A Is For Architecture

This book makes visible the axes along which architectural knowledge circulates through books into buildings and back.

More than a decade in the making, this is a textbook of architecture, useful for every architect: from first-year students, to those taking senior design studio, to graduate students writing a Ph.D. dissertation in architectural theory, to experienced practicing architects. It is very carefully written so that it can be read even by the beginning architecture student. The information contained here is a veritable gold mine of design techniques. This book teaches the reader how to design by adapting to human needs and sensibilities, yet independently of any particular style. Here is a unification of genuine architectural knowledge that brings a new clarity to the discipline. It explains much of what people instinctively know about architecture, and puts that knowledge for the first time in a concise, understandable form. Dr. Salingaros has experience in the organization of the built environment that few practicing architects have. The later chapters of this new book touch on very sensitive topics: what drives architects to produce the forms they build; and why architects use only a very restricted visual vocabulary. Is it personal inventiveness, or is it something more, which perhaps they are not even aware of? There has not been such a book treating the very essence of architecture. The only other author who is capable of raising a similar degree of passion (and controversy) is Christopher Alexander, who happens to be Dr. Salingaros’ friend and architectural mentor. “Surely no voice is more thought-provoking than that of this intriguing, perhaps historically important, new thinker?” From the Preface by His Royal Highness, Charles, The Prince of Wales “A New Vitruvius for 21st-Century Architecture and Urbanism?” Dr. Ashraf SalamaChair, Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar “Architecture, Salingaros argues, is governed by universal and intuitively understood principles, which have been exemplified by all successful styles and in all civilizations that have left a record of themselves in their buildings. The solution is not to return to the classical styles… the solution is to return to first principles and build within their constraints… ” Dr. Roger Scruton Philosopher, London, UK “A fundamental text, among the most significant of the past several years.” Dr. Vilma Torselli Architect and Author, Milan, Italy “A Theory of Architecture demonstrates how mathematics and the social sciences offer keys to designing a humane architecture. In this brilliant tome Salingaros explains why many modern buildings are neither beautiful nor harmonious and, alternatively, how architects and patrons can employ scale, materials and mathematical logic to design structures which are exciting, nourishing, and visually delightful.” Duncan G. Stroik Professor of Architecture, University of Notre Dame, Indiana “Salingaros explores ways to clarify and formalize our understanding of aesthetic forms in the built environment, using mathematics, thermodynamics, Darwinism, complexity theory and cognitive sciences. Salingaros’ remarkable observations suggest that concepts of complexity and scale can someday provide a full-bodied explanation for both the practice and the appreciation of architecture.” Kim Sorvig Architecture & Planning, University of New Mexico See this book’s Wikipedia entry http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Theory_of_Architecture Nikos A. Salingaros is an internationally known urbanist and architectural theorist who has studied the scientific bases underlying architecture for thirty years. Utne Reader ranked him as “One of 50 visionaries who are changing your world”, and Planetizen as 11th among “The top 100 urban thinkers of all time”. He is Professor of Mathematics at the University of Texas at San Antonio.

An inspiring monograph that captures the practical yet beautiful architecture of one of the leading architectural firms in the world

Most architectural standards references contain thousands of pages of details, overwhelmingly more than architects need to know to know on any given day. The updated and revised edition of Architecture Reference & Specification contains vital information that's essential to planning and executing architectural projects of all shapes and sizes, all in a format that is small enough to carry anywhere. It distills the data provided in standard architectural volumes and is an easy-to-use reference for the most indispensable--and most requested--types of architectural information.

Structure As Architecture provides readers with an accessible insight into the relationship between structure and architecture, focusing on the design principles that relate to both fields. Over one hundred case studies of contemporary buildings from countries across the globe including the UK, the US, France, Germany, Spain, Hong Kong and Australia are interspersed throughout the book. The author has visited and photographed each of these examples and analyzed them to show how structure plays a significant architectural role, as well as bearing loads. This is a highly illustrated sourcebook, providing a new insight into the role of structure, and discussing the point where the technical and the aesthetic meet to create the discipline of ‘architecture’.

Dana Cuff delves into the architect's everyday world in "Architecture" to uncover an intricate social art of design, resulting in a new portrait of the profession that sheds light on what it means to become an architect.

Architecture Itself and Other Postmodernist Myths' brings together an array of building fragments, drawings, models, and primary source documents, to present canonic projects from an unexpected and unfamiliar point of view. The exhibition challenges the typical narrative of the heroic architect by revealing a counter- reading of postmodern procedures. The purpose is simultaneously to deflate the postmodern mythologizing of the architect and inflate the importance of empirically describable architectural activity. In so doing, the exhibition will make original contributions both to a counter-historiography of the postmodern and to contemporary curatorial method. A broad selection of material evidence -- gathered from building sites, libraries, and archives -- supports accounts of architects? and architecture?s entanglements with bureaucracy, the art market, and academic and private institutions, as postmodernization challenged the discipline to redefine its modes of practice and reconsider the very idea of architecture itself.00Exhibition: CCA, Montréal, Canada (07.11.2018 - 07.04.2019).

A practical introduction to architecture for aspiring teen architects Architecture is a fascinating, diverse field that blends technology, creativity, engineering, and even psychology. Discover the possibilities with this in-depth choice in architecture books for teens. Delve into the world of architecture, learn about recent innovations in sustainability and inclusivity, and uncover the details behind real architectural projects. Explore an overview of architectural movements and designers from prehistory to modern-day, and check out inspiring interviews with working professionals. With tons of practical advice for pursuing a career, you'll find out how you can become an architect and help build an environmentally responsible world from the ground up! Go beyond other architecture books for teens with: Architecture essentials--Get to know the five basic elements of architecture: structure, program, economics, aesthetics, and region. Creative career options--Learn what it means to work in residential or industrial architecture, specialize in historic preservation, create landscapes, innovate in urban planning, and more. Real-world examples--Go behind the scenes on real architectural projects with colorful illustrations, breakdowns of the design process, and thoughtful examinations of their impact. Learn all about the role of an architect with this comprehensive selection in architecture books for teens.