Twentieth Century Architecture

"A balance of sophistication and clarity in the writing, authoritative entries, and strong cross-referencing that links archtects and structures to entries on the history and theory of the profession make this an especially useful source on a century of the world's most notable architecture. The contents feature major architects, firms, and professional issues; buildings, styles, and sites; the architecture of cities and countries; critics and historians; construction, materials, and planning topics; schools, movements, and stylistic and theoretical terms. Entries include well-selected bibliographies and illustrations."--"Reference that rocks," American Libraries, May 2005.

After several pages of prologue summing up 18th century highlights--especially the rise in importance of geometry--some forty pages cover 1784-1916, focusing on the heavily fenestrated high-rises of the Chicago School and the iron and glass pavilions of Europe. The chapter spanning 1892-1925 concentrates on the many disputes over the trajectory of modernism: Nieuwe Kunst, Stile Liberty, Jugendstil, and Art Nouveau, all arguing the direction that the boom of prisons, hospitals, schools, town halls, and other institutional buildings would take. Three more time divisions follow and a concise compendium of architect biographies ends the volume. Along with an array of great pictures (par for Taschen), Gossel and Leuthauser--both active in the private sector--add a strong prose style attentive to debates among architects and the socioeconomic stage on which architects act. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Fully documented, richly illustrated guide to the great architectural achievements of the last one hundred years.

CD-ROM contains: files for all of the plans, sections and elevations included in the book.

This is the genealogy of architecture in the 20th century by Kenneth Frampton – the doyen of architecture history. His approach is impressively clear: he traces four lines that are recognizable as the powers that propel renewal in architecture. He structures his observations by focusing on the relevant periods in the following order: 1st, the Avant-Garde (1887–1986); 2nd, organic architecture (1910–1998); 3rd modern and national styles (1935–1998), and 4th, industrialization and prefabrication (1927–1990). His overview is not a lexical collection of chronological sequences. Instead, his insights stem from his confident eye for the history, theory and motives behind architecture. He also follows the steps of the great architects of the 20th century.

In his famously controversial style - Martin Pawley reviews a selection of books on the architecture of the 20th century. Books that we should have read, and indeed would have read - if only we'd had the time. Pawley digests and critiques them for us with an agility that has kept the readers of his newspaper and magazine columns provoked and amused for several decades. He provides us with both ammunition and armour - encouraging us to fight off the soporific PR-led commentary of today and to rekindle the passion of the architectural debate. Martin Pawley is an award-winning writer. He has written many books on architecture for UK and US based publishers and writes a regular column for national and international architectural magazines. Throughout his career he has reviewed books for The Guardian, The Observer, The London Review of Books, The Architects' Journal, Design Book Review, Blueprint, Architectural Design, Building, World Architecture, Architecture Review, Designer and The RIBA Journal many of which are published here. Gain knowledge on all the major books on 20th century architecture, by reading just one Hear the opinions of Pawley, and learn about the debates, on the development of architectural theory in the 20th century.

Global investigation of 20th-century architecture, 750+ masterpieces richly illustrated.