1 comments about Sullivanesque: Urban Architecture and Ornamentation.

1. This is an excellent, scholarly work by University of Illinois professor Ronald Schmitt. This book is a study in which the author traces the development of ornamentation influenced in nature patterns. The book shows how Sullivan's ornamentation was passed down to his former employees (an excellent study in its own right). And finally how terra cotta ornament became massed produced and used by lesser-known architects for the development of a Chicago "Sullivanesque" Vernacular.

   This is a very thorough book that will appeal to students of The Arts & Crafts/Prairie School and "vernacular urban architecture" which has all but been ignored by architects and academics. The book contains numerous photographs. There is a great chapter on Sullivan's disciples, and, as mentioned before, the work of lesser-known "blue collar" architects whose background buildings are great contributions to the city of Chicago. There is also an appendix which contains an exhaustive, state by state inventory of Sullivanesque buildings.

No comments about Europan 8: Europena Urbanity and Strategic Projects.

1 comments about The Inflatable Moment: Pnuematics and Protest in '68.

1. So you thought that inflatable chairs were just goofy, disposable conversation pieces - the lava lamp of furniture, doomed to evoke hazy images of some late 60s lysergic idyll no matter how many times they come back in fashion. This book is here to blow that perception out of the water - to tell for the first time the fascinating story of inflatables: how the idea emerged from the US military, was baptized by the ludic "instant city" manifestoes of Archigram, and became bound up in the politics of the Situationist-inspired street protests of May '68. There aren't quite as many high-quality images as I'd have liked, and from time to time the book descends into unwonted theoryspeak, but I know of literally no other reference on this particular moment - one where optimism, liberation, and technology fused to suggest possibilities where none had existed before. Highly recommended.

2 comments about Houses and Palaces of Andalucia.

1. Beautiful interior and exterior pictures. Concise and informative text. Well represented properties throughout Andalusia and not concentrating on one specific location. A great complimentary book to Spanish Palaces and Villas. Hope the authors will follow up with the houses and palaces of Portugal.



2. Whether you are an afficionado of fine interior design, an art enthusiat, or someone that needs a bit of exotic beauty in his/her life, this book on fine Andalusian interiors and exteriors is for you. The photography is at once stunning and vivid. If you are looking for some unusual decorating ideas to spice up your own home, look into this book. Anyone who appreciates beautiful photography will enjoy the masterfully executed and colorful plates.

No comments about Konstantin S. Mel'nikov and the Construction of Moscow.

4 comments about Mexico City: A Guide to Recent Architecture.

1. Mexico City is a bit small (the book format, not the metropolis) but the four-inch-square size is a virtue if you're touring the town and want a pocketful of intriguing information and bright photos of recent architecture South of the Border. For architecture students this is a boon -- coffee-table quality in text and graphics, in a reasonably-priced volume that is one of a series on recent architecture in the world's major cities. New York, London, Paris, etc. All from ...ellipsis (sic) publishers. Although I can't speak with the authority of a professional in the field, this book would also seem to be handy for architects who can't leave their desks but wish to make a quick survey of what's been done in the Distrito Federal in recent years. The text spells out problems faced by the various architects: tricky building sites, complex zoning laws, querulous clients. Opher even goes into some "do-it-yourself" sections of the city, where squatters have developed entire communities from (literally) scratch. The illustrations are small and in black-and-white, but the reproduction makes them sparkle. The text intrigues, even though the typeface is a trifle tiny for the middle-aged eye. Overall an excellent book, one that would be a blockbuster in a larger format -- and in this smaller size, makes a great Christmas stocking-stuffer for that creative friend or relative.



2. Mexico City is a bit small (the book format, not the metropolis) but the four-inch-square size is a virtue if you're touring the town and want a pocketful of intriguing information and bright photos of recent architecture South of the Border. For architecture students this is a boon -- coffee-table quality in text and graphics, in a reasonably-priced volume that is one of a series on recent architecture in the world's major cities. New York, London, Paris, etc. All from ...ellipsis (sic) publishers. Although I can't speak with the authority of a professional in the field, this book would also seem to be handy for architects who can't leave their desks but wish to make a quick survey of what's been done in the Distrito Federal in recent years. The text spells out problems faced by the various architects: tricky building sites, complex zoning laws, querulous clients. Opher even goes into some "do-it-yourself" sections of the city, where squatters have developed entire communities from (literally) scratch. The illustrations are small and in black-and-white, but the reproduction makes them sparkle. The text intrigues, even though the typeface is a trifle tiny for the middle-aged eye. Overall an excellent book, one that would be a blockbuster in a larger format -- and in this smaller size, makes a great Christmas stocking-stuffer for that creative friend or relative.



3. Mexico City is a bit small (the book format, not the metropolis) but the four-inch-square size is a virtue if you're touring the town and want a pocketful of intriguing information and bright photos of recent architecture South of the Border. For architecture students this is a boon -- coffee-table quality in text and graphics, in a reasonably-priced volume that is one of a series on recent architecture in the world's major cities. New York, London, Paris, etc. All from ...ellipsis (sic) publishers. Although I can't speak with the authority of a professional in the field, this book would also seem to be handy for architects who can't leave their desks but wish to make a quick survey of what's been done in the Distrito Federal in recent years. The text spells out problems faced by the various architects: tricky building sites, complex zoning laws, querulous clients. Opher even goes into some "do-it-yourself" sections of the city, where squatters have developed entire communities from (literally) scratch. The illustrations are small and in black-and-white, but the reproduction makes them sparkle. The text intrigues, even though the typeface is a trifle tiny for the middle-aged eye. Overall an excellent book, one that would be a blockbuster in a larger format -- and in this smaller size, makes a great Christmas stocking-stuffer for that creative friend or relative.



4. Mexico City is a bit small (the book format, not the metropolis) but the four-inch-square size is a virtue if you're touring the town and want a pocketful of intriguing information and bright photos of recent architecture South of the Border. For architecture students this is a boon -- coffee-table quality in text and graphics, in a reasonably-priced volume that is one of a series on recent architecture in the world's major cities. New York, London, Paris, etc. All from ...ellipsis (sic) publishers. Although I can't speak with the authority of a professional in the field, this book would also seem to be handy for architects who can't leave their desks but wish to make a quick survey of what's been done in the Distrito Federal in recent years. The text spells out problems faced by the various architects: tricky building sites, complex zoning laws, querulous clients. Opher even goes into some "do-it-yourself" sections of the city, where squatters have developed entire communities from (literally) scratch. The illustrations are small and in black-and-white, but the reproduction makes them sparkle. The text intrigues, even though the typeface is a trifle tiny for the middle-aged eye. Overall an excellent book, one that would be a blockbuster in a larger format -- and in this smaller size, makes a great Christmas stocking-stuffer for that creative friend or relative.

1 comments about England's Lost Houses: From the Archives of Country Life.

1. In `Brideshead Revisited` Charles Ryder worries about the triumph of `Hooper`, the epitome of all that's mediocre and commonplace, over history, tradition and style. His thoughts are visualised to perfection in a deeply depressing photograph in this book, showing a brand-new street of featureless, drab modern 'cottages' perched literally on the doorstep of dilapidated Beaupre Hall, that is about to be torn down altogether. If you have any feeling at all for English country house traditions and architecture, this book will make your heart ache for all the beauty that was burnt, mutilated, abandoned and left to decay, or, most often and worst of all, deliberately demolished - at a staggering rate of one house a week during parts of the fifties. (Some offering fierce resistance though, like the domed core of magnificent Nuthall Temple, that defied all attempts at demolition and was left to itself for decades, until finally a big load of dynamite blew it away so that the M1 motorway could run its course; Nuthall's foundations remain buried underneath it).
   Well, as you can see it would be very easy to write a soppy, sentimental book about the subject - but fortunately Giles Worsley sticks to an eminently sober, scholarly (but lively!) approach. He notes that we lament the loss of 1 in 6 country houses during the 20th century, but that we might rather wonder at the fact that in a century of such huge political, economical and social changes, 5 in 6 survived! Also, he stresses that the downsizing of huge piles into something more convenient or fashionable is not a 20th century invention, but is of all ages. And who could blame the latter-day nobleman for not wanting to maintain a draughty, 150-bedroom Victorian colossus? (the Duchess of Westminster apparently once said that she thought of Eaton Hall as a town rather than a house - and a stay in the immense, British-designed Lalgarh Palace (now hotel) in Bikaner, India, has certainly taught me that Victorian buildings of that size are hardly fit for human occupation!). In fact, the 20th century is exceptional only because it was the first century to produce legislation AGAINST such activities. And finally, not all that was lost was of great historical or architectural importance - much of it was in fact second-rate, plain or downright ugly.
   Country Life liberally documented the good, the bad and the ugly (at times snubbing the ugly with elegant irony, some amusing examples of which are cited; at other times providing invaluable visual documentation to inspire later reconstructions), and the breathtaking photographs in this book seem to offer a fairly representative cross-section of all that was destroyed or downsized. The quality of the (black and white) pictures is exquisite. They show a wealth of architectural and interior detail, but many of them are also highly atmospheric, mysterious and haunting. The accompanying text is concise, instructive and always interesting (though inevitably a somewhat depressing recital of fires and bankruptcies). I was surprised, by the way, that the book contains no pictures at all of the process of destruction itself; also, for some houses that were dramatically reduced, I would have been interested to see a `before-and-after' comparison. But these are just minor quibbles. This is a magnificent book, beautifully produced on heavy, glossy paper, and is a definite must-have for anyone even remotely interested in this subject!

No comments about Barcelona Architecture & Design (Architecture).

1 comments about Colonial Revival Maine.

1. Maine, especially the coast, is a beautiful setting for almost any style of residence, but it seems Colonial Revival was made for Maine. This book does a wonderful job of presenting these buildings in their best light, the images are first rate and gorgeous. The text is highly informative and easy to naviagate. The craftsmanship on these homes is simply amazing and the settings for the most part are breathtaking. If you have any interest in Colonial Revival architecture or Maine in general then i highly recommend this book, I cant image anyone not appreciating this book.

No comments about The Hidden Order: Tokyo Through the Twentieth Century.