider this book to be mandatory reading for anyone even thinking about building a house or having one built.



3. I approach this book as someone who likes to walk around old neighborhoods and look at houses. I have collected architectural field guides for years and I can identify most building styles. However, I had little idea how buildings worked.
   
   This book was enjoyable because the writing style was simple and straight to the point. One does not need a technical background to get a lot out of the book. Edward Allen's skillful line illustrations also add a great deal. If I could not understand the technical description, the simple illustration helped me with the underlying principle.
   
   To give you an example of why this book is helpful to a non-specialist. I have heard of septic systems my entire life. However, I had no idea how they worked. With the help of very clear illustrations and straight forward writing, this mystery has been solved. This book is a great introduction to all those interested in architecture. Highly recommended.



4. HOW BUILDINGS WORK is just a great book, even more interesting than Macaulay's THE WAY THINGS WORK. Buildings are everywhere, and most everyone uses buildings of various kinds for various purposes. Yet how a building works is often a mystery. In this way, I think buildings are much like computers; most people who use them have no clue about the inner workings of them.

   Edward Allen takes us through the functions of a building without going into traditional architectural theory. This book is more concerned with the needs that buildings must fulfill, and how we can fulfull them. He discusses water, waste, heat, ventilation, lighting, accoustics, energy, structure, and more, first by explaining each particular concept, and then by examining how problems can be solved with the knowledge of those concepts.

   While this isn't a book on theory, neither is it a wholly practical book. That is, it won't equip you with the skills to go and build a house. But it will open your eyes to the various elements of buildings and building construction and you may think "Aha!" the next time you look at a building and observe a strange structural or design detail. You don't have to be an architecture freak to enjoy the book either. You just need to be curious.




5. I practice and teach architecture. This is the best book I have ever found for communicating material essential for the study of building science and architecture. The presentation style is frendly and informative. The knowledge of the subject displayed by Edward Allen is superb. I am a unashamed book-a-holic, if I could only take one book to the proverbial desert island - How Buildings Work would be it.

2 comments about Donald Judd: Architecture in Marfa, Texas.

1. I'm naturally biased about this book because I was lucky enough to have Urs Peter Fluckiger (Upe) as a professor at Texas Tech University. In fact, he was the first person to introduce me and my fellow classmates to Donald Judd in a freshman class called Design Environment and Society. I had the opportunity to hear Upe talk personally about Donald Judd and his influence in the field of Architecture.
   
   When I bought this book, I was eager to see how well Upe's enthusiasm and passion about Donald Judd's work and philosophies would shine through. I was very satisfied then when the book arrived. The picture of the book's cover on Amazon doesn't do it justice. It's a very beautiful book with a great feel to it. Inside are wonderful drawings depicting everything including site plans, both of Marfa, showing where all of Donald Judd's projects are, and of the individual projects themselves. Each building is shown in plan, elevation, and section; giving the reader a great understanding of all Judd's completed works.
   
   Along side the drawings are beautiful photographs; some of which show the building's lives before Judd's touch was applied to them. The photos do a great job of documenting Judd's lifelong work and come very close to capturing what it's like to see the works in person.
   
   Most importantly though is Upe's commentary. His words give the reader a good basic knowledge of what brought Judd to Marfa and why Judd's legacy should include his architectural abilities along side his artistic methodologies and curating beliefs. Both in German and English.
   
   If I had one criticism of this book, it's that the book lacks more personally touches by Upe. From first hand experience, Professor Fluckiger has so many beautiful sketches, stories and memories involving Donald Judd and Marfa, TX. I'm sure he was tempted to include some little tidbits here and there, but decided against it. It would detract from the main subject at hand.
   
   I wonder if Donald Judd would like this book? I really think he would. I never met the man, and certainly couldn't speak for him, but if I was an influential, minimalist, creative spirit who laid eyes on Marfa, TX and thought it was the perfect place to permanently present my architectural and sculptural work...I would be proud if this book was made about me and my work.



2. This book is a great resource. The photo documentation is very extensive for each project. Its also nice to have all the plans, sections, and elevations. Flueckiger did a great job. A must have for any architect or student interested in the work of Donald Judd.

5 comments about Provencal Escapes: Inspirational Homes In Provence And The Cote D'azur.

1. i bought this book a year ago and have probably looked through it 25 times. i subscribe to so many home decor magazines and buy the others at the stores. i have loads of books on this style of decor and am often disappointed when i look at said books and magazines to find they seem all too styled and not lived in. maybe its just me and i love a little old with the new and a little time worn with the shiny....but the rooms in this book look as if people actually live in them and therefore to ME it is the quintessential french country look book. you want to know how these people live?? this is it to be sure.



2. This book has given me many ideas for my own provencal escape in the country and takes me to a place in my mind that makes me feel calm.
   This is a special book.



3. A nice inspiration source for charming, rustic country french design. I wanted more out of the book though - perhaps photos of full rooms rather than vignettes of tables and kitchen counters. It makes it hard to get a sense of design style without a full room effect in my opinion. The book does ooze charm and if you have other books on this style and just want a little extra something this would be ok. If however you really need a good book to learn all about french country style I would not suggest this one.



4. This book oozes with charm! The homes featured in this book are very old and beautifully brought back to life by its owners while respecting the history and integrity of these buildings. The title "Provencal Escapes" is appropriate since this book lets you escape into a dreamy and ancient world of Provence. The photos are gorgeous and you feel that you are actually walking through some of these homes. This book is a must for any fan of Provence or just of beautiful escapes. I highly recommend it!



5. This magnificant book consists of photographic studies of some 22 homes in the Provence and Cote d'Azur regions of France. These homes are primarily older (as much as 300 years) that have been seriously redecorated to make them into jewels of plesant styling.
   
   For the most part, the redecoration of the homes has been to retain (or return to) the styling of the time they were built. Magnificant old beams show off well with modern appliances and decorations. The traditional outside of the houses hides the modern interiors. The original builders could not have imagined things we take for granted such as electricity that now has been fitted into their houses.
   
   Redoing an old house is easily as expensive as modern construction, so these houses have not been done for cost savings but for other reasons like living in a part of history.
   
   While this book concentrates on this region of France, many of the techniques used in these houses could well be applied to houses in the United States where old houses be they farm or city center can be made into something unique and wonderful.

5 comments about Crossing Boundaries: A Global Vision of Design.

1. This book lacks consistency, and although the pictures might be technically good, the interiors design itself has little to do with the story the author is tryng to sell to us: that he has seen certain things in his 'exciting and sophisticated'journey that inspired him to create special interiors. What we get instead is a twisted, dated, unrespectful and pasteurized concept of what other cultures could give us in our every day living. Please, don't buy it.



2. My wife and I plan to remodel, and bought this book for inspiration and design concepts. We ended up quite disappointed.
   
   The book has 5 chapters organized around 5 places that Mr. Wolf traveled to. Each chapter consists of two parts: travel log and design. Both parts show many colorful photographs, some of them quite beautiful. In general, the travel log part has more pages then the design part. For example, in Madagascar Scale chapter, travel log has about 24 pages vs. 18 pages for design. The pictures are even more lopsided towards the travel part. Often the relationship between the design and place seems rather superficial or contrived like a blue/yellow color scheme that is somewhat similar to an umbrella on a photograph or a light color bedroom inspired by a misty landscape. Also, Mr Wolf's design schemes are not as varied as you would expect if they were inspired from all over the world. Most of them use very similar style furniture and color schemes.
   
   Worse still is that the book does not present design concepts in any systematic fashion. It does not say much about the places that Mr. Wolf designed, what were the challenges, or how different rooms fit together. There is not a single floor plan in the whole book, and rarely it shows the same room from different angles to give the reader a feel how things fit together.
   
   Conclusion: If you are looking for a travel diary with pretty pictures, this book might be for you. If you are looking for design ideas that are of practical use, stay away. You might consider Kelly Hoppen's book ``Home'' instead. We bought it together with this one and found it packed with useful interior design concepts and really helped us to think through all the elements of designing a house or apartment.



3. I regret that i have bought this book! It does not show anything special and the objetcive of the author of showing misery people and then show glamorous spaces is a shame!!!!



4. This book with it's exciting interior pictures captures interior design at it's best. Mr Wolf's incorpration of ethnic items makes these interiors personal and interesting. His use of color and his inclusion of Benjamin Moore color numbers is a nice feature. I very much like this book and his style. I am an interior designer also and I'm not easily impressed by most other designers work.



5. mr wolf in his travels search for inspirations in the most unusual places: ethiopia, burma, syria - most of times acquiring local handcrafted items which he will use in his decorations. Although his palette is a bit neutral, with pastel colors most of times, his interiors are extremely beautiful, with subdued elegance and charm. Interesting is how he manages to mix the objects from his travels, with modern furniture, mirrors in abondance and white walls.

1 comments about Great Houses of New England.

1. My wife received it as a gift and is enormously happy. What more can I say?

No comments about How to Work with an Interior Designer.

No comments about Topologies: The Urban Utopia in France, 1960-1970.

No comments about The Study of Architectural Design.

5 comments about Renzo Piano Building Workshop - Volume 1 (Renzo Piano Building Workshop).

1. As much as I like Renzo Piano's works, he can learn something from Norman Foster to properly produce his set of books. These 4 editions are nice size (not heavy like Foster's) so you can bring to your job site or office if you want to show some examples. However, each building is not well documented. the plans have no measurements or too small to read, no scale, and the details are not complete enough. Simply, there are no coherent base of each buildings. Furthermore, the different editions sometimes cover the same building (ex.edition 3 covers Kansai Airport (perhaps too much), but it is also covered in edition 2.
   
   Edition 2 seems to be a compilation of his works from the 80's but it is very difficult to figure out what exactly this book want to focus on. I recommend that Renzo Piano redo this whole editions of which he deserves.



2. As a set this is a great achievement. The books are wonderfully produced with glorious photography, lots of drawings and sketches (both of larger structures and details), stylish typography and a clear, rhythmic page layout. It's a genuine feast to the eye. However, I was slightly disappointed by the first volume's first section, in which Buchanan sets the scene for all that is to follow by providing us some conceptual and genealogical background on Piano's art. Buchanan's lead essay is repetitive, diffuse, conceptually thin and strays too far from the substance of Piano's architectural practice. The section on the 'spirit of the workshop' is really a missed opportunity: instead of a detailed picture of the collaborative dynamics in this complex environment, we get a rather glossy account of Piano's role of 'scout, actor and editor' in the design process. The pages on 'early influences' again are rather sketchy, with brief references to a series of mentors and to the role of the Genuese cityscape on Piano's mental map. From then on the book takes wing: I was grateful for the inclusion of the work in the early Studio Piano, the Piano & Rogers venture (Pompidou Centre) and particularly of the fancyful, but fascinating experiments in the Piano and Rice period. It gives us an idea of the rather exploratory journey Piano had behind him by the time the Building Workshop was established (he was 44 then). Volume I then goes on to document the early years of the workshop. Generally this represents an inconspicuous beginning: we see a lot of fine craftsmanship but there is relatively little that takes your breath away in terms of architectural vision. Compared to the later designs, we see a modesty that is approachable, refreshing and invites careful study. With its mix of full page photographs and thumbnail pictures, sketches and plans, colours and greytones the book never tires. And this applies to the whole series. A laudable example of serious and effective book design! As a whole I have no reservations in recommending this set to anyone remotely interested in contemporary architecture.



3. ...This book along with the previous volume are Fabulous!. Great photo's/details/extensive information about each and every project. Bravo Peter on a great series. Volume 3, is a bit iffy. Even though it continues with the tradition of the other Volumes, it devotes approx half the book towards the kansai airport (which im not particularly fond of). Volume 4 is on the list, those of you in OZ already know about Auora Apartments, an apartment building designed as only the Piano Workshop know how. I'm glad the Piano virus has made its way to Down Under.....Lets just hope its catching! - Check it out.



4. What else would you expect.....a book full of fabulous buildings/details and information bound to inspire ANY student or architect. If your not inspired don't mention your name along with architecture in the same sentence. Truely a GREAT MASTER of the 20th and 21st Centuries.



5. When we talk about prices we should have in consideration that this is a high quality book for a little price, i think is really cheap. Advice: if you like Renzo Piano recent work, just buy it!

5 comments about The Cob Builders Handbook: You Can Hand-Sculpt Your Own Home.

1. I found this book invaluable. With it's simply put illustrations and descriptive nature. It's a simplified context that compliments "The Hand Sculpted House" wonderfully! Between these two books and a little research on site and with consideration to additional components of the structure to be erected, I feel confident that even a novice builder (with proper planning and a little guidance from some pro's) could complete a humble starter home of their own. I only speak from my little (16 years as a builder) experience with completing homes. *never built one like this till now* With another couple years of planning and designing, hopefully mine will be completed.



2. This book will give you some great building ideas for your home, especially for simple outdoor structures.



3. This book will definitely get your gears turning if you have a love of building. It is simply written with descent illustration. This style of building isn't a difficult concept. However, it is a different concept that I found very intersting. A great book for smaller outdoor projects such as pavillions or outdoor cooking areas.



4. I completely enjoyed this book, it is informative, practical, and consistently puts forth the message that ANYONE can build a home. I bought some acreage and have started my own. When I get overwhelmed, I reread this book, step back, and break it down into smaller steps. One of the easiest, most encouraging books I've read on any subject, and the best of the dozen books I've read on this subject.



5. This book is a fantastic resource, and full of practical tips on building with Cob in general, as well as site preparation, drainage considerations, roofing.
   
   Definitely something to add to your alterative building methods resource collection.