Hi,
I did my undergrad degree in Architecture several years ago. And I just finished my masters in city planning, and now in the process of starting the city planning PhD program. I have been out of touch with Architecture for so long, and I would like to warm up my memory on the basics of architecture.
Could you please recommend me the best bible/guide book on architecture?
Should I be reading a history book?
Thank you so much for your input!
DisplacedArchitect
Jul 21, 10 5:49 pm
The Artless word. its pretty advanced though not basic.
do you mean basics as in how to draft? how to think about drawings? or are you for other info?
bottom line is there is no one book that can give you a crash course oh architecture, although many will claim it.
maybe there is an architecture for dummies book out now?
buzz2007
Jul 21, 10 6:30 pm
I am interested in more like theory. Like different building styles - their backgorund, how they all got evolved...etc....
LOOP!
Jul 21, 10 6:38 pm
Frampton's "Modern Architecture: A Critical History" comes pretty close to being a bible of Modern Arch. history. It's dry, but I reread it last year and found it much more interesting than the first time I read it, probably because it was more like a review of everything I already knew. I know this is the obvious answer, but what would be more authoritative?
Profs. Vikram & Frank have a new "Global History of Architecture" book that's really good:
haha, there actually is an "Architecture for Dummies" book. Only has two stars on Amazon though.
l3wis
Jul 22, 10 9:35 am
if you're talking about structure and skin you should buy Farshid Moussavi's Function of Form and Function of Ornament.
Bruce Prescott
Jul 22, 10 11:00 pm
I think what you are looking for is Francis Ching's "Architecture: Form Space and Order," a simple primer that will remind you of the visual language of arch. that you hopefully learned. Look for an older copy from when he still hand-lettered his books. Hertzberger's Lessons for Students in Architecture is also good, with lots of historical references and tie-ins to urbanism.
Much of current theory writing is larded with pretentious, misused philosophy that is not worth wading through.
BabbleBeautiful
Jul 25, 10 11:35 am
There's Harry Malgrave's book on Architectural Theory.
Rusty!
Jul 25, 10 6:06 pm
I strongly recommend wikipedia. No joke. You can easily spend days following links to all kinds of basic and advanced information. It's up to date, mostly free of smarmy editorials, and will give you links to all kinds of paper literature should you feel the need to know more about any single subject.
I wish internet was this information rich (especially architecture wise) when I was in school. It could have easily saved me months of frustrating research that now seems trivial to find.
holz.box
Jul 25, 10 6:19 pm
a decent overview of design, history and construction is constructing architecture by andrea deplazes
will galloway
Jul 25, 10 7:14 pm
frampton is great. i use him in my intro to arch history class. he also has book on tectonics that is fascinating. shows details of frank lloyd wright as he worked through variations before coming to glass tubes at johnson wax for example. amazing to see the concrete design process of masters like that.
Like jump I would recommend someone from the intro to architecture, but I would look at Curtis, mostly modernism, but he does sway onto urban design quite a bit and makes the relation towards architecture as a captivating discipline of various scales.
modern architecture since 1900
Le Corbusier: ideas and form
both excellent teaching and learning books
ichweiB
Jul 28, 10 11:05 am
holz.box-agreed. Studies in Tectonic Culture for sure. I was asked to read it all before I started graduate school. Frampton lectured the fall I started and it was great to have a background about what he complied in his book. That followed up with a panel discussion with him and some others. Read the book!
Thom Yorke
Jul 28, 10 11:07 am
frampton comes alive!
headyshreddy
Jul 28, 10 11:57 am
frampton
dodds
perez-gomez
cowgill
Jul 28, 10 4:40 pm
"Could you please recommend me the best bible/guide book on architecture?"
... it changes for me. As I mature (architecturally) and am exposed to new things, old books that were once cornerstones now have an entirely different meaning to me. The books don't change, I do.
Someone I know who used to work for a highly respected German architect long time ago, told me once that they only had one book at the office and they had made a cross with tape on the cover to indicate that it was the Bible. It was an old edition of “Architects’ Data” written by Ernst Neufert. Pretty much the opposite of what you are looking for though…
Phillip Crosby
Aug 5, 10 7:13 pm
more than one book, but the combination of these volumes will provide a solid foundation in the history of (20th century) architectural theory...
Joseph Conrads - Programs and Manifestoes on 20th Century Architecture
Joan Ockman - Architecture Culture, 1943-1968
K. Michael Hays - Architecture Theory since 1968
Kate Nesbitt - Theorizing a New Agenda for Architecture, 1965-1995
A. Krista Sykes - Constructing a New Agenda: Architectural Theory 1993-2009
apscoradiales
Oct 19, 20 3:45 pm
Architectural Graphic Standards is one book, the other being Architects’ Data by Neufert.
Without either on your shelf, you are as good as useless.
Architecture is not only about artsy-farthsy stuff; it's also knowing how a building is constructed or built. AGS is THE Bible in North America.
History books about architecture by Pevsner are also mandatory if you want to know how they built in the past.
SneakyPete
Nov 29, 20 1:20 pm
Sir Banister Fletcher's A History of Architecture.
SneakyPete
Nov 29, 20 10:21 pm
I'm curious why the thumbs down.
OneLostArchitect
Nov 29, 20 10:43 pm
cause you are sneaky
Non Sequitur
Nov 29, 20 11:52 pm
The Paul wanker fellow thumbed'down every one here. They are just spamming their garbage fire book. Already got banned earlier today after about 30 posts linking to their amazon page.
randomised
Nov 30, 20 1:19 pm
Why upvoting your own comment OLArchitect?
OneLostArchitect
Nov 30, 20 7:44 pm
I’m lost
randomised
Nov 30, 20 1:21 pm
Check out Deplazes’ manual...it has pictures!
Non Sequitur
Nov 30, 20 1:23 pm
Nah rando. You gotta check-out Paul Whibbey's dirty rag book. It's literally the best thing even put to paper. Not even jesus could write a better book, if he existed, off course. Pray to Joe Pesci.
Non Sequitur
Nov 30, 20 1:35 pm
You need all the help you can get selling that pile of garbage you call a book.
Non Sequitur
Nov 30, 20 1:57 pm
You're quite the special character... and that's not a compliment.
Non Sequitur
Nov 30, 20 2:13 pm
please define said architectural language? Your ramblings sound like you need to check with your court-appointed shrink, and possibly, parole office.
Non Sequitur
Nov 30, 20 2:31 pm
Paul, I get that reading is hard for you. Writing too by the looks of your shitty book's description. Come back when you actually have something worth while to contribute about architecture. Not some mad-man ex-con ramblings about idiotic bible connections, or whatever your previous 2 accounts posted.
Non Sequitur
Nov 30, 20 2:58 pm
Trust me, there is very little effect here. Other than knee-slapping hilarity, of-course.
Non Sequitur
Nov 30, 20 3:25 pm
God(s), jesus, moe, and all the other fucking deity wankers are just intellectual crutches for those unable to accept reality. Again, should you not be checking in with your parole office by now? Certainly you've extended your allowed internet time for today.
randomised
Nov 30, 20 4:18 pm
That’s some serious Tyler Durden convo you’re having there Non ;-)
Non Sequitur
Nov 30, 20 4:35 pm
I expected this to be the result. no regrets.
Non Sequitur
Dec 1, 20 9:20 am
^Don't check it out, it's nonsense slapped with a book cover.
Chad Miller
Dec 1, 20 10:51 am
So the little runt took his 'book' and ran away? What a coward.
Oh and I just inserted the 'teacher speaking noise' from Charlie Brown animations between NS's comments. It actually makes more sense than Paul's previous comments.
archanonymous
Nov 30, 20 1:45 pm
Try Reiser & Umemoto's Atlas of Novel Tectonics.
Deep Shah
Dec 13, 20 1:55 am
check out
Rethinking Modernity By Jamini Mehta
Wood Guy
Dec 13, 20 11:12 am
I think architects should know (and care) more about indoor environmental quality (IEQ/IAQ) than they usually do. For our BS + Beer Show Book Club we're reading this book, which is getting some press right now: https://www.hup.harvard.edu/ca.... It's a good balance of fairly technical information presented in an accessible manner. Not a how-to, but a "what" and 'what" kind of book. We have invited a few people to discuss the book with us this Thursday, including Lloyd Alter, a Toronto-based architect some of you might know from his "Treehugger" blog. I'll post a link to the show once I have one.
Hi,
I did my undergrad degree in Architecture several years ago. And I just finished my masters in city planning, and now in the process of starting the city planning PhD program. I have been out of touch with Architecture for so long, and I would like to warm up my memory on the basics of architecture.
Could you please recommend me the best bible/guide book on architecture?
Should I be reading a history book?
Thank you so much for your input!
The Artless word. its pretty advanced though not basic.
do you mean basics as in how to draft? how to think about drawings? or are you for other info?
bottom line is there is no one book that can give you a crash course oh architecture, although many will claim it.
maybe there is an architecture for dummies book out now?
I am interested in more like theory. Like different building styles - their backgorund, how they all got evolved...etc....
Frampton's "Modern Architecture: A Critical History" comes pretty close to being a bible of Modern Arch. history. It's dry, but I reread it last year and found it much more interesting than the first time I read it, probably because it was more like a review of everything I already knew. I know this is the obvious answer, but what would be more authoritative?
Profs. Vikram & Frank have a new "Global History of Architecture" book that's really good:
http://www.amazon.com/Global-History-Architecture-Francis-Ching/dp/0471268925
haha, there actually is an "Architecture for Dummies" book. Only has two stars on Amazon though.
if you're talking about structure and skin you should buy Farshid Moussavi's Function of Form and Function of Ornament.
I think what you are looking for is Francis Ching's "Architecture: Form Space and Order," a simple primer that will remind you of the visual language of arch. that you hopefully learned. Look for an older copy from when he still hand-lettered his books. Hertzberger's Lessons for Students in Architecture is also good, with lots of historical references and tie-ins to urbanism.
Much of current theory writing is larded with pretentious, misused philosophy that is not worth wading through.
There's Harry Malgrave's book on Architectural Theory.
I strongly recommend wikipedia. No joke. You can easily spend days following links to all kinds of basic and advanced information. It's up to date, mostly free of smarmy editorials, and will give you links to all kinds of paper literature should you feel the need to know more about any single subject.
I wish internet was this information rich (especially architecture wise) when I was in school. It could have easily saved me months of frustrating research that now seems trivial to find.
a decent overview of design, history and construction is constructing architecture by andrea deplazes
frampton is great. i use him in my intro to arch history class. he also has book on tectonics that is fascinating. shows details of frank lloyd wright as he worked through variations before coming to glass tubes at johnson wax for example. amazing to see the concrete design process of masters like that.
Frampton's Studies in Tectonic Culture was required reading in school.
Like jump I would recommend someone from the intro to architecture, but I would look at Curtis, mostly modernism, but he does sway onto urban design quite a bit and makes the relation towards architecture as a captivating discipline of various scales.
modern architecture since 1900
Le Corbusier: ideas and form
both excellent teaching and learning books
holz.box-agreed. Studies in Tectonic Culture for sure. I was asked to read it all before I started graduate school. Frampton lectured the fall I started and it was great to have a background about what he complied in his book. That followed up with a panel discussion with him and some others. Read the book!
frampton comes alive!
frampton
dodds
perez-gomez
"Could you please recommend me the best bible/guide book on architecture?"
... it changes for me. As I mature (architecturally) and am exposed to new things, old books that were once cornerstones now have an entirely different meaning to me. The books don't change, I do.
I highly recommend Studies in Tectonic Culture.
Hejduk's "Education of an Architect"
sorry. couldn't resist.
Someone I know who used to work for a highly respected German architect long time ago, told me once that they only had one book at the office and they had made a cross with tape on the cover to indicate that it was the Bible. It was an old edition of “Architects’ Data” written by Ernst Neufert. Pretty much the opposite of what you are looking for though…
more than one book, but the combination of these volumes will provide a solid foundation in the history of (20th century) architectural theory...
Joseph Conrads - Programs and Manifestoes on 20th Century Architecture
Joan Ockman - Architecture Culture, 1943-1968
K. Michael Hays - Architecture Theory since 1968
Kate Nesbitt - Theorizing a New Agenda for Architecture, 1965-1995
A. Krista Sykes - Constructing a New Agenda: Architectural Theory 1993-2009
Architectural Graphic Standards is one book, the other being Architects’ Data by Neufert.
Without either on your shelf, you are as good as useless.
Architecture is not only about artsy-farthsy stuff; it's also knowing how a building is constructed or built. AGS is THE Bible in North America.
History books about architecture by Pevsner are also mandatory if you want to know how they built in the past.
Sir Banister Fletcher's A History of Architecture.
I'm curious why the thumbs down.
cause you are sneaky
The Paul wanker fellow thumbed'down every one here. They are just spamming their garbage fire book. Already got banned earlier today after about 30 posts linking to their amazon page.
Why upvoting your own comment OLArchitect?
I’m lost
Check out Deplazes’ manual...it has pictures!
Nah rando. You gotta check-out Paul Whibbey's dirty rag book. It's literally the best thing even put to paper. Not even jesus could write a better book, if he existed, off course. Pray to Joe Pesci.
You need all the help you can get selling that pile of garbage you call a book.
You're quite the special character... and that's not a compliment.
please define said architectural language? Your ramblings sound like you need to check with your court-appointed shrink, and possibly, parole office.
Paul, I get that reading is hard for you. Writing too by the looks of your shitty book's description. Come back when you actually have something worth while to contribute about architecture. Not some mad-man ex-con ramblings about idiotic bible connections, or whatever your previous 2 accounts posted.
Trust me, there is very little effect here. Other than knee-slapping hilarity, of-course.
God(s), jesus, moe, and all the other fucking deity wankers are just intellectual crutches for those unable to accept reality. Again, should you not be checking in with your parole office by now? Certainly you've extended your allowed internet time for today.
That’s some serious Tyler Durden convo you’re having there Non ;-)
I expected this to be the result. no regrets.
^Don't check it out, it's nonsense slapped with a book cover.
So the little runt took his 'book' and ran away? What a coward.
Oh and I just inserted the 'teacher speaking noise' from Charlie Brown animations between NS's comments. It actually makes more sense than Paul's previous comments.
Try Reiser & Umemoto's Atlas of Novel Tectonics.
check out
Rethinking Modernity By Jamini Mehta
I think architects should know (and care) more about indoor environmental quality (IEQ/IAQ) than they usually do. For our BS + Beer Show Book Club we're reading this book, which is getting some press right now: https://www.hup.harvard.edu/ca.... It's a good balance of fairly technical information presented in an accessible manner. Not a how-to, but a "what" and 'what" kind of book. We have invited a few people to discuss the book with us this Thursday, including Lloyd Alter, a Toronto-based architect some of you might know from his "Treehugger" blog. I'll post a link to the show once I have one.
Here's the flyer for this Thursday's book review: https://mailchi.mp/2fa5fb9fd5a6/the-bs-beer-show-april-30-4653944
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