No comments about The Architecture of the Classical Interior.

No comments about 2006 International Building Code: Code & Commentary, Volume 2 (International Building Code Commentary).

2 comments about Building with Bamboo: A Handbook.

1. If you plan to build structures with bamboo, this book is a must. It is the only one I have found that has construction details.



2. Technology is great, but sometimes building methods of native people are "better" than our scientific methods. From an engineering standpoint it was a great book but as a book for someone curious about many ways of building things I was a little disappointed.

2 comments about Le Corbusier (World of Art).

1. ISBN: 0671206923 and ISBN: 0500580049 ONLY! This mostly black & white - and comprising almost exclusively of 98 illustrations - survey of 16 major works from 1929 to 1964 on only 136 pages hardcover 10.25" x 8" (26 cm x 20 cm) was published in English in 1970 by Simon & Schuster in US (Thames & Huston, London in Masters of Modern Architecture series) following the first edition in Japan in 1967 by Bijutsu Shuppan-sha, Tokyo. An introductory part on 12 pages by Martin Pawley is followed by 98 pages with photos, hard line plans and sections. At the end of book, on several pages, there are a list of works, biographical notes, and a bibliography. Of 98 illustrations 75 are photos - 64 in B&W and 11 in color of an excellent quality, well balanced, crisp and legible by Yukio Futagawa. Like all from the Library of Contemporary Architects/Masters of MODERN Architecture series, it is very good among architectural monographs, and superior to the Masters of WORLD Architecture/Makers of Contemporary Architecture series (ISBN: 08076*), or Studio Paperback series published by Birkhauser Verlag under ISBN: 37643* (Basel)/08176* (Boston) or Artemis Verlag under ISBN: 37608* (Zurich)/18740* (London).
   CONTENTS:
   Introduction 7
   The Plates 21
   Notes on the plates 123
   Chronological list: projects and events 131
   Select bibliography 133
   Index 135



2. ISBN: 0671206923 and ISBN: 0500580049 ONLY! This mostly black & white - and comprising almost exclusively of 98 illustrations - survey of 16 major works from 1929 to 1964 on only 136 pages hardcover 10.25" x 8" (26 cm x 20 cm) was published in English in 1970 by Simon & Schuster in US (Thames & Huston, London in Masters of Modern Architecture series) following the first edition in Japan in 1967 by Bijutsu Shuppan-sha, Tokyo. An introductory part on 12 pages by Martin Pawley is followed by 98 pages with photos, hard line plans and sections. At the end of book, on several pages, there are a list of works, biographical notes, and a bibliography. Of 98 illustrations 75 are photos - 64 in B&W and 11 in color of an excellent quality, well balanced, crisp and legible by Yukio Futagawa. Like all from the Library of Contemporary Architects/Masters of MODERN Architecture series, it is very good among architectural monographs, and superior to the Masters of WORLD Architecture/Makers of Contemporary Architecture series (ISBN: 08076*), or Studio Paperback series published by Birkhauser Verlag under ISBN: 37643* (Basel)/08176* (Boston) or Artemis Verlag under ISBN: 37608* (Zurich)/18740* (London).
   CONTENTS:
   Introduction 7
   The Plates 21
   Notes on the plates 123
   Chronological list: projects and events 131
   Select bibliography 133
   Index 135

5 comments about The Alhambra (Wonders of the World).

1. Page one, paragraph one has two glaring errors. First, there are indeed figurative paintings in the Alhambra. They are painted on leather decorating the ceilings of the recesses in the Hall of Kings. Second, Columbus did not present his plan to cross the Atlantic to Ferdinand and Isabella at the Alhambra but at Santa Fe, their encampment several miles outside of Granada.
   I didn't bother to read further. This book promised to be worthless.



2. The book gives a good overview of the history of Alhambra palace and Islamic Spain. Some minor translation problems as the author try to root some of the names of the various rooms in the palace to its Arabic origin. Nonetheless, the book is well written, and is an excellent source for beginners on the Alhambra palace.



3. The good: debunks some of the myths, gives a good background to some of the names and how the appearance was radically altered by perceptions of what people thought (and what they wanted to think) represented Moorish architecture.
   
   The bad: He spends so much time explaining why this or that is not true that we almost learn about the Alhambra by what it is not. He never really gets has a together, narrative history here, which makes it difficult to get a 'grasp' on the place by just reading this book alone.
   
   Also He unfairly criticizes Irving's Tales of The Alhambra (apparently Washington Irving was at once dull, but too imaginative, prejudiced against Moors but sympathetic to Bobadil, cheering for the Spanish yet anti-Catholic - and yes Irwin contradicts himself on the same page!) while (strangely) praising movies like the 7th Voyage of Sindbad (which was filmed there). Shows a lack of understanding or depth about Orientalist Art, which doesn't stop him from talking about it.
   
   The guide he suggested to buy, available at the site and in Granada, is far better- (unfortunately not available in the US) its published by Ediciones Edilux, called "in focus' in English and available online if you google it.



4. Visiting the Alhambra is a once in a lifetime, must do event. See it first from the plaza adjacent to the little church of St. Nicholas across the valley. And when you do finally go in to the Alhambra, bring this guide.
   
   It's the sort of guide one might have had when visiting this place two hundred years ago--more Baedeker than Lonely Planet. It emphasizes the wonder of the place rather than entrance prices and opening times. Written in a narrative style that plays up the history of this magnificent palace, it is a joy to read both before and during one's visit. In fact, a careful reading of the book prior to visiting the Alhambra is bound to enhance the visit tremendously (as, after all, the Alhambra is so popular you'll be limited to a 15 to 30-minute window to make your entrance into the most stunning part of the complex, the Nasrid palace.) For that reason you'll want to know ahead of time what you'll be looking at, because once you're inside the rooms and courtyards go by in a blur--a gorgeous procession of delicate columns and sparkling fountains. If you're trying to read your guidebook for the first time in the midst of it all, you'll miss most of it. Once you are inside, you're much better off just using the book for a quick consultation as you enter each new room, gallery, or alcove.
   
   Irwin's 'Alhambra' tells you what you really need to know about this place (one of Europe's most magnificent palaces) including the unfortunate fact that much of what you will see (or are seeing) has been recreated; the presumed use of each area of the palace is at best an educated guess (and at worst, a shot in the dark). Even some of the carved inscriptions are misleading (assuming you can read medieval Arabic). As Irwin notes: "...Contreras, who knew no Arabic, rearranged them [the inscriptions] in such a way that it is no longer possible to make sense of them" (p. 47, hardbound). Regardless, there is beauty in this truth, and this book has it in spades. Your standard tourist guidebook will not confront you with such sincerity (although you'll need it for the basics mentioned above: entrance prices, opening times, etc., as Irwin is not concerned with those).
   
   The hardbound version of Irwin's 'The Alhambra' makes a great keepsake to remind you of your visit, and you can put it on your shelf next to the copy of Washington Irvings' 'Tales of the Alhambra' you picked up in the gift shop. Bottom line--if you are going to visit the Alhambra, do it right: bring this book, and read it ahead of time.



5. This little book is packed with the author's detailed opinions about the history of this marvel. It's good reading to prepare one for a visit, but it left me wondering if the legends that the author debunks may not be a prophecy of what tomorrow's scholars may think of this work.

2 comments about Early Art and Architecture of Africa (Oxford History of Art).

1. This book is a very well rounded and well written review of the art and architecture of Africa. It is very eye opening about the artistic abilities of these ancient people. It even goes beyond what we know about their construction. You find that awe-inspiring palaces were not confined to Egypt and the rest of North Africa, but advanced societies had flourished apart from the rest of the world. I really don't want to give away any of the details, but you won't regret the purchase of this book.



2. book was in good condition well packed

No comments about Sustainable Healthcare Architecture.

3 comments about The Complete Taj Mahal.

1. Having visited the Taj Mahal, I wanted to have an authoritative book on the history behind its construction and this book is not only an excellent souce, but also a very good photographic record of this amazing Wonder of the World!



2. Having read a number of books about the Taj Mahal, including the recently published one by the Prestons, I would bet good money that if given a copy of Ebba Koch's book to preview, those truly interested in India's national treasure will buy THE COMPLETE TAJ MAHAL, even if they have to skip lattes or lunches to afford it, even if they have already done so to afford Okada/Joshi/Nou's Taj Mahal with its stunning photography.
   
   One reason, of course, is that TCTM is so complete. To others' overviews of the material covered, I would add only that Koch does not neglect the human element. For example, in eight introductory pages of text, Koch provides excellent background information about Shah Jahan, his wife and his predecessors; later, she details Jahan's passion for building. Koch also includes interesting information about the artisans, craftsmen and laborers who did the actual work as well as details about others associated with the Taj-related structures/gardens of Agra. Further humanizing the story of this garden city are colorful Mughal paintings of its nobility and rulers.
   
   Another aspect of TCTM that makes it a must-have are the many photographs of sites, structures and architectural ornamentation, photographs "The Hindu" declared "often brilliant" as well as "judiciously chosen." Just how apt these descriptions are is suggested by the following: There were only seven pages of O/J/Nou's photographic extravaganza of the Taj complex that I photocopied to tuck into Koch's book, and of them, five were additional close-ups of floral inlays and calligraphy. Adding to the appeal of TCTM is that the camera goes beyond the splendors of the Taj complex. Of special interest to those who have been in Agra, for instance, will be the realistic photographs of the Taj Mahal peeking above the "agglomeration of haphazard constructions" that have "almost obliterated" its bazaar and caravanserai. Shown, too, are its architectural precedents as well as artisan workshops and quarries. Though most of the photographs in this book are in color, even those in black and white are revealing.
   
   Also making TCTM next to impossible to resist are the "company drawings," most of which are in color as well. Forerunners of postcards, they were "made by local artists in the early days of the Raj" for European tourists, who bought them "to illustrate their journals." Works of art in themselves, often the drawings are so detailed that they could easily be photographs. But they do not serve as mere eye candy: many are of Taj-related structures that no longer exist or have been stripped of all that made them magnificent; some are juxtaposed with recent photographs to show the toll time has taken on the brilliance of color and intricacy of design. Evocative paintings and watercolors of the Taj Mahal by foreign artists are included as well.
   
   What may ultimately sell people on TCTM, however, is that it is a book they will actually enjoy reading much if not all of. Not only is Koch's narrative writing fluid and easy-to-digest. Even her descriptions of architecture will be relatively easy for laymen to understand, provided that they are willling to refer to the glossary of terms and look at the many visual aids, including Barraud's "precise and clear" line drawings, that accompany the text. So well done is this book, in fact, that as "The Hindu" noted, even "information which is more technical and not at face value so interesting to general readers will, in fact, be found by them to be equally absorbing." (All I would personally exclude from this are the two pages of precise measurements of the Taj complex.)
   
   To another reviewer's assertion that TCTM is a book that "should be in the library of anyone fascinated by the Taj Mahal, not just historians and architects," I add a thousand "Amen's." --B. Evans, 4/14/07



3. A superlative volume showing in detail and with historic drawings, maps, and photos, as well modern illustrations and reconstructions the unsurpassed achievements of the Mughal in residential garden architecture. The riverbanks of the Yamuna River as it passes through Agra was where this artistic impulse achieved culmination in the seventeenth century garden residences and tombs sponsored by the nobles and rulers of the Mughal state and built by the craftsmen of India. One of the signal contributions of this book is the inclusion of the stories of the architects, carpenters, and masons who left their signatures and marks on the individual elements of the overall project. The residential and tomb gardens which stretched along the river and are now mostly gone gave way at midpoint to the grandest residence of all, the Red Fort which remains today the second greatest landmark of Agra. And at the southern end of the development stands today the greatest tomb ever built, one of the architectural wonders of the world, the Taj Mahal. The work is so complete that it documents not only the construction efforts but also the tourism that followed and the depth to which the Taj Mahal became embedded in the consciousness of the world. The culmination of three decades of meticulous research this substantial volume tells an engrossing story of the planning, development, and eventual decline of a unique garden city. It more than fulfills the adjective "complete" and should be in the library of anyone fascinated by the Taj Mahal, not just historians and architects. A truly extraordinary accomplishment.

3 comments about A Guide to Chicago's Murals.

1. This exquisite volume would make a wonderful gift for any Chicagoan or nostalgic ex-Chicagoan, and its neighborhood-by-neighborhood scheme of organization makes it an excellent take-along for visitors to the city interested in Chicago's architectural heritage. Even longtime residents of the city will find photographs and histories of artworks whose existence they never suspected; the photos are beautifully executed and printed, and the intelligent commentary is based on thorough research.



2. If you love Chicago, and/or went to a Chicago Public School, you will love this book.



3. Not only is this catalog of Chicago's murals enormously useful for the casual reader/visitor, but its style is elegant and restrained, its color illustrations clear and gorgeous, its scholarship impeccable and useful, and quite simply a pleasure to study and own. We are fortunate to have such a comprehensive book.

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.