4 comments about Dutch Colonial Homes in America.

1. This book provides an overview of a number of houses built by the Dutch colonist and their descendants in the former colony New Netherland. Beautiful photo's and an extensive historical description of eacht house and its area.



2. This is one of may favorite books featuring authentic Dutch colonials.
   
   The pictures are wonderful as well as the text.
   I had no idea as to the contribution the Dutch had not only in architecture but to the development of the country.
   
   There are many distinctions in their details. There are also many commonalities. I've been able to sort through and incorporate some simple but memorable treatments in one of my projects thanks to this book.
   
   It's a great reference for ideas as well as history and I turn to it often as of late.



3. This book contains some of the best visuals I have seen in quite a long time. The useage of lateral light to bring out texture, color, and ambience is striking. The authors have succedded in isolating commonplace daily scenes found in everything from common humble surroundings to the grandest settings. All scenes are presented equally well, and ,most important, in a new manner- Thus allowing the contemporary viewer to more than glimpse into the past. The visuals are accompainied with an informative, very readable text to greatly aid the reader in interpretation of the scenes depicted. Well done!



4. The material culture of the Dutch in America has always been misunderstood, mis-interrupted, and ignored. Now a book which gives visual evidence of the major contributions of the Dutch in the New World- how this culture in large part contributed to the newly emerging American culture and society.
   This is a must read for anyone interested in early American history as well as the colonial era.

2 comments about New Orleans Houses: A House Watchers Guide.

1. I subscribe to Dwell magazine, and I like Modernist architecture as much as the next guy. But the old homes in New Orleans are not like their companions in other cities. New Orleans does everything differently. So people come to eat here and they say "WOW, I have never had soup like THIS.." Or, "I've been to so many clubs in my life and I have NEVER heard music like THAT...." There is a playfulness and mischeivous quality to New Orleans Victorian homes, for example, that is just thriling and exicting, no matter what your architectural tastes. It is like the jazz music which New Orleans invented. Its been almost a century now and yet it keeps finding endless new fresh expressions here -- often by humble bands playing for nothing at tiny, rough venues. So if you've spent some time exploring Victorian homes you may be sick of them. You go to a place like Cape May, NJ and you think, "Yeah. these are all very pretty, but they are pretty conventional." You understand why the style seemed to run its course and wear out, bleeding into Arts and Crafts or Art Deco things after about 50 years.
   
   New Orleans has followed some of these architectural trends too. Yet it has always given its own distinctive mark, with wild variety and exuberant detail that makes these stand out. Like the food or the jazz, New Orleans homes are just different.
   
   Lloyd Vogt is a very able guide, who can wrestle out some common threats among the wild variety. He brings some order to the chaos. Written in 1985 Vogt traces the major movements with clearly written essays and lovely illustrations. A glossary in the back is extremely helpful as well.
   
   In 175 large pages Vogt takes us through Colonial (1718-1803), Postcolonial (1803-1830), Antebellum (1830-62), Victorian (1862-1900), Early Twentieth Century (1900-40) and Modern (1940-) periods. With staggering attention to detail, given the incredible creativity New Orleans brought to each style, he walks us through French Colonial Plantation Homes, Creole Cottage, Creole Townhouse, Porte-Cochere Townhouse, Entresol House, American Cottage, Double-Gallery House, Shotguns (single, double and camelback), corner storehouses, Georgian, etc.
   
   From these basic outlines, he next takes us to the evolving house styles: French Colonial, Creole, Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, Italiante, Second Empire, Eastlaek, Bracket, Queen Anne, Richardsonian Romanesque, Georgian Colonial Revival, Neoclassical Revival, Tudor Revival, Bungalow Style, Spanish Colonial Revival, International Style, etc.!
   
   With each style he give detailed sketches, struggling to come up with a sort of 'ideal' (often impossible with all the flamboyance and originality of New Orleans). Arrows identify individual features.
   
   My personal favorite is Eastlake Vctorians, which were the most common style in New Orleans 1880-1905, especially in Uptown. We bought a 1902 shotgun double in the heart of Uptown in 2006. Like so many others here, it was originally built for a humble working class family and yet is full of playful and lovely details that cost extra time and money. There is a joy and a passion of expression that gives a window into the spirit of New Orleans. Vogt's book is the most helpful work I found for understanding and enjoying our place. I have bought several copies for my office, visitors to the city, friends, etc.
   
   Good companion volumes are the New Orleans Architecture series (volume VIII, University Section, covers my immediate neighborhood).



2. I've read many other books (both photographic and textual) about New Orleans architecture. The great part about this one is that it's all line drawings which makes the elements of the houses very distinguishable and crystal clear. A great companion for New Orleans fans to deepen their appreciation.

1 comments about Shanghai: The Architecture of China's Great Urban Center.

1. After my trip to Shanghai I put my photo album together. I searched and searched for names for the many buildings in Pudong that I'd photographed from the Bund and river cruise. I could only find a few. Then I got the great idea to get a book!
   This book is just what I was looking for. I was able to identify virtually all of the skyscrapers I had photographed and was able to include biographical data as well. I am thrilled. This book is exactly what I expected and more.
   Thank you.

No comments about Frey (Basic Architecture).

3 comments about The New American House 4: Innovations in Residential Design and Construction (New American).

1. As with everything else from this author, it is just a collection of pretty pictures, with absolutely no detail on materials and construction techniques. There is a reason his books are so cheap.



2. The purpose of my review is to share my comments about this book so that potentail readers could have a balanced view. I also picked up this book at Borders. Fortunately, I did not have to unwrap it...
   
   There are tons of books on modern residential architecture published in recent years. And I (probably you too) have already read quite a few of them. When thinking about getting a new book on the same topic, the key questions we shall all think about are:
   
   What's new in this book? What makes this book different from those I have already read? What does this book add to my collection? What's the unique contribution? What do I learn from this book over and beyond all others?
   
   Unfortunately, this book provides weak answers to these questions. In general, the majority of the houses featured in this book are redundant, uninspiring, and boring. One exception is the SOMA house. There are not many creative ideas in these design. Moderism in architecture is not simply equal to having large glazed windows or using some industrial-flavored materials like concrete. It's a philosophy and life style. It's about innovation and exploration. Many projects selected in this book lack this underlying core. These buildings are just traditional ranch houses with a pseudo-modern apperance.
   
   From a practical standpoint, though some minimalist, bold, and avant-garde houses seem to be "unlivable", clever thinkers can always transform those "unrealistic" elements into feasible design which fits everyday living condition. That's the excitement about architecture and designing: experimentation, creation, and interpretation.
   
   For some good references, check out a book called "Stunning Houses" for high quality and livable modern residential projects. If you want some intellectual stimulation, try "Architecture Now 3" published by Taschen and "XS : Big Ideas in Small-Scale Building". You'll know what I am talking about.
   
   Despite the critiques, this book does have some strengths (also discussed by another reviewer Conan). The text is really detailed. You can also find detailed floor plans and other technical drawings. And I LOVE those beautiful pictures.
   
   In conclusion, this book is mediocre comparing with other books on the same topic. I suggest you borrow a copy from a library or just skim through it in a book store. Considering its price, it is not a wise investment.



3. I picked this book up at a local Borders bookstore. It was pretty expensive and wrapped in cellophane so you couldn't read it before buying. Well, I confess I unwrapped it while hiding behind a bookshelf because I refused to fork over ~$50 without at least browsing through a pricey and unfamiliar book.
   
   Anyway, after perusing just the first half of this substantial book, I was SOLD. I have been hunting through book after book after book for really good and useful ideas on residential contemporary home design (I have a 15 wooded acre lot I'm planning on building on soon). So many of the books I looked at lacked any real, meat and potatoes/useful detail, and/or they emphasized large commercial structures and/or they went on about these trendy, vague, completely unrealistic notions concerning design (like some guy living in a cardboard box with a toilet). Other books on "minimalism" (a stark, modernistic style) were intriguing and interesting, but really in the end...were completely unrealistic. I mean, where am I supposed to keep my "SCHTUFF???" (yeah, I know, I'm one of those shallow, bourgeois, materialistic Westerners).
   
   Other modern architecture books usually provide just a few flashy pictures and some unspecific/unclear, artsy fartsy double talk/new agey bs description of some millionaire's home in southern California. C'mon, not really useful for a Joe Blow like me who needs some real ideas and a much more fleshed out description of how these houses are designed and built.
   
   Well, this book is not like that. Don't get me wrong, it is a thick, sophisticated and richly detailed book. And although most of the homes in it are also the very expensive "millionaire homes", there are also some more modest homes included as well. Plus, and more importantly, they really devote a full dossier of technical information and a beautiful exterior and interior photographic outlay of each home (in full glorious color). And even with the expensive homes, many of the design elements can still be transcribed and adapted to a more modest home (within reason of course). They also include site plans for each home and plenty of details concerning the construction and design strategies. A decently fleshed out documentary that you can really sink your teeth into - something you can actually use to learn more about new, cutting edge designs and to stimulate thought and creative brainstorming for your own house...which is just what I was looking for!
   
   Sometimes books are wrapped in cellophane at the bookstore to prevent a potential buyer from seeing how pretentious, overpriced and overrated a book is before buying it...but this is NOT one of those books. If you want to learn more about modern residential home design, then I couldn't recommend this book more!

No comments about Cool Shops Berlin (Cool Shops).

2 comments about Contemporary Asian Kitchens and Dining Rooms (Contemporary Asian Home Series).

1. 
   Great buy! Got Almost all the contemporary books series.
   Arrived on time!



2. Truly modern asian style. All the pictures are beautiful and full of inspiring ideas. It's definitely worth rading.

2 comments about Best Castles - England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales: The Essential Guide for Visiting and Enjoying.

1. Gorgeous photos, nice descriptions, but too short & not detailed enough. It would also have helped to have had captions under the photos; I frequently couldn't tell what I was looking at. I also wished it were longer. Overall a worthwhile book if a little on the shallow side.



2. I am a big fan of ruined castles. I like ancient, crumbling old buildings from times long past. There are many such castles in the British Isles, but there are also many more "modern" castles, built hundreds of years after the medieval period, filled with sumptuous carpets and luxurious wall coverings and such. I can see the allure of these castles for some people, but they do not hold the same wonder for me, and when I am paying a lot of money to visit a foreign country, I want to optimize my experience as much as possible.
   
   This book is wonderful because it lets me do just that. Many guidebooks (I use the Let's Go and Rough Guides) do not differentiate between different kinds of castles, and offer a brief description of each one. It's hard to know what you're getting into before you actually arrive. With this book, you can get a preview of each castle, so you're never surprised. I mentioned my personal love of ruins, but this book is great for any taste, or just the curious.
   
   The information on each structure is sparse, and much attention is paid to the glorious full color photographs. I never got the impression this book was trying to be the authority on castle information however, and I think it succeeds admirably at its chosen task. It is a good supplemental guidebook if you're interested in the topic.

No comments about Fieldwork: Landscape Architecture Europe.

3 comments about The Situationist City.

1. You could hardly find a greater betrayal of the Situationist movement in all of its aspects, than this book, which translates a chaotic, exciting and iconoclastic movement into a boring and platitudinous addition to the obligatory academic discourse about everything.
   
   Throw this thing in the trash, don't even resell it, certainly don't donate it to any charities or libraries. Go right now instead and find "The Situationist International: A User's Guide" by Simon Ford, you won't regret it. I swear to God I am not lying and I have no institutional or other affiliation that would conflict with this judgment.



2. I can't say I enjoyed this at all. Unles you're heavily into aesthetics and understand most of the avante-garde terms, you're not going to make any sense of this. The book was overly pretentious and I couldn't burden myself to finish it. It's not at all what you'd expect, and the synopsis is misleading.

   Get the book Guy Debord and the Situationist International instead. Guy Debord was part of the Lettrist International, which founded alot of the psycho-geographical ideas. I guarantee it'll be a more interesting read than this.




3. An excellent book, within the constraints the author sets for himself, to deal primarily with what could ahistorically, but reasonably be called "situationist" architecture and architectural theory. There is no doubt the book makes bored, sensitive fellows like myself want to go out and do something to keep these insane transformational ideas alive and working in culture. I'd love to have a list of all the other bored people, we could have a big party.