The Emperor's Vision
Step into the heart of Ming China's most iconic imperial legacy-The Forbidden City. In this meticulously researched and eloquently crafted exploration, Liang Zhenxiu unveils the secrets behind one of the world's greatest architectural marvels. Discover how the Forbidden City transcended its role as a mere royal residence to become the ultimate expression of imperial authority and cosmic harmony. From the visionary ambition of the Yongle Emperor to the profound symbolism embedded in every brick, color, and design, this book bridges the realms of history, philosophy, and art. Highlights include: The influence of Confucian ideals and Feng Shui on the Forbidden City's design. The untold stories of the artisans, architects, and laborers who brought the emperor's grand vision to life. An exploration of how celestial principles guided the city's layout, reflecting the emperor's divine role as the "Son of Heaven." The Forbidden City's enduring legacy as a symbol of power and harmony through centuries of Chinese history. Rich in detail and insight, The Emperor's Vision is a journey through the architectural splendor, cultural ethos, and imperial might of Ming China. A must-read for history enthusiasts, scholars, and anyone captivated by the timeless allure of the Forbidden City. Liang Zhenxiu masterfully brings to life the grandeur and complexity of an era when architecture was a language of power, philosophy, and the divine. Prepare to be transported into the very heart of a dynasty.
The Emperor's Vision
Step into the heart of Ming China's most iconic imperial legacy-The Forbidden City. In this meticulously researched and eloquently crafted exploration, Liang Zhenxiu unveils the secrets behind one of the world's greatest architectural marvels. Discover how the Forbidden City transcended its role as a mere royal residence to become the ultimate expression of imperial authority and cosmic harmony. From the visionary ambition of the Yongle Emperor to the profound symbolism embedded in every brick, color, and design, this book bridges the realms of history, philosophy, and art. Highlights include: The influence of Confucian ideals and Feng Shui on the Forbidden City's design. The untold stories of the artisans, architects, and laborers who brought the emperor's grand vision to life. An exploration of how celestial principles guided the city's layout, reflecting the emperor's divine role as the "Son of Heaven." The Forbidden City's enduring legacy as a symbol of power and harmony through centuries of Chinese history. Rich in detail and insight, The Emperor's Vision is a journey through the architectural splendor, cultural ethos, and imperial might of Ming China. A must-read for history enthusiasts, scholars, and anyone captivated by the timeless allure of the Forbidden City. Liang Zhenxiu masterfully brings to life the grandeur and complexity of an era when architecture was a language of power, philosophy, and the divine. Prepare to be transported into the very heart of a dynasty.
Jewish Architecture
Every national architecture-whether Japanese, German, French, Moroccan, or Israeli-reflects the culture, traditions, climate, and technology of the nation within its borders.Therefore, for nearly two millennia, the Jewish people, lacking a state, did not have a national Jewish architecture. Buildings constructed by or for Jews in host countries should thus be considered Jewish heritage, not Jewish national architecture.Global international architecture has emerged in the past two centuries, transcending state boundaries and traditional national forms. This book seeks to demonstrate how the Jewish diaspora-a nation without a land-has played a significant role in fostering, shaping, and contributing to its development. This international phenomenon, which reflects Jewish cosmopolitanism and innovation, can be aptly termed "Jewish Architecture."
Rupturing Architecture
This is the first book to critically and visually explore the spatial practices of refuge in response to conditions of war, violence, and displacement experienced in Iraq from 2003 to 2023. Written by an Iraqi architect who has lived through the trauma of several wars, 10 years of UN-imposed sanctions, an invasion, and the subsequent violence, this book captures a broad spectrum of spatial responses to trauma and presents a fresh perspective on how ordinary Iraqis create refuge across the spaces of the home, the urban environment, and border geographies. In the face of spatial wounding and the many injustices suffered by the Iraqi people, there has also been a wealth of refuge-making practices that showcase their creative and imaginative design and adaptability to change and trauma over time. Rupturing Architecture employs methods such as creative deep mapping, memory work, storytelling, interviews, and case studies of architectural responses to the geographies of war and violence. At the core of the book are the lived and felt experiences of fifteen Iraqis from across Iraq, whose resilience underscores a broader narrative of spatial justice and feminist spatial practices. The book articulates the dual nature of rupturing as both a sign of trauma and a powerful act of resistance, examining how these forces shape domesticity, urbanity, and border spaces. The concluding manifesto for spatial justice calls for a deep, integrated understanding of place, memory, and trauma, advocating for comprehensive strategies in the making of refuge spaces that also resonate in a wider, global context.
Earthen Floors, Second Edition
The essential guide to making, installing and living with beautiful, all-natural earthen floors - now fully revised and updated This full-color guide includes complete step-by-step instructions for installing your own earthen floors as well as the history, use, and maintenance of this beautiful, durable, non-toxic flooring material. Updated to reflect current best practices, it is the only resource of its kind, widely recognized as an essential tool for anyone wanting to work with this beautiful and environmentally friendly construction method. From sourcing and processing raw materials to applying the final finish, each stage of this exciting technique is demystified. Topics include: The story of earthen floors through the ages and their role in modern green building Tips and tools for site preparation, mixing, pouring, burnishing, sanding, oiling, sealing, and more Recipes and ratios for the ideal earthen floor mix, subfloor insulation and vapor barrier options, and how to achieve the perfect pour Beyond the basics - inlays, color washes, prints, patterns, alternative fibers, and other creative options Radiant heat, electric wire heated floors, and other improvements for cooler climates Updated resources section with suggestions for tool and material suppliers. Packed with new in-depth case studies and inspirational photographs, and drawing on the collective knowledge of the most qualified and experienced practitioners, Earthen Floors, Second Edition is a must-read for natural builders, homeowners, architects, contractors, and DIY enthusiasts.
Forest Urbanisms
A radical redefinition of how humanity occupies the earth -- through forestry, agriculture, and settlement -- and rearticulates environmental stewardship by intertwining ecologies and urbanisms. This publication brings together essays by scholars in forestry, urbanism and other disciplines, designers, practitioners and policy makers. It explores the multifaceted notion of forest urbanisms, including a conceptual framing essay, contributions from the sciences such as bioscience engineering, architecture, urbanism and public policy, contemporary forest urbanism projects and explorative essays that make tangible an agenda for the 21st century. With descriptions of both built and non-built projects from around the globe, the essays show how such projects substantiate a radical shift in humankind's occupation of the world, where ecologies and urbanisms converge and agriculture, forestry, and settlements are integrated.Forest Urbanisms extends growing research on a new nature-culture relationship, the necessity for trees in cities, and a rebalancing of ecology and urbanism.Contributing authors: Chiara Cavalieri (UC Louvain), Cecil Koninendijk (Nature Based Solutions Institute), Rik De Vreese (European Forest Institute), Bart Muys (KU Leuven), Colleen Murphy-Dunning (Yale University), Bureau Bas Smets, Kongjian Yu (Turenscape), Wim Wambecq and Joris Moonen (MIDI), Emby獺 Paisagens & Ecossistemas, EFFEKT, TCL, aldayjover architecture and landscape, Bj繹rn Bracke (KU Leuven / Kollektif Landscape), Koenraad Danneels (KU Leuven), Marl癡ne Boura (Biotope Environnement, R矇gion de Bruxelles-Capitale), Swagata Das (KU Leuven), Kamni Gill (University of Manitoba), Alejandra Parra-Ortiz (University of Montreal), Gina Serrano-Aragundi (EPA Barranquilla Verde), J繹rg Rekittke (University College Dublin), Takako Tajima (University of Southern California), Jamie Vanucchi (Cornell University), Maria Goula (Cornell University)
Living Together
What does it mean for architecture to be a truly collaborative venture where plants and other species also exercise their agency? This would mean to make architecture receptive--physically, premised on creating spaces for accommodating multispecies; and intellectually, premised on becoming aware of the needs of more-than-humans. Design-based approaches whether technocratic or demonstrating a theoretical standpoint are fragmented today and demand a holistic approach. Living Together positions itself in that fragmentation. The book is an inquiry into an architecture which allows multispecies alliances to take place. It brings materialist and ecological inquiries to architectural design, practice, and thinking; acknowledging a necessity to go beyond established architectural ideals of progress, monumentality, longevity, and permanence. A guide to ecological planning in architecture Cohabitation: architecture must take into account the non-human living space Inspiring illustrations
Window Shopping with Helen Keller
A particular history of how encounters between architects and people with disabilities transformed modern culture. Window Shopping with Helen Keller recovers a series of influential moments when architects and designers engaged the embodied experiences of people with disabilities. David Serlin reveals how people with sensory and physical impairments navigated urban spaces and helped to shape modern culture. Through four case studies--the lives of Joseph Merrick (aka "The Elephant Man") and Helen Keller, the projects of the Works Progress Administration, and the design of the Illinois Regional Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped--Serlin offers a new history of modernity's entanglements with disability.
West Coast Covered Bridges
Covered Bridges of California, Oregon and WashingtonA Source book for Travelers, Photographers, ExplorersDescriptions to all of the West Coast's 63 Remaining Historic Covered Bridges, as well as photos of each one GPS Positions Written Driving Directions Instructions for 7 Self-Guided Tours Basic Info for each Site Photo Tips for each Site Truss types described and illustrated Short History of Covered Bridges
Chicago Skyscrapers, 1871-1934
A detailed tour, inside and out, of Chicago's distinctive towers from an earlier age For more than a century, Chicago's skyline has included some of the world's most distinctive and inspiring buildings. This history of the Windy City's skyscrapers begins in the key period of reconstruction after the Great Fire of 1871 and concludes in 1934 with the onset of the Great Depression, which brought architectural progress to a standstill. During this time, such iconic landmarks as the Chicago Tribune Tower, the Wrigley Building, the Marshall Field and Company Building, the Chicago Stock Exchange, the Palmolive Building, the Masonic Temple, the City Opera, Merchandise Mart, and many others rose to impressive new heights, thanks to innovations in building methods and materials. Solid, earthbound edifices of iron, brick, and stone made way for towers of steel and plate glass, imparting a striking new look to Chicago's growing urban landscape. Thomas Leslie reveals the daily struggles, technical breakthroughs, and negotiations that produced these magnificent buildings. He also considers how the city's infamous political climate contributed to its architecture, as building and zoning codes were often disputed by shifting networks of rivals, labor unions, professional organizations, and municipal bodies. Featuring more than a hundred photographs and illustrations of the city's physically impressive and beautifully diverse architecture, Chicago Skyscrapers, 1871-1934 highlights an exceptionally dynamic, energetic period of architectural progress in Chicago.
Contemporary Perspectives on Architectural Organicism
This project is born out of similar questions and discussions on the topic of organicism emergent from two critical strands regarding the discourse of organic self-generation: one dealing with the problem of stopping in the design processes in history, and the other with the organic legacy of style in the nineteenth century as a preeminent form of aesthetic ideology.The epistemologies of self-generation outlined by enlightenment and critical philosophy provided the model for the discursive formations of modern urban planning and architecture. The form of the organism was thought to calibrate modernism's infinite extension. The architectural organicism of today does not take on the language of the biological sciences, as they did in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, but rather the image of complex systems, be they computational/informational, geo/ecological, or even ontological/aesthetic 'networks'. What is retained from the modernity of yesterday is the ideology of endless self-generation. Revisiting such a topic feels relevant now, in a time when the idea of endless generation is rendered more suspect than ever, amid an ever increasing speed and complexity of artificial intelligence (AI) networks.The essays collected in this book offer a variety of critiques of the modernist idea of endless growth in the fields of architecture, literature, philosophy, and the history of science. They range in scope from theoretical and speculative to analytic and critical and from studies of the history of modernity to reflections of our contemporary world. Far from advocating a return to the romantic forms of nineteenth-century naturphilosophie, this project focuses on probing organicism for new forms of critique and emergent subjectivities in a contemporary, 'post'-pandemic constellation of neo-naturalism in design, climate change, complex systems, and information networks.This book will be of interest to a broad range of researchers and professionals in architecture and art history, historians of science, visual artists, and scholars in the humanities more generally.
Exteriorless Architecture
This book attempts to delineate three main characteristics for an architecture of the EXTERIORLESS.These three aspects-Interface, Expanded Domains, and New Forms of Urbanity-constitute the three main sections of the book.
Toledo's Southwyck Mall
The Southwyck Mall was the shopping hub in the South Toledo area during the 1980's and 90's. Kids visited Hobby Center Toys and Old Towne, families ate at Big Boy, Forum Cafe, Hot Sam's, and Orange Julius. Many others pumped quarters into games at Red Baron Arcades, browsed music at Camelot or went to Lion Store, Lamson's and Montgomery Ward. Gathering almost 400 vintage images, the original floor map and the history of every store through the 1980's, author Chris Bores delivers another trip down memory lane with long lost histories of each business unearthed from the early days of Toledo's historic Southwyck Mall.
Liminal House
Where something begins and ends The liminal is a transformational state between the position where something meets, mixes, and merges. The Liminal House straddles a similar threshold between West Vancouver's natural stony seashore and its suburban residential neighborhood. Courtyards, cantilevers, and the extension of floor area over exterior space dismantles boundaries between the house and the natural environment in which it exists and a strategy of mixing and merging, where light is reflected and landscapes are invited towards the interior of the home, collapses a normal reading of interior space. The house is animated by the ever-changing outdoor atmosphere; expansive walls of sliding glass open to a dark pool that reflects and extends the environment near the ocean. Concrete, black stained Accoya wood, and coated aluminum plate are the only exterior materials as they are tough and long-wearing in harsh and ever-changing environments.
Maine Lighthouses
Discover the People, Histories, and Stories Connected to Southern Maine's LighthousesMaine Lighthouses Included in this Book: Whaleback Light, 1830 Cape Neddick Light, 1879 Boon Island Light, 1811 Goat Island Light, 1833 Wood Island Light, 1807 Cape Elizabeth Lights, 1828 Portland Head Light, 1791 Ram Island Ledge Light, 1905 Spring Point Ledge Light, 1897 Portland Breakwater Light, 1855 Halfway Rock Light, 1871Like bright stars in a constellation that dot Maine's coast and inland waterways, lighthouses are familiar beacons of hope for mariners and, like mariners, have plenty of stories to tell. From the history of their construction, and sometimes destruction, to births, deaths, romance, and shipwrecks, heroes, storms, and the daily lives of those connected to them, these pillars of light in the darkness and guiding sound in the fog are witnesses to the state of Maine and our country's historical maritime evolution.A strong connection exists between people and lighthouses, which are symbols of hope, faithful watchfulness, steadfast endurance through raging storms, and unwavering duty to the safety of others. Some were lonely outposts in the middle of the ocean where winter gales could blow 70mph, raising the seas so high they would crash over the top of the lighthouse, with keepers and their families knowing that with every break of the waves, it could be the last of the station and their lives. Others on the mainland became lively attractions and part of the community, with locals frequenting the station, often becoming friends with the keeper and their family, and curious summer visitors flocking to the station for lighthouse tours.Between 1791 and 1910, the government established 66 lighthouses along the Maine coast as maritime commerce increased. Discover the history of 11 of these lighthouses and the stories about the tireless and brave men, women, and their families who sacrificed the comforts of home and their safety to keep the lights burning and help mariners navigate these treacherous and often deadly waters. Read about their adventures, dangers they faced, lives they saved, friendships they forged, the animals who lived with them, comical moments, and the love many of them deeply felt for the unique and now vanished way of life living in a lighthouse.This full-color, 86-page book features the following information about each lighthouse: Alternative Names, Location, Tower Height, Focal Plane Height, Year Built, First Lit, Fog Signal, Past Optics, Present Optic, Range, Characteristics, Year Automated, Year Deactivated, Status, Lighthouse Keepers and Dates Served, History of the Lighthouse, Stories Connected to the Lighthouse
Visual and Spatial Structure of Landscapes
In this imaginative and generously illustrated book, Tadahiko Higuchi applies a methodology to landscape that is similar to that developed by Kevin Lynch for investigating the extent to which urban settings are legible and "imageable" to their inhabitants. He identifies features such as landmarks, boundaries, paths, and nodes that enable people moving through a landscape to piece together a reliable mental map of their surroundings, beginning with major structural elements and filling in with successively finer detail.
The Greek and Gothic Revivals in Europe 1750-1850
This book combines the Greek and Gothic Revival phenomena in the period between 1750 and 1850, showing the common cultural background of these artistic trends referring to the past. It presents examples from almost all over Europe. In addition to the introductory text problematizing the idea, there are studies of more detailed issues - topographic shots presenting the aforementioned phenomena within artistic regions, presentations of projects undertaken by outstanding personalities of the era, as well as analyses of individual assumptions or works.
Building and Economic Growth in Southern Europe (1050-1300)
The four-volume sub-series 'Petrifying Wealth' explores the sudden ubiquity of masonry construction between 1050 and 1300 in Southern Europe and its profound effect on the European landscape. New questions about wealth, society, and medieval building are explored, which highlight the link between construction in durable materials and the shaping of individual, collective, and territorial identities: the birth of a new, long-lasting panorama, epitomising the way we see the space and territory of Europe nowadays. Volume 2 of the 'Petrifying Wealth' series focuses on economic growth in Southern Europe between 1050 and 1300, discussing investments on buildings connected with production and trade. It examines buildings that served a primarily economic purpose, in various aspects: agricultural activity and the conservation and processing of its products, crafts, and exchanges and their material infrastructures. The growth in this period resulted in a multiplication of material structures closely linked with economic activity, such as mills, barns, canals, workshops, and arsenals. Focusing on the dynamics connected with these buildings thus offers a vantage point to better understand the contexts and characteristics of the 'economic take-off' in Southern Europe in this period.
Architecture of water sources in the structure of the Central Asian city
The monograph is a comprehensive multilateral study of water sources in the structure of Central Asian cities. On the basis of numerous archival materials, as well as the author's expeditionary research, the author considers the relationship between climatic factors and the architectural and planning structure of cities; identifies the origins of the cult ensemble; considers typical types of water sources and reveals their compositional role in architectural ensembles of various types (urban centers, quarter, residential, palace, suburban); conducts a comparative analysis of the architecture of water sources in the Central Asian region and other countries of the East. The monograph covers the whole historical period of existence of urban planning culture in the region, from the first written and archaeological research to the end of the XIX century.
Dreams of a King
Step into the captivating world of Ludwig II of Bavaria, a monarch whose life was as extraordinary as the castles he left behind. Known as the "Fairy Tale King," Ludwig's reign was marked by a passionate pursuit of art, architecture, and romantic ideals-contrasting sharply with the political turmoil of 19th-century Europe. From the majestic towers of Neuschwanstein to the opulence of Herrenchiemsee, Ludwig's architectural masterpieces stand as testaments to his visionary imagination. Yet, behind these breathtaking creations lies the poignant story of a king struggling with isolation, societal pressures, and the relentless expectations of royalty. Joseph Niedermeier delves into the enigma of Ludwig's life, weaving together his artistic passions, personal complexities, and the mystery surrounding his untimely death. Was he a misunderstood dreamer, a flawed genius, or a victim of political intrigue? "Dreams of a King" is a journey through the triumphs and tragedies of Bavaria's most iconic ruler, offering a vivid portrait of a man who sought to bring beauty to the world, even at great personal cost. Perfect for history enthusiasts, art lovers, and anyone drawn to the mysteries of the past, this book invites you to uncover the legacy of a king whose dreams continue to inspire.
Dreams of a King
Step into the captivating world of Ludwig II of Bavaria, a monarch whose life was as extraordinary as the castles he left behind. Known as the "Fairy Tale King," Ludwig's reign was marked by a passionate pursuit of art, architecture, and romantic ideals-contrasting sharply with the political turmoil of 19th-century Europe. From the majestic towers of Neuschwanstein to the opulence of Herrenchiemsee, Ludwig's architectural masterpieces stand as testaments to his visionary imagination. Yet, behind these breathtaking creations lies the poignant story of a king struggling with isolation, societal pressures, and the relentless expectations of royalty. Joseph Niedermeier delves into the enigma of Ludwig's life, weaving together his artistic passions, personal complexities, and the mystery surrounding his untimely death. Was he a misunderstood dreamer, a flawed genius, or a victim of political intrigue? "Dreams of a King" is a journey through the triumphs and tragedies of Bavaria's most iconic ruler, offering a vivid portrait of a man who sought to bring beauty to the world, even at great personal cost. Perfect for history enthusiasts, art lovers, and anyone drawn to the mysteries of the past, this book invites you to uncover the legacy of a king whose dreams continue to inspire.
Beyond Architecture: The New New York
A volume of new essays by a range of contributors--architectural critics, city planners, historians, scholars, journalists, and more--to commemorate the sixtieth anniversary of the passage of the New York City Landmarks Law, exploring the past, present, and future of historic preservation in America's great metropolis. Beyond Architecture: The New New York is a volume of new essays, never before in print, commissioned by the NYC Landmarks60 Alliance to commemorate the sixtieth anniversary of the passage of the New York City Landmarks Law. The 1965 law established the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) and initiated the era of historic preservation in New York City (the largest city in the United States). Today (as of July 2024) the Landmarks Preservation Commission oversees more than 38,000 buildings and sites throughout New York City, and has designated 158 historic districts and extensions, 1,464 individual landmarks, 123 interior landmarks, and 12 scenic landmarks (for example, all of Central Park comprises one landmark). "Honor our past, imagine our future" is the axiom of the NYC Landmarks60 Alliance. The contributors have written essays with forward-looking visions and consider "the future of the past" in the twenty-first century. Each contributor is uniquely placed to understand and explore this challenging topic. Their individual essays explore varied aspects of the impact, legacy, and current and future status of historic preservation in New York City. All the essays are meant to inspire reflection, hope, and excitement about the future of the new New York, its complex history, and its never-ending transformation. The writers have moved beyond architecture to examine the past, present, and future of New York City with creative and careful analyses of the subject which will stimulate thought, discussion, and action as we move toward a new New York. Barbaralee Diamonstein-Spielvogel, EditorVishaan ChakrabartiJustin DavidsonAndrew DolkartThomas DyjaPaul GoldbergerAdam GopnikMichael KimmelmanGuy NordensonNat OppenheimerA. O. ScottLisa SwitkinRosemary Vietor
Architectures of Security
Architectures of Security: Design, Control, Mobility examines the relationship between architecture, security, and technology, focusing on the way these factors mutually constitute a "ferocious" architecture--an architecture, aesthetic, or design that is violent, forcing the performances and practices of sovereign power and neoliberalism. The text provides examples from urban spaces in both the global north and south, which discipline the mobility and movement of populations, as well as reinforce socioeconomic cleavages. From borders and borderlands, to airports, museums, and public buildings, the authors portray often inhumane examples of sovereign power.
Inside the Design Industry
Turn your passion for design into a successful career!Politics. Unwritten rules. Your talent is undeniable, but succeeding in a leading design firm requires more than just skill-it demands an understanding of complex team dynamics.Brittney Herrera understands the real-world challenges junior designers face. Inside the Design Industry serves as a mentor to every junior designer, demystifying the competitive world of commercial architecture, interior design, and environmental branding.Discover how to navigate the complex culture of the industry, from landing your first job to climbing the corporate ladder. Learn to leverage your unique strengths, build a supportive community, and handle challenging situations with confidence. Packed with strategies for building a successful career, Inside the Design Industry equips you with invaluable tools to excel and find fulfillment in your journey.
Inside the Design Industry
Turn your passion for design into a successful career!Politics. Unwritten rules. Your talent is undeniable, but succeeding in a leading design firm requires more than just skill-it demands an understanding of complex team dynamics.Brittney Herrera understands the real-world challenges junior designers face. Inside the Design Industry serves as a mentor to every junior designer, demystifying the competitive world of commercial architecture, interior design, and environmental branding.Discover how to navigate the complex culture of the industry, from landing your first job to climbing the corporate ladder. Learn to leverage your unique strengths, build a supportive community, and handle challenging situations with confidence. Packed with strategies for building a successful career, Inside the Design Industry equips you with invaluable tools to excel and find fulfillment in your journey.
Architectural graphics
Architectural graphics is associated with a number of extremely relevant problems for architectural activity. Currently, the majority of architects-designers realize their projects with its help. Graphics remains one of the most effective methods of developing creative abilities in education, graphical techniques are the basic principles on which the mechanics of images with the help of graph builder as part of the computer. Most experts in architectural design, architectural theory, and architectural pedagogy recognize the importance of researching and understanding the tools of architectural graphics as an effective means of improving the quality of design, quality, and effectiveness of instruction in architecture school.A comprehensive knowledge of the subject of Architectural Graphics and an understanding of the nature of its origins inevitably enhances the culture of the specialty list and affects the quality of its creative pursuits. Ultimately, the quality of architecture, the effectiveness of its formation depends on the complex of this knowledge.
Designed Forests
This book explores the unique kinship that exists between forests and spatial design, the forest's influence on architectural culture and practice, and the potentials and pitfalls of "forest thinking" for more sustainable and ethical ways of doing architecture today.
Is Architecture Art?
Shortlisted for the Architectural Book of the Year Award 2025 Is architecture an art, like literature or music? Or is it more akin to science or engineering? Can buildings be artworks, just like paintings and sculptures, or does their fundamentally functional nature mean they cannot be considered pure works of art? Questions of architecture, art, and aesthetics do not allow for simple answers. But by asking such questions, we can usefully reveal the ways in which the concepts and meanings of architecture have changed over the centuries, and how they continue to change in the contemporary era. Is Architecture Art? explores the key conceptual questions about the aesthetic appreciation of architecture and its persistently contested status as an artform. It engages the work of thinkers ranging from Hume and Kant to Adorno, Tafuri, and Ranci癡re, and draws on accessible and thought-provoking accounts of historical and contemporary architectural and art theory. Taking novel approaches to issues that will be familiar to the practising architect, it shows how aesthetics and art theory can open up and illuminate architectural theory, issue by issue. Is Architecture Art? will provoke discussion and debate among architects and architectural theorists, and force a new understanding of the purpose of architectural practice in the contemporary era as the concepts of 'art', 'the arts', and of the creative economy have shifted and blurred as never before.
Routledge Handbook of Cultural Landscape Practice
Cultural landscapes, which in the field of heritage studies and practice relates to caring for and safeguarding heritage landscapes, is a concept embedded in contemporary conservation. Heritage conservation has shifted from an historical focus on buildings, city centres, and archaeological sites to encompass progressively more diverse forms of heritage and increasingly larger geographic areas, embracing both rural and urban landscapes. While the origin of the idea of cultural landscapes can be traced to the late-19th century Euro-American scholarship, it came to global attention after 1992 following its adoption as a category of 'site' by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. Today, cultural landscape practice has become increasingly complex given the expansion of the values and meanings of heritage, the influence of environmental challenges such as human induced climate change, technological advancements, and the need to better understand and interpret human connections to place and landscapes.The aim of this handbook is to strike a balance between theory and practice, which we see as inseparable, while also seeking to achieve a geographical spread, disciplinary diversity and perspectives, and a mix of authors from academic, practitioner, management, and community backgrounds.
Building on Challenging Ground
Architecture in uneven terrains challenges conventions and invites us to rethink the relationship between the natural environment and human design. In this book, we explore the creations of various architects who have embraced the challenge of building in arid terrains, with steep slopes and among imposing rocks. Through their works, we discover how architecture can harmoniously merge with nature, defying the limitations of the terrain and creating spaces that inspire awe and admiration. Whether in cliffside homes or in deserts, these constructions demonstrate the power of creativity and engineering to transform the inhospitable into the habitable, the rugged into the beautiful. Welcome to a journey through architecture in unique terrains, where imagination and audacity meet the earth and the rock.
Buffalo’s Occult Architecture
Architecture truly is a continuum. So many of the structures we see on our streets stretch thematic roots back to the temples, monuments, and "places of ancient sanctity" of humanity's earliest sacred expressions, and, like an ancient church, the best of them still have an indefinable grip over the imagination. So much more than a collection of ghost stories, Buffalo's Occult Architecture, Volume 1, is a stunning analysis of some of the Niagara's grand builders and buildings from occult perspectives: sacred geometry, mystical interests, archaeoastronomy, "esoteric geology"-geomancy-First Nations- and world mysticism, and, yes, supernatural folklore. Buffalo is a gallery for the great designers, and Buffalo's Occult Architecture presents a radical new aspect of its study.- Joseph Ellicott- Frederick Law Olmsted- H. H. Richardson- Andrew Jackson Warner- Louis Sullivan- Dietel and Wade
Window on the Lake
The lake, with its serene beauty and constant change, has been an endless source of inspiration for artists, poets, and, of course, architects. In this book, we explore a selection of architectural projects that share a common element: the grandeur of a lake as a backdrop. As you turn the following pages, you will witness the creativity and vision of prominent architects whose works harmoniously integrate with the surrounding nature, taking advantage of the panoramic views and tranquility that only a lakeside environment can offer. Each project presents a unique interpretation of the relationship between architecture and water, demonstrating how the presence of a lake can influence the way we live, work, and experience the built world. Join us on this journey through architecture alongside the talented designers whose creations rise in harmony with the natural beauty that only a lake can provide.
Designing Aspen
In this luxurious and aspirational home design book, the founders of renowned Colorado firm Rowland+Broughton share a selection of their extraordinary residential projects, with Aspen and the Rocky Mountains as the dazzling backdrop. Rowland+Broughton is known for shaping the town of Aspen with their visionary work in urban design and historic preservation. Here, founders John Rowland and Sarah Broughton showcase ten spectacular residences in Aspen and the Rocky Mountains created by their innovative and talented firm. With beautiful photography throughout, Designing Aspen includes a range of houses, from Mountain Retreat, a modern lodge-style home located at the base of Aspen Highlands, to Meadow House, positioned at the edge of a meadow amid an existing forest of spruce and evergreens, and from Art Barn, a residence with the specific purpose of displaying art, to Bagua, a Zen mountain retreat. Also featured are essays about Aspen and its history and relevance; the importance of historic preservation; client relationships; and the philosophy of the firm; and a foreword by Tom Kundig. Perfect for lovers of home design and architecture, anyone who aspires to build or decorate a house in the mountains, and visitors and residents of Aspen enthralled by its charms, this makes a beautiful coffee table book and a captivating volume of residential design expertise and inspiration.
The Barrack, 1572-1914
The shifting meanings, from practical to tragic, associated with the structure of a barrack. The Barrack, 1572-1914 tells the little-known history of a building type that many people used to register as an alien interloper in conventionally built-up areas. The barrack is a mostly lightweight construction, a hybrid between a shack, tent, and traditional building. Easy to erect and to take down, it is--after the introduction of railways and later motor vehicles in the late 19th and early 20th centuries--also easy to transplant from one location to another. Originating as a standardized accommodation for semi-permanent military encampments in the late sixteenth century, the barrack became a mass-produced utility of military and civilian mobilization in the nineteenth century, providing immediate shelter for soldiers, prisoners, or displaced persons, as well as well-ventilated hospital wards for the sick. The barrack played a decisive role in shaping the political space of modernity. In The Barrack, 1572-1914, Robert Jan van Pelt traces nearly 350 years of barrack history up to 1914. That year, in which the Great War broke out, proved to be a turning point in the perception of the barrack, away from pragmatic emergency shelter and towards sinister forced housing. Richly illustrated with two hundred and fifty images, van Pelt's book records the traditions of barrack design and the technological inventiveness that went into it in the late nineteenth century.
Analogical Thinking in Architecture
This book provides an in-depth exploration of the rich and persistent use of analogical thinking in the built environment. Since the turn of the 21st century, "design thinking" has permeated many fields outside of the design disciplines, used whenever disciplinary boundaries need to be transcended in order to think "outside the box". This book argues that these qualities have long been supported by "analogical thinking"-an agile way of reasoning in which we think the unknown through the familiar. The book is organized into four case studies: the first reviews analogical models that have been at the heart of design thinking representations from the 1960s to the present day; the second investigates the staying power of biological analogies; the third explores the paradoxical imaginary of "analogous cities" as a means of integrating contemporary architecture with heritage contexts; while the fourth unpacks the critical and theoretical potential of linguistic metaphors and visual comparisons in architectural discourse. Comparing views on the role of analogies and metaphors by prominent voices in architecture and related disciplines from the 17th century to the present, the book shows how the "analogical world of the project" is revealed as a wide-open field of creative and cognitive interactions. Showing how analogy has the power to reconcile design and theory, it is a must-read for both designers and theorists alike.
Transforming the Mathildenh繹he World Heritage Site
1908 konnte das von dem Jugendstilarchitekten Joseph Maria Olbrich erbaute Ausstellungsgeb瓣ude der Darmst瓣dter K羹nstlerkolonie auf der Mathildenh繹he eingeweiht werden. Ein Jahrhundert sp瓣ter wurden schneider+schumacher mit der Generalsanierung beauftragt. Das B羹ro hat sich nicht nur mit der historischen Bausubstanz, den komplexen Klima- und Ausstellungstechniken sowie den r瓣umlichen und gestalterischen Herausforderungen des ber羹hmten Baus besch瓣ftigt. Einfluss nahmen auch der Denkmalschutz und eine UNESCO-Kommission, denn w瓣hrend des Projektverlaufs wurde die K羹nstlerkolonie zum Welterbe erkl瓣rt. Der reich illustrierte Band erz瓣hlt die Geschichte des Baus und zeigt, wie die Architekt*innen das Baudenkmal wieder zum Sprechen bringen und mit zeitgen繹ssischen Erg瓣nzungen weitere Stimmen hinzuf羹gen. Geschichte und Sanierung des einzigartigen Jugendstil-Denkmals Best-Practice-Beispiel f羹r sensible denkmalgerechte Instandsetzung Erscheint anl瓣sslich der Wiederer繹ffnung im Herbst 2024
Organicism in Contemporaneity
Organicism in contemporary times refers to the emergence of the organic current through biomorphism today. It reflects on the susceptibility between the rationalist and organicist architectural currents today. It seeks to motivate discussion among young architecture students and professionals about Bruno Zevi's (1978) assertions that this type of occurrence is, so to speak, a historical law, where after functionalist rationalism follows organic romanticism. Even Charles Jencks (1985), a theorist of the Modern and Post-Modern movement, believes that unlike animal species, architectural movements never suffer complete extinction, and that there is always the chance of forms and ideas reviving, even if they undergo a renovation that gives them a new appearance.
Militant Media
The second publication by Goldsmiths' Centre for Research Architecture explores the role of media in spatial politics and social justice movementsSince its founding in 2005, the Centre for Research Architecture (CRA) at Goldsmiths, University of London, has brought together a diverse group of architects, artists, urbanists, geographers, lawyers, scientists, journalists and activists to develop research methodologies and investigative techniques to address contemporary spatial politics. Militant Media, the second volume in CRA's series of publications, engages with the ethical and political implications of media and technology in relation to contemporary conflicts. In doing so, it also reflects upon the changing role of media in justice and human rights campaigns, examining a range of topics from the use of images in campaigning to the investigative potential of digital materials. In addition to critical and theoretical reflections, Militant Media offers a wide range of practice-based projects that have developed oppositional modes of representation and created new aesthetic strategies and tools.
The Routledge Companion to Architectural Drawings and Models
Architectural drawings and models are instruments of imagination, communication, and historical continuity. The role of drawings and models, and their ownership, placement, and authorship in a ubiquitous digital age deserve careful consideration. Expanding on the well-established discussion of the translation from drawings to buildings, this book fills a lacuna in current scholarship, questioning the significance of the lives of drawings and models after construction. Including emerging, well-known, and world-renowned scholars in the fields of architectural history and theory and curatorial practices, the thirty-five contributions define recent research in four key areas: drawing sites/sites of knowledge construction: drawing, office, construction site; the afterlife of drawings and models: archiving, collecting, displaying, and exhibiting; tools of making: architectural representations and their apparatus over time; and the ethical responsibilities of collecting and archiving: authorship, ownership, copyrights, and rights to copy. The research covers a wide range of geographies and delves into the practices of such architects as Sir John Soane, Superstudio, Eug癡ne-Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc, Frank Lloyd Wright, Wajiro Kon, Germ獺n Samper Gnecco, A+PS, Mies van der Rohe, and Renzo Piano.
Arch+kunst: Karin Sander
Sander breaks down the wall between two storied pavilions--designed by Bruno Giacometti and Carlo Scarpa--at Venice's Architecture Biennale With her site-specific interventions, artist Karin Sander (born 1957) operates on the underlying structures defining space and institutions. She manipulates them, recontextualizes them and encourages their collective appropriation. For this monograph, the artist applies her method to ARCH+, tracing connections between the pages of the magazine and the wall as a constitutive element in artistic and spatial practice. Authors and collaborators commissioned by Karin Sander comment on her artistic practice. The publication also reflects upon Karin Sander and Philip Ursprung's contribution to the 18th Venice Architecture Biennale, titled Neighbours, which literally dissolved the wall separating the Swiss Pavilion from the neighboring Venezuelan Pavilion. This book was published in conjunction with ARCH+
Visible Upon Breakdown
How disrupted global infrastructures bring the interdependence of our world into harsh reliefFrom the war in Ukraine disrupting wheat exports to Covid and wood shortages affecting construction sites worldwide, this volume questions the cultural, political and spatial nature of infrastructure, investigating its tangible components alongside the faults that appear when those systems fail.
Light, Color, Texture
Award-winning firm MDSzerbaty Associates Architecture (MDSA) reflects on past work to explore its use of materiality and the inherent qualities of texture, color, and light. Architects design, build, and move on to the next project. How often do they reflect on their decisions and the evolution of their work over time, looking back at the choices they made? MDSA carefully considers texture, color, and natural light, and explores these inherent qualities of materials in its architectural designs. At first sight, they may seem disparate with adjacent elements, but ultimately exhibit a refined and sophisticated appearance. In Light, Color, Texture: The Work of MDSA MDSzerbaty Associates Architecture, principal Michael D. Szerbaty examines recent works by the firm to provide a reflective reassessment of the impact of light, color, and texture. Each project contains a discussion revealing how the materials were selected, the decision behind the use of color, and the deliberate window placement to allow natural lighting. Szerbaty's review across the selected body of work provides evidence of the firm's evolutionary approach, and an awareness of how buildings alter in place over time. With full-color photography and insightful commentary, this monograph offers an unparalleled opportunity to gain clear and informative insights into the decision-making process of an award-winning architecture firm.
