5 comments about Traditional Mexican Style Exteriors.

1. I am a landscape designer in central Florida, and I am always looking for inspiration for specialty projects. The photos in this book are outstanding! The text is well-written and interesting!



2. If you are building a Spanish home and we are, then this book will provide you with a wealth of ideas about what to do beyond the 'box of the casa.' Filled with brilliant photographs of terraces, swimming pools, fountains, outdoor rooms, columns, entrances, furnishings, use of paint, etc. you will refer to this book over and over again as you design and continue to decorate your dream home.



3. The photography is excellent and the ideas abound. It is a book that's fun to thumb through and colorful. I enjoyed it! It's sister publication is just as good.



4. I have bought more than a Dozen Mexican Design Books already. And none can compare to the Traditional Mexican Style Exteriors and its Companion Book Mexican Style Interiors by Donna McMenamin.
   
   It is a wonderful book! You will not need any other book if you are planning on redecorationg your house. But, even if you will not decorate your house, this Book(s) are a worthy read. The Pictures are wonderful. Giving detail to what is really Mexican.



5. Every time I re-do a room or make a home decor purchase these days, I'm looking for things to make my house look more Mexican. This book, and its companion volume "Traditional Mexican Style Interiors" are wonderful reference books for anyone looking to copy that style.
   
   If you're just a fan of Mexican style, or have been to Mexico and want to have a way to go back without leaving your easy chair, this book is fun to read and magnificent to look at. Although it emphasizes exteriors (facades, architecture, etc.) there are photos of gardens, courtyards, and plenty of other spaces that you could create on your own property, even on a very modest budget, and without knocking the house down and starting over.

5 comments about Sears Modern Homes, 1913.

1. This beautifully reproduced "Sears Modern Homes 1913" catalog was intended as a little gift for a contractor friend. The book has been a huge success. It offers splendid examples of "new" homes, many with bathrooms. That Sears Roebuck sold these home kits is a uniquely American. The Modern Homes supplied the best materials and all are very handsome. I wish I could buy one today... with a bathroom.



2. I purchased this for my mother and she loves it. she looks at it constantly. The written reveiws from people who purchased and built the houses are a treat to read. You may recognize some houses from your neighborhood in this book!



3. I have several of the Sears Homes Plan books, and was happy to add this one to the collection. The only reason I'm not giving it a full five stars is not for reasons of content, but that the binding is not very good. The book is printed in landscape format and even though brand new, the pages look and feel about to come loose from the binding. One center page did come unbound upon my first opening of the book. I'm handling it very carefully, sure that to open it fully or too quickly will release all pages without even the spine snapping. Still, If you're as big a fan of the Sears home plans as I am (there are a number of the houses in my town) don't let this deter you from purchasing this book.



4. Since I live in a community with a large number of documented Sears homes, it was nice to add this early catalog to my collection.



5. I was surprised to see Dover come out with the 1913 Sears Modern Homes catalog reprint, as the Schiffer Book (also available here at Amazon) is a reprint of the 1912 catalog (even though I was not able to find that fact mentioned anywhere *in* Schiffer's book).
   
   Perhaps all these old catalogs will eventually be reprinted. Dover currently has the 1926, 1931 and Schiffer has the 1912 and now we have the 1913. And another new reprint on the market is the 1919 Sears Barn Catalog (also a very interesting book and one of my favorite reprints).
   
   All that aside, Dover has done a good job here and you can't beat the price. When I purchased my first Sears Modern Homes catalogs (originals) at a popular auction website, I paid $20 for two catalogs. Now those puppies regularly fetch $100 per catalog and up.
   
   If you have any interest in history or old houses, you'll want (and enjoy) this book. And the price - under $11 - can't be beat. Holy cow, that's a sweet deal. It's also a good reference book for anyone who wants to learn more about period millwork, elements of design and style (interior and exterior) and more.
   
   Speaking as someone who's spent way too many years ruminating about Sears Homes, the 1913 reprint is of special interest because most of these early designs were so ugly and unattractive.
   
   Rose Thornton
   author, The Houses That Sears Built

1 comments about Barn: Preservation & Adaptation The Evolution of a Vernacular Icon.

1. Excellent book, if the other book, Barns: Living in Converted and Reinvented Spaces is the ying, then this book is the yang. A good inspirational design book if you're interested in reusing an old barn for modern day use and staying within the original design. The text is interesting and informative with the accompanying photos following along with the text. The pictures are overall excellent, sharp, clear, in detail and professionally done, with very very few exceptions. Some buildings are shown with structural drawings that help visualize the internal timber frame or stone structure with the accompanying photogaphs. The authors seems to be a die hard traditionalist, very critical and at times mildly insulting to designers that chose to remodel the old barns in the modern way and deviating from what the original builders did. But at times understanding that the modern style is a better fate than total destruction of a old old structure.

3 comments about Studio at Large: Architecture in Service of Global Communities.

1. This is a great book for both those people who are interested in learning about or those people who are already familiar with environmentally friendly "green" building pratices used in sustainable architecture. Studio at Large specifically chronicles the achievements of the UW BASIC Initiative program that Sergio Palleroni and his colleagues created in 1995. It is fascinating and moving to see the impact this work has on the local and global levels in society.



2. Prof. Sergio Palleroni teaches the "art-and-science" of "architecture" the old fashion way--with leadership and passion! He's not affraid of rolling up his sleeves, soiling his boot and spending his summer vacations whith his students (the future leaders): teachong design, scheduling and building sustainable communities in the "developing countries."



3. Its good to see that the rural studios work is not unique but rather part of a movement, with other brilliant examples such as the work documented in this book. Beautifully illustrated. Probably the most in depth discussion I've read on the methods and challenges of work among the poor and underserved.
   A great contribution to architectures claim to relevance.

4 comments about Frederick Law Olmsted: Designing the American Landscape (Universe Architecture Series).

1. This book is beautifully photographed and shows a range of Olmsted's work, from Central Park and other parks, to Biltmore and other homes. It even includes photos of Olmsteds own garden. Highly recommended!



2. Really a nice book on the work of the singular Frederick Law Olmsted. The book has well presented images and the text is highly informative. Olmsted was a pioneer in the field of landscape architecture and people in this profession today own him a huge debt of gratitude, as do we all, because he popularized the idea of the great urban neighborhood of the automobile age with it's windening streets and statigically planted trees and shrubs. Olmsted really understood the concept of vista's and how people interact with nature, all you need to do is walk through his Central Park in New York, or one the neighborhood designs he influenced, like Beverly Hills, River Oaks, Grosse Pointe, or Highland Park, these are some of the most saught after neighborhoods in America. His influence is shown in the park designs of Hermann Park in Houston, Audubon Park and City Park in New Orleans, and Golden Gate Park in San Fransisco, just to name of a few, his importance to the field of landscape architecture cannot be overstated. This book does a fine job of illustrating this and I highly recommend it.



3. Frederick Law Olmstead (1822 - 1903) ranks among the most important landscape architects of his time, and indeed of history. His most famous accomplishment was his design and execution of the multifaceted magnificence of New York City's Central Park, presented here in this fine book with many of the details that today go unnoticed.
   
   Charles Beveridge has written extensively about Olmstead but here his knowledge of Olmstead's genius is enhanced by numerous drawings and maps of layout as well as the beautiful photography by Paul Rocheleau. The entire volume is edited and designed by David Larkin in a manner that not only brings out the scholarly aspects of this book but lays out the various areas in both Central Park and in some of the other Olmstead works (Brooklyn's Prospect Park, the U.S. Capitol grounds, the Biltmore Estate among others) in a fashion that makes this a true art book.
   
   There may be many reasons to place this book in the library, but one that is certain to appeal to everyone is the importance of the myriad details of the great Central Park presented here with more majesty than in any other volume. Recommended. Grady Harp, May 06



4. I have been a great fan of Olmstead's design and outlook. This book provides a wonderful overview of his style, his vision and his ideas about how to create beauty out of the natural enivironment. Architects will benefit from his approach to design and construction and his ideas should be a model for those of us new to the field.

1 comments about Basic Elements of Landscape Architectural Design.

1. This text is a good beginning one for landscape architectural studies- the first chapter on earthwork is not the latest technology, but valuable nonetheless to understand how it was done before GIS and more sophisticated equipment and methods.

5 comments about Landscapes for Small Spaces: Japanese Courtyard Gardens.

1. This is a beautiful book. I'm giving it 5 stars even though I was actually hoping for a little more reading material and insight - the imagery is wonderful.



2. Wonderful book with great photos and examples, some from different angles which are very useful to understand the actual lay out of these great Japanese gardens. Could use more in dept explanation of technical characteristics, but non the less wonderful.



3. This book is not only a great picture book, but it also provides wonderful descriptions of the Japanese gardens featured - succinct and informative. If you like landscaping with the Japanese feel, you'll enjoy this book.



4. The book is excellent but the dust cover was torn obviously before despatch as the packaging was good.
   The disappointment was that there was no method of complaint other than returning the product. From Australia to USA not practible.



5. I've been through a lot of Japanese gardening books, and many of been a little repetitive, covering the basic design elements and what not. Mizuno has put together a great "Intermediate" read once you've had enough of the basics. The pictures are some of the best available of authentic Japanese gardens, and the captions are short and to the point but with just enough plant identifications to be useful to someone in their planning stage.
   
   Perhaps the best feature of this book is the introductory discussion on the "Omoteya style" town home (traditional Japanese merchant class town home). The text suggest there is a conservation movement to this vanishing style of Japanese home that mirrors the affection American's are beginning to culture towards the Bungalow. As the Omoteya styled homes share similar dimensions with the American city lot (diagrams are provided with the text), this book is a fabulous resource to urban dwellers looking to incorporate the Japanese garden concept to their grassy postage stamp.

3 comments about Private Landscapes: Modernist Gardens in Southern California.

1. This book is a bit light on for photos. If you are buying it for ideas for a modernist inspired garden you might be disappointed.



2. Although this is mostly a coffee-table book (great pictures and original & later landscaping plans), it does give an unexpectedly generous amount of historical background on the modernist architectural movement in Southern California.
   
   It also focuses on specific examples of modernist houses and gives the background on the thought process of the architects and landscape designers, how they designed the houses and landscapes in relation to the lots and surrounding areas.
   
   I think the best part of this book is how it juxtaposes pictures and plans of each house from the past and how they look in the present day. Thus, you can get an immediate sense of how well the designs have held up over time. Some of it looks dated, but much of it remains relevant (especially with the resurgent interest in mid-century design). Also, you get to see how some of the houses were revised by later architects and designers. You get to see how the original plants have aged as well.
   
   I borrowed this from the library, but I may end up buying it.



3. Kathryn Smith's erudite introduction and the authors' texts add historical resonance to this enticing collection of new and original gardens (including several by Burton) that set off classic houses by Schindler, Neutra, Soriano, and Quincy Jones. The plans and photographs are reminders of how Garrett Eckbo and others led the way in integrating modern architecture with landscape, inspired by Neutra's vision of the house as "a machine in the garden." (Michael Webb is the book reviewer for LA Architect magazine.)

No comments about Another City: Urban Life and Urban Spaces in the New American Republic.

2 comments about Eero Saarinen, 1910-1961: A Structural Expressionist (Basic Art).

1. This is an alright intro. book (and reasonable at $10.00) but it almost brings up more questions than it answers. It is a good intro. to Saarinen and his major works, thoguh I had hoped for a bit more overall....



2. This volume is part of Taschen's series of monographs on the the Twentieth Century's greatest architects. This book follows the Series usual format by beginning with an introductory biographical section. It then moves onto Saarinen's most famous works such as the TWA Terminal, Dulles Intenational and Jefferson National Expansion Memorial. Each building receives a few pages of description and several full page photographs. This is all done in 96 well presented pages.
   
   Eero Saarinen was on the leading lights of American Mid-Century Modernism. If you are interested in the period, you must become familiar with Eero Saarinen's work. This is a reasonably priced volume and a great introduction to the works of one of the Twentieth Century's greatest masters. Highly recommended.