2 comments about A Green Vitruvius: Sustainable Architectural Design.

1. This book is a fantastic resource (though getting a little dated) concise explanations of "green" techniques coupled with to the point definitions make Green Vitruvius a wonderful primer on sustainable design.



2. Im a senior in architecture researching for my thesis and i was looking for books to give me an idea of what i could do to accomplish sustainable architecture for my design.
   Well, this book was a big let down. Vitruvious was a major influence on architecture but this book falls extremely short. It starts out just stating how to tell a designer or firm that you want a "green design". Then very slowly moves into possible things that can be done but nothing that anyone studying architecture cant figure out on their own.

2 comments about Classic Georgian Style.

1. i just got the book - havent read much of it yet. there are a lot of good photos, some of them, however, are just different angles of the same room. it seems that by reading the book a great deal of information will be learnt about georgian homes. my direct interest here was to learn about lighting and there isnt anything to direct me here. i think its a good book for the price.



2. Georgian Style, think of those beautiful curved terraced houses in Bath in their soft-buttery colours. It was an age of clean lines and classical influence.

   It would be unfair to say that, being the daughter of the 11th Duke of Malborough, it is natural that Henrietta Spencer-Churchill should have all the advantages to publish a book like this. Not only would she have been bought up in beauty such as this at Blenheim and probably a host of other stately-home-ish settings - but no doubt she has the connections to get this published.

   Spencer-Churchill's book certainly rises well above the ordinary. It is beautifully illustrated, her points are simply put and they are generally very clear. She has chosen to illustrate 130 years of interior, exterior and architectural design - from 1700 to 1830 - broadly the Georgian era . With a time frame this broad this book can certainly not qualify as a deeply academic study of the transition of the design. However she illustrates the broad designs trends and how they flowed into one another. She also picks some of the main names of the period (Robert Adam, Capability Brown and so on) and puts them into historical perspective.

   The styles and their advent are explained, but also much about how design was influenced from the Chinese influence to the invention of wallpaper. Even the type, and use of colours and the range of colours available gets a mention.

   As an interior designer herself, Spencer-Churchill no doubt has a feel for this sort of thing. I was a little disappointed because I felt with a few areas such as window treatments, she often failed to explain if these were original designs of hers based on previous drapes, or 'a georgian style' she had dreamt up. I would have liked to have seen more of Ackermann's period prints for instance - as they showed quite breath-taking interior detail of the latter part of Georgian age.

   Occassionally too I found myself grating my teeth as she illustrated a 'Georgian' ideal, but failed to point out at what period in the 130 year time span she was talking about it would have been relevant. But I am being really picky about that.

   Overall I found this an absolutely breath-taking book. It at once made me sick with jealousy that I didn't have one of these beautiful homes. I found her style easy to read, informative and if nothing else the illustrations are so beautiful I would keep it simply to look at them.

   This is a great book for fans of the Regency period, Heyer or Patrick O'Brian type of books. It is also lovely if you just like beautiful things.

1 comments about Splendor of Malta.

1. I bought the Splendor of Malta thinking it was going to have lots of photos of the country and buildings from the outside etc. It's absolutely packed full of pictures of insides of different buildings and has tons of history and information. It's a very good book, just not what I thought I was getting.

No comments about The Victorian House Book: A Practical Guide to Home Repair and Decoration.

No comments about Sense of the City: An Alternate Approach to Urbanism.

3 comments about Route Location and Design.

1. This book, without a doubt, is the best reference book I have found for matters concerning horizontal and vertical geometry related to highways and railroads.



2. This is an in depth reference for every aspect of horizontal and vertical geometry. Contains base theory, then all of the necessary equations for calculating sight distances, vertical curve lengths, horizontal and vertical curve obstructions. Some of the values used should be cross-referenced with values from the AASHTO Green Book, as some of the design values in the book may be out of date. Also discusses spiral curves, compund curves, unsymmetrical vertical curves. There are equations, detail narratives, and example problems in this book, that I have not seen in any other manual. An excellent companion to your Green Book, CERM, and HCM.



3. This book is an excellent reference if you are performing any type of engineering or surveying work that involves spiral or vertical curves. Though it is an older book, the collection of formulas is unsurpassed. Just ignore the pictures of '57 Chevys cruising down the highways. :)

No comments about The New Urban Landscape: The Redefinition of City Form in Nineteenth-Century America (New Studies in American Intellectual and Cultural History).

1 comments about The Houses of Roman Italy, 100 B.C.-A.D. 250: Ritual, Space, and Decoration.

1. With all the books written on Roman architecture and art, I was thrilled to find this comprehensive book on domestic Roman interiors. Written in a reader friendly manner - the book covers all elements of Roman interiors from mosaics, architectural elements, layout and visual axis to the four decorative styles. It even helps the reader to understand the motivation behind these styles, and how the Romans felt about their interiors. I would say this book is a must have for any interior design student.

5 comments about Silk Painting: New Ideas and Textures.

1. This a wonderful book for silk painters,whether beginners or old timers.
   You will find so many projects, colors, concepts, and techinques,which are very easy to follow,and conceptualize.
   I read the book and applied some of the concepts,and created my own as well.
   I just loved this book.



2. The reader from Ohio who gave the terrible review must have read another book, either that or she doesn't know what she is talking about. Sounds like sourgrapes to me, wonder if she has her own book that isn't doing well. This book is wonderful, clear explanations, clear details on materials needed, fantastic new ideas for silk painting (dyeing). A fabulous book, one of the best, not just for beginners and not a step by step that leaves you in the middle or near the end of the project wondering what to do next. If you buy this book, you WON'T be sorry.



3. I almost didn't buy this book because of the nasty review (drama, i guess) but WOW am i glad i did. So much that never would have occurred to me because silk is such a 'formal' kind of fabric. Crayons? Awesome. Sugar? Never thought of it. Basic enough in the begining but not your average 'This is how to pick a scarf' book that frustrates people like me who know enough, but want to know more. I didn't need another 'starter' book although i see no reason a beginner couldn't use it, the projects look harder than they are and everything is explained in a clear and concise manner.

   It's also refreshing to read a book that's not 'steamer snobbery' meaning if you don't use a steamer you aren't really serious. This book is inspiring and takes the hesitation out expirementing with silk. I mean, crayons and sugar? There must be even more stuff out there to play with.

   The photos are professional, the text is clear and there area LOT of project directions. In fact this is the most project dense book i've seen yet (and i've seen a lot) with the projects all being capable of heading of into different directions with the same technique.

   So, ignore the Nasty review and buy it. Oh, and no, i'm not one of the authors...




4. If Susan Moyer is benchmark for any silk painting books...this author is not far off! Great book with great ideas. She gives you courage to try her techniques. Like Susan Moyer, I think anything by this author is a great investment. She definetely knows her craft. If I ever wrote a book, I hope it would be like theirs. I hope this has been helpful in your quest for a fine book.



5. Finally, a Silk Painting book that inspires you to create your own pieces! Too many how-to books are very short on the nitty-gritty and just show case the author's designs. This book clearly covers the materials, the type of silk used, and the procedure for twelve different silk painting techniques. If you just want designs to copy, there are tons of other books. If you want to learn how to do wonderful designs of your own, get this book.

1 comments about Aldo Rossi: The Sketchbooks 1990-97.

1. What better book to show an architecture student, design student, or even professional designer the virtues and power of the hand? This is a small and compelling book that does not explore, but states clearly the relevance of drawing in Rossi's design process. Though the format of the book is small, the reproductions of Rossi's works are large enough and of high enough quality that we can clearly follow the craft and intuition of the initial responses and investigations of particular design problems. Rossi's drawings are intuitive, playful, and always based solidly in the knowledge of the fundimentals of orthographic, perspective, and axonometric design drawing as well as the subjectivity of gesture. In his drawings, the process, not the product, is paramount. For an instructor of design or drawing, they are wonderful for student analysis. By dismantling and revealing the underlying structures of the visual language that Rossi employs, students and designers alike will be inspired to return to paper in a much more rigorous way to explore the moments between thought and expression that perhaps only drawing can afford. Whether you are a fan of Rossi or not, this book is a great addition to a personal or school library.