Book reviews from jw468

Georgia, United States

Number of reviews
46
Average review
jw468's average rating is 4 of 5 Stars.

Antonin Raymond

by Antonin; Ken Tadashi Oshima Raymond

On Aug 30 2015, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 5 of 5 Stars.
Fantastic coverage of the Raymonds' work! If you intend to read only one publication about their work, this is the one to read. Profuse illustrations in b/w and color, historic and contemporary photos, plentiful drawings, concise placement of their work in an historical context, and articles written by people who actually worked with them.

The Kaufmann House

by Inc Christie's Realty International

On Oct 24 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 4 of 5 Stars.
Surprisingly, despite the undisputed importance of this house, this appears to be the only monograph covering Neutra’s Kaufmann House. As such, this catalog pulls together information that might otherwise take some digging to uncover. The reprinted texts and essays written specifically for this publication are supplemented with sketches, elevations, plans and details; historic and modern photographs of the house in b/w and color, including an early aerial view and a selection of photos taken by Julius Shulman after the house’s extensive restoration and careful modernization; and an extensive bibliography. The only drawback is that the design of the catalog is too unrestrained. The most distracting trait is the overlaying of text on portions of Neutra’s sketches and many of the photos.

Buildings and Projects

by Richard Neutra

On Oct 24 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 5 of 5 Stars.
This book and the other two volumes (1950-60, 1961-66) that are part of this series are very similar to the various volumes of Le Corbusier’s ŒUVRE COMPLÈTE except that these three books only cover about half of Neutra’s work. This similarity is not surprising because they were produced by the same editor and publisher. The 736 pages of these books are copiously illustrated with over 1800 photographs, plans, sketches, construction details, sections, and elevations. Each project is also covered with a brief description. Nothing in these books is printed in color.
On May 7 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 4 of 5 Stars.
If you approach this book knowing that it’s composed of photographs and drawings, without ANY text, it’s not a bad source of information regarding this building. There are sixteen beautifully printed color photographs of the building’s exterior and interior taken at different times of day. Drawings include a plan of the community, roof plan, plans for both levels, a section, and all four exterior elevations.
On May 7 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 4 of 5 Stars.
Primary emphasis is placed on Rudolph’s process drawings, many of which were drawn using colored pencil and are printed in color in this book. Generally, the plans and photographs are on the small side.
On May 6 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 4 of 5 Stars.
Excellent pictorial coverage of Olgiati’s family home and office. The contents include sketches drawn by his father, plans showing usage during his father’s life, plans showing current usage, historic photographs, and current photographs. The written content is limited to less than one page.

Treehouses

by Anthony Aikman

On Apr 27 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 3 of 5 Stars.
This book covers a collection of tree houses of various ages and uses, focusing on their history. Most all of the tree houses are European or the result of European culture. This book isn’t as heavily illustrated as some readers might expect, given the subject, and all of the illustrations are printed in black and white.

Tree Houses

by Philip Jodidio

On Apr 27 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 2 of 5 Stars.
This is a monumental (in size, not in content) coffee table book about tree houses. My rating is not of the tree houses themselves, but of Taschen’s book, which I thought could have been much better. My biggest problem with this book is the general lack of information. The book clearly would have accommodated more information, such as drawings, sketches, details of how the tree houses connect to the trees, etc. Some of the more unusually tree houses have been featured on certain design blogs with much better coverage which can be accessed for free. The majority of the designers’ websites also provide more information.

David Adjaye

by David; Lindemann, Adam; Allison, Peter Adjaye

On Apr 27 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 3 of 5 Stars.
This book effectively documents the design of 77E77. One notable exception is the total lack of any sketches whatsoever. Otherwise, all of the expected information is present, such as floor plans, sections, elevations, and photographs. Although the sections show a great deal of detail, there are no larger detail drawings.

Herzog & De Meuron / Ai Weiwei

by Herzog and De; Weiwei, Ai Meuron

On Apr 27 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 3 of 5 Stars.
The method used for developing the topography of the 2012 Serpentine Pavilion is certainly interesting, but there are aspects of this book that could have been improved. Despite the relative scarcity of text, there’s a good deal of repetition (how many times must the reader be reminded that this is the twelfth pavilion?). It’s also written in a simplistic manner. There’s repetition in the diagrams that could have been avoided. Perhaps more photos of the pavilion could have been included (there are 14), or a section. It’s mentioned numerous times that the shallow pool on the roof could be drained for certain types of functions; why are there no photos showing the roof in use as a platform? The book is okay as an object. The photos of the pavilion are nicely printed on heavy paper. The bulk of the book is printed on a very lightweight, translucent paper. This would be fine if those sections were almost exclusively text, but they’re not.
On Apr 27 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 4 of 5 Stars.
This book describes the shift in the symbolic meaning of water through western history. Essentially, water has gone from being a magical substance to, as Ivan Illich describes it, "a man-made cleaning fluid". Much of the book focuses on the changing views towards excretion and body odor because these changing views influenced humanity's relationship to water. Also discussed are historic sources of water for cities and how that shaped the human-water relationship.

Dado

by Selina Waldner

On Apr 27 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 4 of 5 Stars.
Excellent pictorial coverage of Olgiati’s family home and office. The contents include sketches drawn by his father, plans showing usage during his father’s life, plans showing current usage, historic photographs, and current photographs. The written content is limited to less than one page. The photographs are refreshing because they depict an unselfconscious, real home.

Paul Rudolph

by Joseph; Domin, Christopher; Stoller, Ezra King

On Apr 27 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 4 of 5 Stars.
This book is an excellent overview of Rudolph’s early career and work. Some of the works/projects do need more coverage. It’s frustrating when the authors discuss some feature of a work and then don’t provide the drawings and/or photos that show said feature. The status of each work (standing/destroyed) would have been good information to include.

Architecture and Design, 1890-1939

by Tim and Charlotte Benton Benton

On Apr 27 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 4 of 5 Stars.
This book is composed to complement PROGRAMS AND MANIFESTOES ON 20TH-CENTURY ARCHITECTURE; it is a more enjoyable read than that book.

They All Fall Down

by Richard Cahan

On Apr 27 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 4 of 5 Stars.
A necessary read to fully understand the work that it took to produce THE COMPLETE ARCHITECTURE OF ADLER & SULLIVAN.
On Apr 25 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 5 of 5 Stars.
Entertaining and generally wise, but be forewarned, there are a few sexist comments in this book. I suspect that people who enjoy Peter Zumthor's THINKING ARCHITECTURE will also enjoy this, despite the differences in their work. This is a very good translation and contains b/w photos and plans. If you are going to read this, I suggest also reading GIO PONTI: 1891-1979, MASTER OF LIGHTNESS, which has examples of Ponti's work printed in color.
On Apr 25 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 4 of 5 Stars.
There are a few pages at the beginning of this book that show photographs taken by Frey that don't depict the houses; these are things Frey found inspirational. Both houses are depicted with several photographs, many of them showing details. There are basic plans and one section included for each house, which are the same as those published elsewhere. There’s overlap with the coverage in ALBERT FREY, by Gloria Koenig, and ALBERT FREY, ARCHITECT, by Joseph Rosa, but there is material presented here that isn't presented in those books. The interview at the end of the book covers aspects of Frey's work and thoughts that I've not encountered elsewhere, at least not in the other books mentioned.

Albert Frey 1903 - 1998

by Gloria Koenig

On Apr 25 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 5 of 5 Stars.
Because this particular book covers fewer projects than other books in the Basic Architecture series, it's able to provide a nice level of detail about the projects that are covered. There are basic drawings provided for the majority of the buildings, many of the photos are by Julius Shulman, and many are printed in color. As with the other books in this series, the print quality is excellent.

Albert Frey, Architect

by Joseph Rosa

On Apr 25 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 4 of 5 Stars.
At first glance, this appears to be the most complete monograph of Frey’s work; however, that’s not entirely true. This book does cover more of Frey’s projects than Koenig’s brief book, ALBERT FREY, but both books contain coverage that is not included in the other. In some cases, the coverage in Koenig’s book is better, or at least provides detail that isn’t included in Rosa’s book. Several photographs in Koenig’s book are printed in color, which, considering the importance of color in Frey’s work, is very helpful. The photos in this book are all duotone, which is the reason I gave it four stars. One notable difference is the way Frey’s output is discussed: Rosa discusses Frey’s work as the evolution of an approach; whereas Koenig covers the work chronologically, but doesn’t consider any overall evolution.

Katsura Villa

by Arata Isozaki

On Apr 25 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 5 of 5 Stars.
First, this book is sometimes referred to using the title shown on the jacket, KATSURA VILLA: THE AMBIGUITY OF ITS SPACE. KATSURA VILLA: SPACE AND FORM appears on the title page of the book. It is a very handsome, large-format, cloth-bound hardcover. The quality is excellent. The primary focus of this work is the pictorial coverage of Katsura. The photos are glorious, generally very large, and they show a great range of scale. There are a number of isometric drawings showing various features of the buildings. Near the end of the book is a section containing a few large plans and elevations; if you’re looking for large drawings of Katsura, KATSURA: A PRINCELY RETREAT might be worth a look; it contains several, including sections. Also near the end of the book is a section with image captions. I believe that as least part of this book has been reprinted as KATSURA: IMPERIAL VILLA.

Arranging Things

by Leonard Koren

On Apr 25 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 5 of 5 Stars.
I’d say this book is essentially built around a statement made on page 50: “Making and seeing are intimately connected, so the more you can ‘see,’ the more you can ‘make.’” The goal of this book isn't to teach the reader how to arrange objects in a certain way; rather, its point is to suggest a framework which can be used to “read” arrangements. The hope is that if one can better “read” arrangements, one can better make them.

Villa Mairea Aid

by Richard Weston

On Apr 25 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 5 of 5 Stars.
Despite its short length, this book is packed full of information about the Villa Mairea. There is a brief essay that explains the social milieu, the inspirations, and the composition of the house. The rest of the book is devoted to photos and drawings. Another book, which is referenced in this work and that will build on the information presented here, is THE DECORATED DIAGRAM: HARVARD ARCHITECTURE AND THE FAILURE OF THE BAUHAUS LEGACY. Finally, ENCOUNTERS, by Juhani Pallasmaa, has several essays about the Villa Mairea, particularly its relationship to Cubism.

Barney Kulok

by Barney Kulok

On Apr 25 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 4 of 5 Stars.
As Steven Holl states in his essay, the photographs in this book capture the essence of what Louis Kahn was trying to achieve with this project. They also capture the nature of the materials used to construct the memorial. The bulk of the book is composed of the photos; however, there are short, insightful essays by Steven Holl and Nathaniel Kahn, and also a few drawings. Although not published as companion volumes, Cooper Union's COMING TO LIGHT : THE LOUIS I. KAHN MONUMENT TO FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT FOR NEW YORK CITY pairs nicely with this book.
On Apr 25 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 4 of 5 Stars.
This book covers Lebbeus Woods's last project with photos, essays, and drawings. There is little in this book that cannot be found on Woods's blog, excluding the excellent essay by Mark Morris; however, for fans of Woods, this book is worthwhile because of its very high quality. Also worthwhile, because of an essay by Morris discussing the Light Pavilion, is LOG 27. This essay is different from the one in the book.
On Apr 25 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 4 of 5 Stars.
The focus of this catalog is the depiction of Noguchi's work. There are no photos of the exhibition itself, only the light sculptures featured. However, those photos are large, nicely composed, and nicely printed. There's also a brief history that explains the origin of the light sculptures. There is a plan of the exhibition at the end of the book with a key showing where the lamps were placed. A nice touch is the use of vellum endpages printed to resemble the fiberglass panels used in the exhibition.
On Apr 25 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 5 of 5 Stars.
This work is very different in its coverage of the output of Williams and Tsien compared to WORKLIFE. Generally, this publication is much more informative. The primary differences are mostly color printing versus b/w; in-depth coverage of each project with drawings, model photos, sketches, commentary, and of course, photographs of the completed work; the inclusion of the full version of "Slowness," an essay expressing the stance of Williams and Tsien; and an excellent article documenting a conversation between Tod Williams, Billie Tsien, and Peter Zumthor, which reveals much about the motivations of all three.
On Apr 25 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 4 of 5 Stars.
Many of the essays in this book are somewhat repetitive. There are certain themes that are discussed frequently. They include the Neues Museum as a palimpsest, the Staircase Hall, Mnemosyne, and to differing extents, the history of the building. While these are all important topics in this project, they shouldn't be discussed in almost every essay at the expense of other topics. One of the more interesting essays discusses the experience of visiting Museum Island while Berlin was still separated by the Wall. Another discusses the advanced building techniques used during the original construction of the building because of site conditions. These topics should have been discussed further. I wavered about whether to give this book three or four stars, but decided on four because the photos of the repaired building are so beautiful and the two essays mentioned above so interesting. A site plan, floor plans, sections, and elevations are all included in the appendix. There are also photos of the building in its ruined state dispersed throughout the essays.

Fujimori Terunobu

by Fujimori

On Apr 25 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 5 of 5 Stars.
This great book is a monograph of Terunobu's work to date. It's mostly a picture book, although there is an essay by Terunobu and descriptions of the projects. There are also a number of sketches and drawings. The connection to vernacular tradition is apparent in Terunobu's work, while at the same time his vision is unique. There is a joy in his designing that comes through in the playfulness of his work. His material choices are pleasing.
On Apr 24 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 4 of 5 Stars.
This particular reproduction of the Wasmuth Portfolio appears to be the closest to the original of those that were published in book form. This book is the largest, although still reduced from the original size, and the original numbering of the plates is maintained. The only shortcoming worth noting is that the paper used to produce this book is somewhat translucent; however, like the original, the plates are printed on one side. Two traits that will irritate some readers is the separation of the plate descriptions from the plates themselves and the use of German terms in the drawings to describe features; there’s a brief glossary of terms preceding the plates. There are 22 numbered pages and 100 numbered plates that are printed in sepia tone. Drawing types, from most to least frequent, are: floor plans, exterior perspectives, interior perspectives, detail drawings, sections (very few), and elevations (also very few). All of the drawings are hardline. Most projects and buildings are covered with at least one exterior perspective and floor plan.
On Apr 24 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 4 of 5 Stars.
Regarding publications dealing with Wright’s work, this book and its various editions are almost as important as STUDIES & EXECUTED BUILDINGS OF FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT. Whereas the Wasmuth is entirely hardline drawings with a written introduction by Wright, this work is a combination of photographs, drawings, and essays written by several contributors. The essays written by Wright that are published as part of this work retain more relevancy today than the essay in AUSGEFÜHRTE BAUTEN UND ENTWÜRFE VON FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT, despite the fact that many of the same topics are considered. Louis Sullivan’s essays provide a great deal of detail about the Imperial Hotel. Not all of the essays in this book are in English.

Mary Miss

by Mary; Abramson, Daniel M Miss

On Apr 24 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 5 of 5 Stars.
Miss's work cannot be placed within one discipline. Is it architecture, landscape architecture, or sculpture? Clearly, noting the development of her work through time, it began primarily as sculpture and evolved into this hard to define type of output based on Miss's desire to involve the user of her work (versus the viewer), regardless of that user's knowledge of art. Miss's uses untreated, run-of-the-mill lumber and other common materials to establish a connection with users who may be unfamiliar with art. She builds on this approach by studying the history of each site and incorporating it into the work, as well as incorporating visual traits from the surroundings. Miss's best work often involves boundaries between water and land, between safe and unsafe, and between remembrance and moving forward. All projects are depicted with duotone images, except 14th Street Union Square Subway Station, which is illustrated using color images. All projects; except for the very early, small-scale work; are also explained with drawings and descriptions. Three essays explain the development, meaning, and influence of Miss's work. A piece written by Miss herself explains her point of view.

Louis Kahn

by Michael Merrill

On Apr 23 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 5 of 5 Stars.
Exceptional! Michael Merrill traces the development of the design for the Dominican Motherhouse from the initial letter sent to Kahn's office to the final letter sent to the office formally ending design work. The primary focus of this publication is the many drawings and sketches, which are printed in color; however, there are also facsimiles of important documents connected to certain points in the design process.

A+U Extra Edition

by Nobuyuki Yoshida

On Apr 23 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 5 of 5 Stars.
Even with the recent publication of PETER ZUMTHOR 1985-2013: BUILDINGS AND PROJECTS, this publication is still the best reference regarding Zumthor’s earlier buildings. It’s profusely illustrated, primarily in color, and contains many drawings.

Zumthor Spirit Of Nature Wood Architecture Award 2006

by Gareth, Catherine Schelbert Griffiths

On Apr 23 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 4 of 5 Stars.
There's little text in this book. It's primarily composed of drawings, photos, and sketches. It would be of interest to anyone who follows Zumthor's work, due to the number of concept sketches.

Russel Wright

by Russel Wright

On Apr 23 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 3 of 5 Stars.
Dragon Rock and the surrounding grounds are well described in this book. Especially interesting are the seasonal changes that Wright would implement regarding the interior of the house. There’s an essay of Wright’s that has been published here describing his approach to the grounds, especially the paths and views. Because I just recently read SPACE AND ILLUSION IN THE JAPANESE GARDEN by Teiji Itoh, I couldn’t help but notice that many of his suggestions regarding the framing of views are the same as those used to capture the landscape in shakkei garden design. The quality of the pictorial coverage is uneven. It’s obvious that this partially results from the reproduction of period magazine images and candid photographs taken when Wright lived in the house, used here to show how it looked at that time. This is one case where smaller image size might have improved image quality. Despite this, there are nice detail shots of various features around the house and property that are clear. The photos of selections from Wright’s output are also clear.

Accidentism - Josef Frank

by Olof Michelsen Mikael Bergquist

On Apr 23 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 4 of 5 Stars.
The focus of this charming, brief book is Josef Frank’s Accidentism and its use in 23 imaginary houses that he sketched for Dagmar Grill. There’s a brief section introducing Josef Frank and his relationship to the International Style, an English translation of his essay entitled “Accidentism,” very brief coverage of his proposed urban designs, and a very brief section covering his furniture and fabric designs for Svenskt Tenn. The bulk of the book covers the 23 house designs with descriptions, plans, elevations, and watercolor renderings. All of the drawings, with the exception of the renderings, are sketches. With his theory of Accidentism, Josef Frank suggests that design should incorporate traits that make it appear to be accidental or unplanned. Frank justifies this position by using cities that people enjoy as examples, stating that cities generally accumulate over time and derive their charm through genuine accidents. He also states that complex building types cannot be art if the building is intended to function well because art is unchanging and unchangeable. Finally, Frank asserts that a certain amount of sentimentality is necessary in design, especially in house design. As is generally true of Birkhäuser’s books, this book is beautifully produced. There are two editions of this book, one in Swedish and the other in English.
On Apr 23 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 3 of 5 Stars.
The discussion of how to capture landscape is more effective than the discussion of the courtyard garden. While both topics are considered from an historical and design point of view, the suggestions made in the captured landscape sections are more explicit, making them easier to apply in actual situations. There are six means discussed in which a shakkei garden, or a garden utilizing a borrowed landscape, can borrow that landscape. They are: To Capture with Tree Trunks To Capture with a Woods To Capture with Posts and Eaves To Capture with the Sky To Capture with a Stone Lantern To Capture with a Window Essentially, the difference between a shakkei garden and a garden with a view is that the shakkei garden somehow incorporates the view into the design of the garden itself, so that it appears to be a part of the garden. This is done to make the garden feel larger than its real size. The methods of “capturing” a view all involve framing the view in some way, in combination with the utilization of foreground, middle ground, and background (the view) manipulation. Unlike the review on Amazon, I thought that the photographs used to support the text were sufficient, many of them being very beautiful, although they are mostly printed in black and white gravure; only eight of the images are in color. They are placed at the end of the text and regularly referenced, requiring much page turning. If this book leaves you hungry for more design detail, definitely read David Slawson’s SECRET TEACHINGS IN THE ART OF JAPANESE GARDENS: DESIGN PRINCIPLES, AESTHETIC VALUES. There is little, if any, overlap between the two books and Slawson goes into much more detail concerning the visual enlargement of small gardens.

Louis Kahn

by Michael Merrill

On Apr 23 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 5 of 5 Stars.
Exceptional! Michael Merrill traces the development of the design for the Dominican Motherhouse from the initial letter sent to Kahn's office to the final letter sent to the office formally ending design work. The primary focus of this publication is the many drawings and sketches, which are printed in color; however, there are also facsimiles of important documents connected to certain points in the design process.

Louis Kahn

by Michael Merrill

On Apr 23 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 4 of 5 Stars.
Section II is excellent! Mr. Merrill considers three aspects of Kahn’s work: his conception of an “architecture of connection,” his handling of inside and outside space, and the consideration of place in his work.Section I is also excellent, but the material better fits the format of LOUIS KAHN: DRAWING TO FIND OUT: DESIGNING THE DOMINICAN MOTHERHOUSE AND THE PATIENT SEARCH FOR ARCHITECTURE. In that book the sketches are reproduced at a far more legible scale. Section I of this book and the entirety of DRAWING TO FIND OUT are essentially the same material, just condensed and published in a different format in this work.
On Apr 23 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 3 of 5 Stars.
The discussion of how to capture landscape is more effective than the discussion of the courtyard garden. While both topics are considered from an historical and design point of view, the suggestions made in the captured landscape sections are more explicit, making them easier to apply in actual situations.There are six means discussed in which a shakkei garden, or a garden utilizing a borrowed landscape, can borrow that landscape. They are:To Capture with Tree TrunksTo Capture with a WoodsTo Capture with Posts and EavesTo Capture with the SkyTo Capture with a Stone LanternTo Capture with a WindowEssentially, the difference between a shakkei garden and a garden with a view is that the shakkei garden somehow incorporates the view into the design of the garden itself, so that it appears to be a part of the garden. This is done to make the garden feel larger than its real size. The methods of “capturing” a view all involve framing the view in some way, in combination with the utilization of foreground, middle ground, and background (the view) manipulation.Unlike the review on Amazon, I thought that the photographs used to support the text were sufficient, many of them being very beautiful, although they are mostly printed in black and white gravure; only eight of the images are in color. They are placed at the end of the text and regularly referenced, requiring much page turning.If this book leaves you hungry for more design detail, definitely read David Slawson’s SECRET TEACHINGS IN THE ART OF JAPANESE GARDENS: DESIGN PRINCIPLES, AESTHETIC VALUES. There is little, if any, overlap between the two books and Slawson goes into much more detail concerning the visual enlargement of small gardens.

Russel Wright

by Russel Wright

On Apr 23 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 3 of 5 Stars.
Dragon Rock and the surrounding grounds are well described in this book. Especially interesting are the seasonal changes that Wright would implement regarding the interior of the house. There’s an essay of Wright’s that has been published here describing his approach to the grounds, especially the paths and views. Because I just recently read SPACE AND ILLUSION IN THE JAPANESE GARDEN by Teiji Itoh, I couldn’t help but notice that many of his suggestions regarding the framing of views are the same as those used to capture the landscape in shakkei garden design.The quality of the pictorial coverage is uneven. It’s obvious that this partially results from the reproduction of period magazine images and candid photographs taken when Wright lived in the house, used here to show how it looked at that time. This is one case where smaller image size might have improved image quality. Despite this, there are nice detail shots of various features around the house and property that are clear. The photos of selections from Wright’s output are also clear.

Accidentism - Josef Frank

by Olof Michelsen Mikael Bergquist

On Apr 23 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 4 of 5 Stars.
The focus of this charming, brief book is Josef Frank’s Accidentism and its use in 23 imaginary houses that he sketched for Dagmar Grill. There’s a brief section introducing Josef Frank and his relationship to the International Style, an English translation of his essay entitled “Accidentism,” very brief coverage of his proposed urban designs, and a very brief section covering his furniture and fabric designs for Svenskt Tenn. The bulk of the book covers the 23 house designs with descriptions, plans, elevations, and watercolor renderings. All of the drawings, with the exception of the renderings, are sketches.With his theory of Accidentism, Josef Frank suggests that design should incorporate traits that make it appear to be accidental or unplanned. Frank justifies this position by using cities that people enjoy as examples, stating that cities generally accumulate over time and derive their charm through genuine accidents. He also states that complex building types cannot be art if the building is intended to function well because art is unchanging and unchangeable. Finally, Frank asserts that a certain amount of sentimentality is necessary in design, especially in house design.As is generally true of Birkhäuser’s books, this book is beautifully produced. There are two editions of this book, one in Swedish and the other in English.

A+U Extra Edition

by Nobuyuki Yoshida

On Apr 23 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 5 of 5 Stars.
Even though PETER ZUMTHOR 1985-2013: BUILDINGS AND PROJECTS has recently been published, this book is still the best reference for several of his earlier projects.

Zumthor

by Peter Zumthor Mikka Heikkinen

On Apr 23 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 4 of 5 Stars.
There's little text in this book. It's primarily composed of drawings, photos, and sketches. It would be of interest to anyone who follows Zumthor's work, due to the number of concept sketches.

Peter Zumthor

by Sophie O'Brien Peter Zumthor

On Apr 23 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 4 of 5 Stars.
This book is the accompanying catalog for Peter Zumthor's 2011 Serpentine Gallery. Contents include concise, thoughtful essays by Peter Zumthor and Alexander Kluge, an illustrated plant index and plan of the garden by Piet Oudolf, and a reproduction of a watercolor by Zumthor. The rest of book documents the building with photographs.It is somewhat disappointing that there are no drawings of the building beyond those mentioned above. There are drawings at bdonline.co.uk that are helpful and that would have been good additions to the book. The section available at that website is especially nice.

Sottsass' Scrap Book

by Ettore Sottsass

On Apr 23 2014, Jw468 said:
jw468 rated this book 5 of 5 Stars.
This book takes the form of an illustrated journal. The material is essentially arranged in chronological order and Sottsass’s writing is supported by illustrations of his design work. There are very few photographs of the finished work; most of the illustrations are concept sketches and drawings. Many of the drawings are printed in color.Sottsass focuses on a few different topics. He discusses his travels; his views on materialism, especially American materialism, which he does not like at all; his illness after returning from India; his aging; the Vietnam War; the vapidity of consumer culture; and his material choices concerning his work; as well as other topics. He writes about these topics in a way that is often poetic.The translation is very well done. Basically everything is translated into English, except his handwritten notes that are part of the drawings. At least one of the essays is only in English; it appears to originally have been written in English. Everything else is printed in Italian, and then English.