2 comments about 100 Houses for 100 Architects (Special Edition).

1. This book is not as bad as the previous reviewer makes it out to be. It presents a wide selection of architects houses, from William Morris in the Nineteenth Century to Francine Houben at the end of the Twentieth. The documentation of every house is quite decent and gives a good understanding of the spaces, with a good textual explanation, and the photographs are of great quality. Some houses have probably rarely appeared in print, as for instance those of Fernando Tavora, Christian Norberg-Schulz, and Jose Antonio Coderch. Besides, the book gives a great idea about these architects' conception of the 'home', as for instance in Coderch's case, who conceived his house in a vernacular mode quite different from the architecture he is known for.



2. There's nothing terrible about the book. But it is so easily beat out by other architecture books (including others by Taschen publishing) that there's no reason to get this book or waste your time reading much about it.

4 comments about Western Ranch Houses by Cliff May.

1. This book has several traits that make it unique among residential architecture books: 1. it was written by the architect it covers 2. it is a reprint of book that was written during the heyday of the homes featured. No Cliff May owner should be without this book. Looking through the pages will give you an amazing amount of insight into the design of your own home. But others may also find this book very useful. While most of the home designs assume lots much larger than commonly available to homebuilders today. With that said, the ideas will still send you in new directions of home design.



2. This book has a more design and decoration approach than its predecessor, Sunset Western Ranch Houses, which focused mostly on history of this house style. Honestly, I was expecting to see a more house-plan ideas oriented book than simply a picture book with some talking on it. This might be a useful book for those who are just looking to give their house (already a ranch-style) a more traditional look, or for those who simply like this subject. I'll give this a three-star rating because, sometime in the near future, when I get my ranch house built, it could be more interesting to me. I'll keep the book on my shelf.



3. We live in a small neighborhood of Cliff May homes. Many have been remodeled, inside and out, but you can't change the bones of a May home. Unfortunately, we have had to make many improvements to ours as the May homes don't always translate well into the 21st century. X shaped framing makes finding a stud nearly impossible, and the numerous floor to ceiling windows are drafty and lack tempered glass and are extremely expensive to replace, so many of us replace with "normal" windows, walling up many altogether. This also deals with the lack of wall space for furniture or artwork, pictures, etc.



4. I adore his homes, and this book gives you the complete layout, including the floorplan---something I love in architecture books. If you can't visit the homes in person, this is the next best thing.

5 comments about American Country Houses of the Gilded Age (Sheldon's "Artistic Country-Seats").

1. The author of this book refers to country homes of the Gilded Age as "Country Seats" (or "country cottages"). By the author's definition, these were homes of, "grandiose size and scale with imposing facades complemented by manicured gardens and with large and impressive reception rooms, halls, parlors, dining rooms, and other public spaces."
   
   George Sheldon published a book around 1887 documenting this surge in architectural creativity (expressed via country seats) and called his book :"ARTISTIC COUNTRY SEATS".
   
   Therefore, this book in review, called, AMERICAN COUNTRY HOUSES OF THE GILDEN AGE, (by Arnold Lewis) was written to show the homes photographed in the Sheldon book, and to update the information provided by Sheldon, so that we can better understand what the Architects and structures' owners were trying to express.
   
   For a long time, I have been interested in seeing what the opulent homes of the Gilded Age must have looked like, especialy those that were avaialable before they were all torn down or destroyed by vandals, fire, etc.
   
   Since I was not too familiar with "country seats" I wanted to find a good book on this specific topic. Well, by buying this book by Arnold Lewis I think I was able to get a better feel for these "country seats" of the wealthy (aka: "country cottages" of the rich).
   
   
   The "country cottages" owned by the wealthy class shown in this Lewis book, are mostly from 1880 to around 1889. Also included in this book are a few selected Casinos from the same period. Reason for the Casinos being included in the Lewis book is probably because the same famous Architects that designed some of the opulent private cottages also designed Casinos located in vacations spots visited by the wealthy class. In addition, some of the Casinos bear a striking resemblance to the styles of the country seats shown in this Lewis book.
   
   Anyhow, when reading this book, I would advise that the reader reads the INTRODUCTION throughly because it explains the role that Sheldon had, in describing each structure. In other words, before jumping right in (as many of us often do) and looking at all the photos, I would recommend reading the entire INTRODUCTION, because it puts the photos in complete perspective.
   
   For instance: The author of this book has researched the Sheldon photos (and reviews) and then re-vamped the descriptions so that they are more understandable to a reader from our Era.
   
   The photos are large and the reader can see all the details so clearly. In fact, it's amazing that photos taken in the 1880's can be so clear!
   
   The black and white photos, have an almost sepia tone to them, making them even more enjoyable to admire. Each structure's photo has a clear explanation of the Architect of the structure, and also a brief description of the date of production and a background of the actual owners, and also, when the structure was finalized.
   
   The photos include a reproduction (in black and white) of the "blueprint" of the first floor of each structure.
   
   As other commentators have pointed out, the book does not show "blueprints" of the second or third floors, however, the author does attempt to describe the upper floors within the photos' description.
   
   Each Architectural style is described in detail in the INTRODUCTION. However, if you are a novice as to specific Architectural styles of the past, then I would recommend becoming briefly acquainted with Architectural styles (and the elementary Architectural vocabulary) before attempting to fully understand the structures` actual styles. For example, to a novice, a structure that looks like a "snow white castle" may be misunderstood, unless the reader has a brief knowledge & understanding of why the early Victorian and/or Queen Anne homes were designed with so many gables and filligrees and turrets.
   
   I should also mention that this book's INTRODUCTION mentions the COST of each home, specifically at the time of the home's finish. So, I think that the readers will find this fact also very interesting, especially when comparing each home to each other (eg: why did some homes cost $6,000, while others cost $200,000.00?).
   
   Also included in the INTRODUCTION are descriptions of where each home was once located (by State), and also which Architectural firm designed each home.



2. This book is richly illustrated with black & white photos of historic houses in the United States. For the person interested in houses from the gilded age, this book provides clear photographs with a minimum of text that can be studied in detail. The photos, more often than not, set the house in its surroundings, however photos of gardens and landscape architecture is minimal. This book is ideal for someone looking for ideas to incorporate into their own plans for home-building, as well as for students and professionals seeking a good photographic reference to the gilded age that covers houses in many regions of the country.



3. The homes shown and described in this book are wonders of a world gone by, and sadly many of them have fallen to the wreakers ball. Thankfully, this book has saved the images, basic floor plans and stories of these magnificent homes. This book is a nice addition to any Victorian lovers library.



4. "American Country Houses of the Gilded Age" reprints 100 photographs from "Artistic Country-Seats," a book originally published in 1886-87 with commentary by George William Sheldon. This new version of the collection replaces Sheldon's original comments with those of Arnold Lewis. But the real "stars" of the book are the 93 houses and four casinos portrayed in the excellent black-and white photos.

   These houses represent some of the most stunning mansions of the late 19th century. Most of these buildings were built in the northeastern United States. Each plate is accompanied by both Lewis' comments and by a first floor plan.

   The houses themselves represent many of the popular styles of the era: Tudor, "Shingle," Queen Anne, Chateauesque, Richardsonian Romanesque, Colonial Revival, and Exotic Revival. The crisp photography captures a wealth of beautiful details: covered verandas, stone arches, classical pillars, towers, pinnacles, parapets, half-timbering, castellations, fanciful dormers, and intricate decorative flourishes.

   The only disappointing aspect to the book is the fact that only the first floor plans are included. Plans for the other floors would have increased the book's value as a record of social history. Nevertheless, the detailed first floor plans do offer fascinating insights into the lives of the wealthy families of the "Gilded Age." You can imagine yourself wandering through the billiard room or music room of your favorite mansion! If you are fascinated by American home architecture, or if you simply want a taste of this opulent era, you will love this book.




5. This book let's readers see how the wealthiest people in America lived back in the late 1800's. The floor plans are, although small, completely readable. I do wish the author would have included the floor plans for the second, third, etc. floors. Great photographs and good desrciptions of the homes.

5 comments about Bauhaus 1919-1933 (Taschen 25).

1. If you want a comprehensive historical information as well as tons of full color photos of all sorts of Bauhaus inspired works -from architecture to practical objects - this is the book you should have. Open it and read a single article, think about it and close the book. Or browse through the photos and marvel at the teapots, the furniture, the architectural style.
   
   You can savor this one slowly (and I think you should) rather than trying to read it through all at once. If you do that, you'll start to get a sense of the Bauhaus style and how it fits into the particular period when it came into being - and how it grew and evolved from there.



2. While this book offers an excellent collection of images related to the Bauhaus, it traces the history and the development of the Bauhaus comprehensively as well.
   This book, alongwith Eva Forgacs' Bauhaus Idea and Bauhaus Politics can give you a general idea about what the institution was all about.
   
   Its an amazing read.



3. You can know lots of new details. It helps you to study not only design but art itself.



4. This book has great studies. Lots of new details for me are in it. It helps you to study design and art histry.



5. Bauhaus was one of the most important movements in design-history.
   Magdalena Drosta describes the ideas, the people, the work and the spirit of the Bauhaus. The best thing: It is never boring. The book does not only concentrate on the art taught at the Bauahaus but also describes its political problems.
   A lot of excellent pictures in a good priniting quality (especially in relation to the price) make this a book, you always like to look at.

4 comments about The Luminous Ground: The Nature of Order, Book 4.

1. This book is a free, original expression of nonduality, or non-separation, which is to say nothing is separate from existence. If you love art, architecture, color, light, inner light, incorporation of the tears and sadness of "the cares of the world," living a natural and open life, this book will show you how that love meets up with the truth of your existence.
   
   How can you "feel" non-separation or nonduality? By knowing that you exist. This is your sense of "I" that Alexander speaks of throughout this book. Or call it "I Am." Since everyone can know that they exist, their most fundamental nature is this "I" or "I Am." Valuing that you exist, valuing this "I" brings a sense of unity with all people, their creations, their appreciations, their failures, sadness and tears. It brings a sense of union with humanity.
   
   This feeling of existence is the crux of this book. It's not just feeling existence, but valuing existence. It almost sounds silly: "valuing existence." Such valuing leads to wonder that never ends and all works being done as a gift of existence to existence, or to God. It makes you focus on existence so that you create something that communicates multiple layers of meaning, the totality of existence, in a building or an artwork.
   
   Religion, art, physics, quantum theory, and mostly the "I," the true you, come together in this unusual, delightful, beautiful to hold and read, art book full of vibrant color photographs, pictures, and illustrations.
   
   If there is another edition or another volume, perhaps some of the more direct teachings of nonduality can be included. For example, the words of the great Indian sage Ramana Maharshi turn one toward a disposition most favorable for the understanding, absorbing, and integrating of Alexander's confessions about art and existence: "Existence or Consciousness is the only reality. If you enquire 'Who am I?' the mind will return to its source (or where it issued from). The thought which arose will also submerge. As you practice like this more and more, the power of the mind to remain as its source is increased."
   
   Jerry Katz
   One: Essential Writings on Nonduality



2. Alexander's Pattern Language series was/is a great accomplishment. It made the mysteries of good architectural design accessible to everyone. It attempted to liberate home- and town-building from the arrogant priesthood of professional architects and exposed the bankrupt values behind so much of contemporary building. It offered a deeply human alternative much more in tune with the way we really live.
   
   Not surprisingly it did very little to change professional practices. Even the few architects who are sympathetic to his viewpoint largely dismiss his ideas and methods as economically impractical, except for wealthy clients who can afford the time and money needed to build a home with such individual attention to every idiosyncratic detail. The one area Alexander has had a major influence on is computer program design -- there economic factors are not a constraint and his notions about recursive patterns and sequences have been taken seriously and had a lasting effect.
   
   Having made hardly a dent in his chosen profession, Alexander now appears to have turned his attention elsewhere - to the future and to his own posterity. In The Nature of Order, and especially in the final Book 4, he babbles on and on about his Holy Grail - an "astounding" new world view that will supposedly revolutionize civilization (and vindicate Alexander as a Prophet crying in the modern Wilderness), in which Science and Art, object and subject, ornament and function, beauty and practicality will at last be seen as One Living Whole, inextricably bound together in mystical union like the interwoven threads of the Turkish prayer rugs he is so enamored of. Then and only then will buildings express the True Self and Blaze with Spirit and Inner Light and Centers and Beings and "I-stuff", blah, blah, blah.
   
   The art history illustrations are lovely (by comparison, most of Alexander's own paintings and drawings look rather second-rate), but the half-baked metaphysical ramblings, dressed up as pseudo-science, are very tedious, overly intellectual, and hardly new. The 2500-year-old Buddhist canon and many other spiritual traditions, like Sufism, Taoism, the Hindu Upanishads or Native American and Aboriginal religious cosmologies, have all expressed this vision far more eloquently and effectively. Alexander gives these venerable traditions barely a nod of acknowledgment, except as visual evidence supporting his own vague and untestable theories - since they make no claims to Scientific Truth, as Alexander does relentlessly, he just ignores or co-opts their immense contributions.
   
   Give Alexander credit for his emphasis on personal feeling, but educating our feeling to make ever more accurate side-by-side discriminations between "degrees of life" can take us only so far as an aesthetic method. Being an artist is more a matter of life-long discipline and *practice* - above all, learning how to cultivate the right state of mind - natural and open, free from fixed concepts, beyond even the most refined intellectual judgments of good and bad, beautiful and ugly. It's not something to rattle on about for page after repetitive page, it's something to do - to discover how to do through doing, through direct experience. In my own work, books like John Daido Loori's Zen and Creativity and Chogyam Trungpa's Dharma Art, or Suzuki Roshi's Not Always So have been much more helpful and to the point.



3. I'm not an architect, though I do paint a bit and presume to teach. A friend from Ohio undertook one of Alexander's architectural courses, 20 years ago, and posted me notes on Alexander's colour theory. I've used them ever since. But the articulation of this guru's understanding of the experience world & how we process it & make art in and for it, has become keener, more subtle & concise over the years. This is a very, very profound teaching without any messianic overdrive. Indeed, its the patience and humility of Alexander's process of discovering essential rules & roles for making art, that are most profound and the enduring feature of his presentation. And the book's own look exemplifies his quest for the beautiful.I'm not so taken with the reproductions of his own painting, however. I can't quibble with the twentieth century masters he reproduces as evidence for enduring beauty. A fabulous book!



4. *** Original review: May 20, 2004 ***
   
   Those who know me know that I am not prone to making either quick judgements or vacuous statements, so my friends (at least) will know that both the title of this mini-review and the few words that follow are far from whimsical: Alexander's Nature of Order, and in particular this fourth volume which I have recently received and simply cannot put down, are in my humble opinion, destined to rank as one of this *world's* great literary/philosophical achievements. What Alexander has produced is nothing short of a brilliant vision for the transcendent reality that lies beneath and beyond conventional categories. I write this as a Ph.D. physicist, with two graduate-level mathematical physics texts under my belt (both on complex systems), and semi-pro photographer with 30 years of experience of trying to capture "beauty" in nature. Alexander's work has provided a tentative -- but oh so deep -- glimpse of an answer to my own philosophical struggles as scientist and artist: physics and art are but two sides of a vastly richer coin, and are merely pointers to an infinitely rich *life* that pervades this universe; indeed, the life that *is* this universe. Every human being who has ever sincerely pondered the question "Why?" when looking up at the sky, while admiring a pretty flower, or looking into a mirror, can do no better than to curl up by a fireplace with a hot cup of tea, open up volume four of this incredible set of books and start using the musings lovingly offered here to look within for answers. Truly a remarkable achievement. I have never met Christopher Alexander, but can honestly say that I have been deeply touched by this preternaturally wise soul.
   
   ***** Musings added Sep 1, 2005 *******
   
   Having now read the entire opus (I-IV), and currently on my 3rd reading of volume I, I am fully convinced that Alexander's Nature of Order is an absolutely stunning achievement of the highest caliber. I also concur with a quote that appears on the inner flap of the books, to the effect that while very few (if any) philosophical/conceptual works (and their authors) are likely to be remembered 500 years hence, there is a strong possibility that Alexander's Opus WILL be remembered as a precursor to what our present day (only partially overlapping fields of) "science" & "art" will have evolved to in 500 years (a unified, wholistic body of "Sci-Art" in which the schism between objective & subjective / inner & outer no longer exists).
   
   What Alexander presents in these books is a tentative first stab at a magnificent new CONCEPT; not a mathematical or physical theory (though rudiments of what might go into a more formal description are also discussed). Although many of Alexander's ideas are quite subtle and require thoughtful reflection to fully comprehend and integrate into (ironically) a whole (new worldview), the basic thesis is original and profound: EVERYTHING that exists contains "life", and the degree (lesser or greater) to which life is manifest in "X" can be *objectively* determined by probing one's *subjective* (inner) world. Nature is seen, in this view, simply as the totality of life, continually unfolding; and beauty (as generated by local life-forms such as humans), as a resonance between outwardly objective forms and (the very deepest) subjective inner feelings.
   
   Western science's longstanding divide between "what's out there in the world" and "what is in here, in our hearts and souls" is exchanged for a new worldview in which our understanding of the cosmos is predicated on an active unity between objectivity and subjectivity; between dispassionate form and intensely personal beauty; between "eye" and "I"; between the deepest inner feeling and continually unfolding outer life. If this sounds radical (and perhaps even a bit strange), that is because it IS radical; Alexander is proposing a sweeping idea that is both revolutionary and (only in hindsight, after having read his extraordinary Opus) obvious! For it really cannot be any other way! Every thinking -- no, every FEELING -- creature who wants to know our cosmos and his/her unique role in it needs to read these books. They are truly remarkable! The next great strides in art and science will be made (simultaneously) when, one day, an EINSTein-Alexander appears and uses the ideas expressed in these books to develop (using a mathematics not yet created) a rigorous new theory of "Sci-Art-Beauty-Life". These are ostensibly books on "architecture"; but they far -- FAR -- transcend that field; they speak, collectively, about everything that exists.

5 comments about The New Ultimate Book of Home Plans: Lowe's Branded (Home Plans).

1. My mother-in-law sent me this book, along with several others that were published by the same company. I was really excited and have really enjoyed the books. There are a lot of great ideas and the plans are easy to read. The only complaint that I have is that since they have the same publisher, the three books share many of the same house plans. I would suggest getting one of them that has the most plans, and then if you want more ideas, to get a book from a different publisher.



2. We are going to hire an architect and contractor to build a home and bought 3 megabooks of plans from Amazon to get some ideas. This was the worst of the lot though by no means as awful as "the house you build" book. My wife and I just didn't like many of the plans. The organization isn't really too useful as the plans are grouped by style, not size (nobody who is building a 3000sf home wants to parse through 1500sf cottages). The color photos are nice and I gave the book 2 stars because there are helpful hints for construction and design interspersed throughout. Check my other reviews for the home books we recommend.



3. The problem I have not got enough bucks.



4. We couldn't agree on the type of house we wanted so we spent hours inspecting the hundreds of house plans in this book, mentally taking ideas from one and adding them to others. Having color pictures of the finished product makes it easy to identify those you like. In the end we were able to compromise; I gave up the two-story idea for the more practicle one-story, and we've created a wing for privacy. Rather than buy individual plans we'll take our cut & paste ideas to an architech (someday). If nothing else, browsing through the book initiated a lot of conversation about our lifestyle what's important to us as individuals. Great fun.



5. When I bought this book I just thought it was one of those magazine style things printed on cheap paper.Wrong! This book is huge! Colour photos and colour illustrations throughout.Floor plans of all types,almost.Not many homeplans here to suit the lower budgets.
   
   Overall,this book is the best.Great quality,good value and its huge.There are a lot of homes here so you will find something you like.Its worth the money.

1 comments about The Art of Placemaking: Interpreting Community Through Public Art and Urban Design.

1. THE ART OF PLACEMAKING: INTERPRETING COMMUNITY THROUGH PUBLIC ART AND URBAN DESIGN is a pick for any college-level art or urban issues library and for professionals interested in public art and urban affairs. It's an exploration of works within the public imagination and explores trends in public art, from 'mural towns' and street furniture to public areas arts, documenting two decades of public arts projects from around the country. Color photos throughout feature the projects while descriptions survey interactions with public agencies, officials, and decision-makers in the process of bringing art into the public eye and making design choices.

4 comments about Erwin Hauer: Continua-Architectural Screen and Walls.

1. If you want a book that can be used as a tool for deriving patterns and architectural forms, this is a great book to add to the library. Very innovative works.



2. this book is done very nicely and provides me with aesthetic and informative material !!



3. Excellent b+w illustrations and clear layout. Very informative and inspiring works.



4. The Greeks used the word LOGOS to refer to reasonable speech, articulated reasoning expressed in words. Our modern word LOGIC derives from this root. Erwin Hauer has, over the many years of his career as a working artist, elaborated a visible LOGOS, a logos not of words but of forms. These forms were initially realized to serve a commercial, architectural purpose -- they were built as walls or screens -- but the logic they embody will delight, or thrill, any observer who pays close attention to the display they present. One comes to suspect that this logic, and not just the commercial commision that occasioned them, is the driving force behind Hauer's investigation.

   The book is designed and produced with an eye towards clarity and precision, making it totally in sympathy with the vision it presents. Anyone who enjoys seeing an idea recognized, seized, and elaborated with intense concentration will enjoy this book.

3 comments about Inspired Retail Space: Attract Customers, Build Branding, Increase Volume.

1. unlike the other reviewers, i actually found this book to be quite inspiring. there's a ton of beautiful pictures of what you can do if you have a lot of money. in my opinion, it's not how much money you have but how you use it that matters. this is quality over quantity here and if you just want to look like everyone else, don't buy this, just go to the mall and see what the shops there are doing.
   
   the idea that you have to jam pack as much stuff as possible in your store in order to be successful is outdated and frankly, just plain silly. i would much rather go into a store that was well edited then to a store that looks like the owner barfed up a bunch of product on the walls, floor, and ceiling - you name it. these stores personally make me want to leave - visual overload!
   
   so, if you are looking for what "could be" than this book is right for you - but if what you want is store with more product than floor space, look somewhere else... the title does it justice - the INSPIRED retail space. other books of note are "hip interiors" and "hip entertaining" both which i highly recommend for great inspiration.



2. This book was a dissapointment for me. I don't have an unlimited budget for store design and most of the businesses featured in this book clearly did. There are a few exceptions to this in the book, but if you're a small business looking for ideas to freshen up your store, I would not recommend this book.



3. This book is basically just a picture book of expensive stores most of us can't afford to shop in (the ones with 2 pairs of shoes on one entire wall, and 3 items on fancy hangers on the other wall). Most of the displays are designed so specifically around the products so it's difficult to even use the pictures as inspitration for different types of merchandise.
   
   We got much more inspiration from the book "Store Presentation & Design" by Vsiual Reference Publications.

1 comments about Detail in Process: Detail in Process (AsBuilt).

1. This is the second book in the new AsBuilt series. Its like the In Detail series with beautifully presented images and drawings, but because all the projects (many different building types) are built in North America, most of the drawings have units of measurement and terminology currently used in the USA, and include materials available for construction in the United States. There are also more kinds of drawings, models and renderings than the typical formats usually found in books about details, which gives the series a dynamic, contemporary quality. Highly recommended.