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A work of art in itself, The Architecture Pack is a highly sophisticated version of the beloved pop-up book that offers a unique, cross-cultural, three-dimensional tour of architecture through the centuries. By flipping the elaborately engineered pages, we learn what architects do, how they do it, and all about the great buildings of the world from antiquity to the present. It's packed with information and hands-on activities, models, fold-outs, pop-ups, and 3-D glasses; readers can even fold out a miniature version of the Colosseum in Rome or a French Gothic cathedral. There are discussions on the development of the dome, new materials and shapes, sculptural buildings such as those of Gaudi and Le Corbusier, and skyscrapers. Also included in the pack are a model (with assembly instructions) of Gerrit Rietveld's famous, flat-roofed Schroeder House; a glossary of architectural terms; a fold-out time line of the history of architecture and architects that runs from 2670 B.C. to A.D. 1997; and a cassette tape. This wonderfully accessible introduction to architecture is sure to generate enthusiasm from both children and adults, simply because people can have fun with it.
Customer Reviews:
Astounding Pop Up Book for Adults.......2005-03-09
I had just discovered this out of print popup book by chance just recently and I regret it had not been in existence when I was deciding on a career direction when I had waffled between career disciplines my tender years. This adult geared book successfully demystifies some intimidating structural concepts and introduces the reader to the important historical references and people in architecture. Architecture/structural engineering concepts are best learned in 3 dimensions as with the astounding popups, not with a flat one dimensional media. I agree with another reviewer who hopes for a second edition with added CDRom/DVD media to match up with today's technology.
Awesome!.......2004-07-25
This is one of the most awesome books I've ever seen. Lots of cool things to do. Well worth the money!
A Jewel Of A Book.......2001-05-11
If this book had met only 1/2 of my expectations, I would have been pleased. It exceeded them. Every page is a series of surprises and delights. Whether you're interested in Architecture, or just love classy gadgets, this is your book. I cannot imagine anyone who, getting this book as a gift, would not be delighted. Read the product description, and add 50%. The only down sides are the long delivery time, and the book's delicacy. One is torn between wanting to look at its contents repeatedly, and the fear that the book might be damaged by too much handling. Order two!!
A Revelation.......2001-03-14
Contrary to other architecture books that are muddled with academicians' essays, which in turn are filled with architecture terms that amateurs like myself wouldn't possibly understand, this book or pack is informative, playful, and easy to understand. Just say that it's a crash course into architecture rather having you going thru 5 years training in a varsity with working experience. The pack guides you to the fundamentals of architecture like the origin of architecture, when is architecture becoming a distinctive profession as in miedevel time, architect is a stonemason, sculptor all blended into one; the influence of Classicim, unavoidabability of learning about Palladio and Vitruvius; structure and form; new materials & shapes; art & architecture blended as one; the changing city, influenced mostly by our usage of cars; the process, with Richard Meier's Getty Centre as a case study. To top this pack off, there a booklet informing readers of prominent &/or infleuntial architects & architecure terms commonly heard & used respectively(quite concise); timeline stipulating the architecture breakthrough since the beginning of time & where does those famous architects stand in the passage of time; a model of Schroeder house for us to build. The journey through this pack is simply a revelation, surprises everywhere & never failed to bewilder me. I'm adamant that the pop-up buildings is an art in its own rite & what about the enclosed "Mission Impossible" glasses that enable us to see the inner structure and exterior structure of buildings so that we would appreciate architecture more? Before I forget, there's also a cassette narrated by the author. Believe me, you will spend hours and hours immersing yourself in this pack forgetting how time flies when you are enjoying yourself the most. Highly recommended for architecture enthusiasts. A note of caution though, due to the fiddly but fine detailing in this book, readers are urged to handle the pack with utmost care, & it would be wonderful to have a second edition, continuing on where the author has left off in 1997.
Best Pop-up Book in the World.......2000-06-06
I have seen 100's of thousands of books, and this one is near the top of the list. Not only is it one of the best pop up books I have seen, it is very informative and educational. It is a great learning tool for most ages and it's alot of fun too. The price is worth the effort the publishers have put in. It also sub.'s as a great coffee table book as well.
Book Description
The story is all too common in todays housing market: the basic principles of scale, proportion, balance, rhythm, and consistent architectural styles are often misapplied in new residential construction. Walk around almost any new development, and you will find dormers that are bigger than the front door, windows that are out of scale, too few or too many columns, and more. What Not to Build: Dos and Donts of Exterior Home Design shows these problems to the reader, then offers ways to fix and avoid them. Focusing on the exteriors of houses, the authorsall architects and designershave identified a number of problem designs. Through photographs and illustrations, the authors show how to solve problems by applying easy-to-understand design principles. Anyone reading the book will be able to avoid these problems when designing their own house, or fix problems that appear in the house theyre already living in.
Customer Reviews:
What Not to Buy.......2007-08-30
This book looked very enticing in the store. With lots of photos of lots of houses. The format shows digitized versions of the same house with critiques of what NOT to do, accompanied by a photo (obviously the real house) of what any good designer would do. There is minimal text so this is mainly a picture book. However, I found the suggestions to be very basic and mostly obvious. The what NOT to do photos show design elements so bad, you are not likely to need a book to keep you from making those errors. Save your money, take a good friend to dinner and have them critique your design choices. Better on the digestive tract too.
Don't build unless you buy this book.......2007-06-17
Fabulous book - an absolute must before you build a new home. I would love to pass this book out to many contractors in my area! My dad was a home builder and sensitive to architectural style and design. So often I see new houses being built that are the "What Not To Build" examples in the book.
The authors did an incredible job of reviews, photographs, and helpful details. A must have!!
Contractors should buy this book!!!.......2007-05-30
I know half a dozen contractors whom I'd like to give this book to. I know another 6 whom I like use it to smack them up side the head. Excellent book with tons of examples and color pictures pointing out specifics of what to do and not do. Great for those thick headed people who just don't get design, aesthetics & balance.
Helpful resource when considering design.......2007-03-24
As we started the design process of our own home, this book proved an interesting read. We keep it on our shelf of resources. The book has sections considering each of the possible design elements of the facade,(include the front entry, columns, porches, roofs, dormers and windows) plus a chapter each on landscaping and looking at the 360-degree view. Also included are sections on principles of design, proportion and balance. Some of the design errors illustrated were glaring, others not so obvious. I find myself picking some of these out as I drive through different neighborhoods. It was sometimes difficult to express what didn't "feel right" while looking at a home or at the rendering of a design; now with this book as a guide, these errors are easier to identify and the "after" photos suggest possible fixes.
Welcome and strongly recommended addition.......2006-10-04
The collaborative effort of professional home designers and residential planners Sandra Edelman, Judy Gaman, Robby Reid, "What Not To Build: Do's And Don'ts Of Exterior Home Design" is unique among architecture books in that it's focus is on avoiding common design mistakes that result in un-esthetic (and down right ugly) exteriors. "What Not To Build deftly surveys architectural design principles of scale, proportion, balance, rhythm, and style consistency in residential home design. "What Not To Build" showcases fifty "before & after" examples of mistakes made on actual houses -- and how to correct them. Enhanced with more than 300 full color photographs, even the most novice architect and aspiring home owner can learn how to make their house building or remodeling project comply to sound architectural design principles. A thoroughly "user friendly" guide, "What Not To Build" is a welcome and strongly recommended addition to personal, professional, academic, and community library Architectural Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.
Book Description
Paul Shepheard's previous book, What is Architecture?, was about making real, material things in the world -- landscapes, buildings, and machines. The Cultivated Wilderness is about those landscapes, and about the strategies that govern what we've done in shaping them.
In the author's words, this book is about "seeing things that are too big to see." His emphasis on strategy makes landscape fundamental -- he says that every architectural move is set in a landscape. Norman England, for example, was constructed as a network of strong points, in a strategy of occupation. The eighteenth-century grid cities of the New World reflect a strategy of reason. Our current strategy is the economic exploitation of the Earth, an intricately woven blanket of commerce that covers up a multitude of other possibilities, many other ways to treat the surface of the globe -- some of which are the landscapes revealed in this book.
In a series of first-person narratives, reminiscent of his last book, the author pairs six landscapes, in order of descending scale from global to local, from the seven wonders of the ancient world to the condensed destruction of World War I's Western Front. In an engaging style, Shepheard takes the reader on an odyssey through these landscapes, meeting people and seeing places. He states that now, at the end of a century in which the appropriate landscape was sought but never found, the strategy of turning the land to profit is under review -- and offers this book as his contribution to that review.
Customer Reviews:
among the most exciting books on the subject I have read.......1998-01-22
Shepheard's book is among the most exciting I have read in a very long time--even though I still don't quite know what it is. Is it what, as a university press publication, one might suppose it to be, a work of "scholarship"? is it instead, as, having read it, I now almost think, a very nearly poetic meditation on the interactions between human beings and their environment? I can say neither with certainty. What it is, "certainly," is a set of essays that consider, among other things, what "wilderness" might mean to the human beings who interact with, live in, or stamp their presence over it; the seven wonders of the ancient world; the human presence in Antactica; Scotland; Flevoland and the Dutch polders; the relationship between London and its surroundings; and--in its last chapter--the western front. Each essay is characterized first and foremost by the author's idiosyncratic and playful voice. He writes like a cranky and opinionated human being speaking to other human beings, not like an academic ghost-in-the-book-as-machine addressing some equally dessicated conception of an academic reader. The essays are shot through with conversations (invented? recorded?), little dramas, vignettes, and a basketful of other irrelevancies--although they never turn out to be as irrelevant as you suppose. Each is also characterized by flashes of insight that strike you like lightbulbs going off at unpredictable intervals, page after page. Many years ago, an English professor named Robert Stevick wrote an essay attempting to define the "form" of a genre called "the anatomy." It had, back then, recently been made "famous" all over again by a Canadian name of Frye. Stevick's examples, as I recall, included not only melancholick Burton, more or less obviously, but also Swift's Tale of a Tub, Tristram Shandy, Sartor Resartus, Moby Dick, A la recherche du temps perdus, and Ulysses. At an MLA meeting in the late 1970s, I proposed that Anthony Powell's Dance to the Music of Time would be better understood in reference to this genre than if it were read (as it usually is) against the standards of realistic fiction; I still believe this argument is worth making in a more formal way than I did then, as an aside in a different argument, or here, as an assertion. Whatever else it may be, Shepheard's Cultivated Wilderness is the most recent major contribution to the anatomy genre I have come across. I also think it is simply brilliant. My pleasure in the book sent me looking, the day I finished it, for Shepheard's first book, What is Architecture? An Essay on Landscapes, Buildings, and Machines (MIT Press, 1994; paperback $9.95). I took me twenty-four hours to find a copy, which proved a bit frustrating. When I finally got my mitts on it, this earlier book also won me over. Art is everywhere [Shepheard writes]. As life has become detached from the wilderness, the human world is everywhere. I see music as a throbbing accompaniment to every moment of contemporary life, a sort of continuous current of emotion, that incorporates what poetry used to be. I see drama as a hugely expanded art that includes films and novels, which even has a new name, literature, and sucks in clothes and manners to itself as well. Architecture? Would we not all agree that architecture is much more than tombs and palaces and temples now? (p. 36) Do "we" all agree? Well, maybe yes . . . and maybe no. Page after page is filled with stuff that gets the ol' mental juices going, exciting agreement, provoking argument and disagreement, and inciting the reader to thought. If there is more to ask of a book, I am not sure what it is.
Book Description
Traditional Japanese architecture-whether Buddhist temples or Shinto shrines, residences, castles, or teahouses-has become increasingly familiar around the world. Through the media of motion pictures, art books, T.V. documentaries and dramas such as Shogun, as well as through personal
experience, more and more people have gained an acquaintance and appreciation of the architecture of premodern Japan. Some may even be able to name or recognize the oldest and the largest wooden structures in existence, which are to be found in Japan at Horyuji and Todaiji respectively. Yet often
this knowledge is still rudimentary. Confusion abounds as to what distinguishes Japanese architecture from Chinese or Korean, or even Southeast Asian, not to mention what sets off a Buddhist temple from a Shinto shrine or, say, a residence of the tenth century from one of the eighteenth. Until now,
there has been no recourse for those seeking, through a single book, to increase their appreciation of the whole range of traditional Japanese architecture. With the publication of What Is Japanese Architecture?, however, this situation has finally been rectified. Construction, design, carpentry,
and the background of Japanese architecture, from prehistory to mid-nineteenth century, are here made available within the covers of a single, compact book.
With over 300 drawings that illuminate the essentials of discussion more concretely than words could ever do, and a text that is succinct and always to the point, the book is divided into four parts-one each dealing chronologically with religious structures, residences, castles, and places of
entertainment. The reader learns not only how each of these fields of architecture has evolved over the centuries and what distinguishes the buildings of one age from those of another, but something of the historical conditions and the people responsible for these changes as well as the role played
by carpentry and methods of construction. The establishment and growth of the historic Japanese capitals-Nara, Kyoto, Edo-is brought sharply into focus, along with the rise and spread of other urban centers. Also highlighted are the mansions of the court nobility; the castles and residences of the
samurai aristocracy; the homes of village elders; dwellings of the common people; educational institutions, and places of entertainment such as theaters, red-light districts, teahouses, and country villas.
Any book that is as full of information as this, and readily accessible and clearly illustrated at the same time, will be of great interest and use to a wide range of people-architects, designers, historians, carpenters, movie buffs, tourists, garden designers, and others, whether amateur or
professional. Whatever the readers' background, there is little doubt about one thing: they will emerge with an acuter eye and a greater sensitivity to the delights of traditional Japanese architecture.
Customer Reviews:
Excellent source material!.......2004-04-28
I've been searching for a book such as this for quite some time. I purchased this book as source material for 3D modeling, and all the hand drawn illustrations are simply amazing! Many interior, exterior and close-up shots of Japanese architecture. Several floor plans and isometric views of various homes and temples.
Having only recieved my book the day before, I have not had a chance to read it from cover to cover, but what I have read was informative and well written. While you may not be able to build your very own "to code" Japanese home with this book, as a source of information and inspiration, it's a tremendous book!
a wonderful guide to japanese architectural styles!.......2000-06-10
This is a good guide to Japanse architecture and it's styles. It contains many illustrations, and is a detailed description on types of Traditional Japanese architecture.
Book Description
In this definitive sourcebook on urban planning design, noted urban scholar Alexander Garvin points out what has succeeded and what hasn't in the attempt to solve continuing problems in U.S. cities. He shows how the combination of small, collective private sector efforts, community level action, and broad-based government policy can and has achieved urban regeneration. Wide-ranging chapters provide urban planners, architects, builders, and others with: Insights on architectural, political, economic, social, and legal forces that shape cities in the U.S.; Methods for increasing access to affordable housing, clearing slums, preserving historical structures; Hard-to-find information on zoning law and legal concepts behind land use regulation; Hundreds of case studies and example that clearly illustrate successes and failures in urban planning and urban regeneration.
Customer Reviews:
One of the best textbooks I have ever owned.......2006-03-11
The writing is clear and concise and Garvin does a great job of making the material interesting and relevant!
Multidiscipinary approach to Creating Change.......2003-10-16
Mr. Garvin addresses the key factors that actually create effective change for cities today. He places a heavy emphasis on sound real estate financing, but he also demonstrates the need for effective government action and political leadership to spur private develoopments. When combined with good design and a proper reading of market forces, American Cities can and will be changed for the benefit of all its citizens.
Readers must understand, however, that Mr. Garvin does not ascribe what is "Best for the City." Each city represents a unique example and requires specific consideration when planning its future. Instead, Mr. Garvin brilliantly provides an accurate set of tools to direct a city's future, thus allowing the reader to determine what the future of his or her city should be.
Whether you're intersted in planning the future of your city or simply learning what influences the development of your city, I highly recommend this book.
High on concrete details, low on theoritical underpinnings.......2003-09-25
Garvin's text is of course a classic for students of American cities. As a sourcebook on successes and failures in cities all over the country it is unsurpassed. Garvin shows a depth of knowledge in planning issues that is deeply rooted in expertise in real estate development, economics, and politics. His insights into "what works" shows a lifetime of knowing the ins and outs of how urban developments get done in the real world.
The one shortcoming of "The American City" is Garvin's lack of attention to such planning concepts as participatory planning and community building. His "six ingredients of success" make a convenient tool for teaching basic planning concepts, but the text falls short in explaining the theortical underpinnings of planning today. Students walk away from Garvin's book convinced that good planning is esentially good real estate development. Little thought is given to concepts of fairness or social justice. Garvin never asks the student, for instance, "who are we planning for?" These theortical questions are essential to give students a deeper and more nuanced view of urban planning.
How cities work--an interdisciplinary approach.......2002-09-27
When Alexander Garvin's "The American City" was first published in 1996, it fast became a classic text in universities all over the country in the study of the city. Because it is an incredibly rich and profoundly insightful interdisciplinary exploration of all aspects of the planning of cities, it has been eagerly embraced by students of architecture, planning, urban studies, government, finance, and even sociology. Because it is so compelling written and marvelously accessible, however, it has also become a beloved book by lay people interested in any and every aspect of what determines the life and success of the created environment in which they live.
Since most of the original edition was actually completed by 1990, it did not include the last decade of development in the fast-changing world of urban thinking. In this second edition, Mr. Garvin brings his study of the city into the twenty-first century, including examples, issues, and trends that did not exist at the time the first edition was written. More strikingly, however, he has also succeeded in reorganizing and restating his original material-sometimes subtly, and sometimes more extensively-in even more powerful and effective ways. But whether it is the almost completely new chapter on Retail Shopping, or the only mostly preserved gem from the first edition on Parks and Playgrounds, all of the clarity and vitality so characteristic of Mr. Garvin's writing are enhanced in this new edition. The new edition also features numerous new photographs-a particular treat to the many readers who especially appreciate the masterful way he has illustrated his points with visual images, virtually all taken by Mr. Garvin himself. (Since he is firmly committed to the principle that one actually has to experience and explore in person the environments one is studying, the author makes sure to use images that reflect his own personal vision, which fortunately for us is as artistically pleasing as it is intellectually informative.)
Whether one wishes to understand the history of American cities, learn the principles of real estate development, research the trends in government involvement in housing and urban renewal, get insight into why particular undertakings in particular cities worked or failed, or, most excitingly, sense the incredible complexity and interaction of all those forces (historical, political, architectural, legislative, sociological, economic, etc.) that determine and describe the life of the city, this book is a must-read-and one that is as enjoyable as it is informative and enlightening.
The definitive modern planning manual...newly updated.......2002-09-09
There is a very good reason that Garvin's The American City has become required reading for most of the major urban affairs programs across the country: it stands alone as the definitive book on practical urban planning as we enter the 21st century. The first edition of this book, released in 1995, was a breath of fresh air in the field as it avoided emotional polemics in favor of thorough, pragmatic analyses of virtually every aspect of urban planning. This new, 560 page edition builds on the strengths of the original but has been substantially updated. It now includes coverage of the effects of stadiums and entertainment centers, BIDs, environmental factors, and much more. It has also been updated with the latest statistical information and additional stunning photos, as well as follow-ups on the projects originally covered in the first edition.
Garvin himself is uniquely qualified to write this book. For over thirty years he has taught Yale University's Introduction to the Study of the City course, while remaining busy as an architect, real estate developer and Director of Comprehensive Planning for the City of New York. After the publication of the original edition he became the Managing Director for Planning of New York's bid to host the 2012 Olympics (which was just selected as one of the finalists), and this year he was chosen to head up the complete rebuilding of the World Trade Center site after September 11 as the Vice President for Planning, Design and Construction of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation.
If you have any interest whatsoever in the history, design, or improvement of America's urban landscape, this is the book to get. As Paul Goldberger, the former architecture critic of the New York Times has written: "I will read it again and again, sometimes from front to back, sometimes from back to front, sometimes to page through at a random, sometimes to consult and help me with a particular problem. I guarantee dog-eared pages within a year."
Customer Reviews:
Relevance to software engineering.......2007-02-17
I heard of this book from my fellow software engineers. I then read it with fascination. You can essentially substitute "software" for "building", and it'll be a terrific book on design principles of software.
Highly recommended... to software engineers!
an enjoyable must-read for anyone who works with buildings and/or lives in one.......2006-03-15
An inspiring meander that outlines a gaping hole in architectural thought and practice, and well-written enough that one of the personal anecdotes almost made this grown engineer cry. What Brand suggests about four-dimensional architecture contributes (along with other such thoughts by Alexander and related thoughts from disparate sources such as d'Estree Sterk and Rybczynski) to a still-developing architectural outlook that incorporates human-building interactions and the consideration of time - an outlook that holds much promise and should be further investigated by building professionals and architectural theorists alike.
I read this book as a metaphor.......2005-10-12
The book is about buildings -- but read this as a metaphor and you'll see that he is also talking about how we change as a society. I read this book and thought about the computer industry -- how computer systems change as the learn about users. This is a clever book and informative. Read it with an open mind and you may find more than what is in the pages.
What you'll learn from How Buildings Learn.......2005-08-26
I liked this book so much I bought one for my sister who lives in a bungalow (explained in the book), one for my father, one for me (and then a replacement when that got lost). The book is fascinating for people interested in buildings but also a good lesson in planning, executing and followup on anything. The chapters talk about how you can design to be just-right (which never is) or for flexibility and the one on maintenance (with a wild story about the replacement beam for New College that was planted hundreds of years earlier). Software particularly, which is my field. It's now assigned reading for the technical writers who work for me. Buy it.
Interesting Observations.......2005-05-05
Anyone interested in architecture or historical preservation would probably enjoy the observations and case studies in this book. Brand has a new, fascinating idea to examine what makes building livable, and to look at what happens to structures in the decades after they are built. Good thinking, and maybe this could be the beginning of a new area of architectural scholarship. Recommended!
Book Description
Architectural style is defined as a definite type of architecture, distinguished by special characteristics of structure and ornament.
This revised edition of What Style Is It? includes new sections on Neoclassical, Romanesque and Rustic Styles. It also provides more examples of how pure styles vary by geographic region across the US.
* Includes sections on 25 of the most significant architectural styles including Early Colonial, Federal and Second Empire
* More than 200 photos and line drawings make this a visually rich resource. 300f photos and drawings are new to this edition
* A glossary offers quick access to architectural terms
* Includes an added guide to using the Historical American Buildings Society online catalogue of more than 30,000 historic structures, giving access to more than 51,000 measured drawings, 156,000 photographs and more than 30,000 original historical reports
Customer Reviews:
The Field Guide That Could Have Been.......2005-08-02
This is the most dissapointing of architectural field guides because it had the potential to have been the very best. John Poppeliers was the head of the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) and Allen Chambers was an historian with the Historic American Buildings Survey. Quite simply they had access to 51,000 sheets of measured drawings, 156,000 large format black and white photographs and over 20,000 reproductions of individual items. With all of that access, they could have produced the ultimate architectural field guide. Instead they produced a 146 page superficial guide.
The best aspect of this guide are the line drawings produced for the Historic American Building Survey. They are two dimensional drawings that are almost surgical in their precision. The building photographs are also first class.The narrative describing the different elements of the style is short and to the point.
The second edition of this book was published in 2003. In my opinion, if someone is going to introduce a new field guide into this already crowded arena, it has to offer something new. I would recommend sticking with the already proven field guides by Lester Walker, Rachel Carley, Carole Rifkind or Virginia McAllister.
This book is recommended for people with really short attention spans. This book is a dissapointment. Oh, what it could have been. One day, somebody from the HABS project will produce the ultimate architectural field guide.
Not so useful.......2004-02-07
Not nearly as good, useful, or comprehensive as A Field Guide to American Houses by McAlester.
Good for my class..........2003-03-24
I'm not that into architecture but this book was pretty good. I had to use it for my local history course. The images were good and helpful in the explanations on each of the pages.
A Sketchy Overview of American Architecture.......2000-08-19
This book is fine if you are looking only for a very brief look at American Architecture. It does not organize architectural styles to give a comprehensive overview of them. It does, however, present example photos of various styles with easy-to-read text briefly describing the styles. If you want a book that is handy and comprehensive, no other book can compare to A Field Guide to American Houses, by Virginia and Lee McAlester (ISBN 0-394-73969-8). This book will give you a comprehensive framework of the development of American Architecture so that you can build your understanding as you become exposed examples in the field. Everything from windows and doors to contruction techniques are covered. The book is organized in such a way that you can find what you need quickly. It is the cornerstone in the study of American Architecture.
Short and to the point!.......2000-06-20
This is a very handy, pocket sized book which can be easily used in the field! Different historic architectural styles are divided into small chapters with helpful photos for identification. I particularly love the user-friendly "Glossary" which identifies architectural features in a short and to the point manner. Since this is published by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, a person can feel assured that this is accurate information! Makes a great gift too!
Book Description
Each chapter deals with a different technique from which we can best represent and make explicit the forms of knowledge used by designers. The book explores whether design knowledge is special, and attempts to get to the root of where design knowledge comes from. Crucially, it focuses on how designers use drawings in communicating their ideas and how they converse with them as their designs develop. It also shows how experienced designers use knowledge differently to novices suggesting that design expertise can be developed. Overall, this book builds a layout of the kinds of skill, knowledge and understanding that make up what we call designing.
1. Provides an exploration of research techniques giving an insight into the source of design knowledge
2. Illustrates how designers interact with their drawings and with computers in developing their knowledge
3. Provides the latest debates on the nature of design knowledge
Download Description
Why designers do what they do, how they arrive at their decisions, and what knowledge they use to make these decisions can be difficult concepts for students and others new to the subject to fully understand. In addition, design theory is a subject open to wide interpretation but the understanding and study of which is essential to becoming a successful designer. What Designers Know presents a sophisticated set of ideas about the nature of design knowledge. It explores whether design knowledge is special, and attempts to get to the root of where design knowledge comes from. Crucially, it focuses on how designers use drawings in communicating their ideas and how they 'converse' with them as their designs develop. It also shows how experienced designers use knowledge differently to novices suggesting that design 'expertise' can be developed.
Average customer rating:
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What Will Be Has Always Been
Rizzoli
Manufacturer: Rizzoli
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0847806073
Release Date: 1986-05-15 |
Customer Reviews:
Book for watercolorists.......2007-02-02
May be the author wished to speak about painting in general, but the pictures shown are mainly watercolors. So if you are interested in oils... Moreover Reid's oil paintings seem to me like watercolor ones, and his oils are not specially beautiful.
Another important fact about this book is Reid's painting philosophy: "I know I see a spot of (let's say) white color there, but I know the local color of this object is (let's say) blue, so I paint it blue". In my opinion he just paints the tones and values he wants, with no relationship to reality. This is the way the title of this book should be interpreted.
The paintings shown on the book are beautiful (I mean I like them), the explanations are clear (for me) and the examples are illustrative (I find them so). But I don't like the way he changes the light and atmosphere of scenes.
Other Reid Stuff is Better!!!.......2005-09-29
This is a good book, but other books by Reid are more informative.
Wow! Best Art Technique Book I've Found........2005-01-07
"Painting What You Want To See" covers a slew of topics of tremendous importance to improving your artwork that are slighted by most authors and most teachers. These topics include the understanding the propper proportion of light & dark values, the importance of distinct colors, how to get better looking colors (e.g., lights, darks, greens, skin tones), why some edges should be blurred and which ones, how to (and not to) arrange objects in a painting, how to tie objects together into a cohesive whole, the relative importance (or lack thereof) of propper perspective, techniques for better looking shadows, the importance of sketches, and many more topics. For each topic, the author includes one or more generally worded exercises that will help the reader practice the technique. These are not those awful step-by-step-reproduce-my-painting-exactly sort of exercises, either, but well thought out tasks that will help you see the importance of the technique in your own work. There is a very nice section at the end which demonstrates common problems and how to fix them. I only wish this section were longer.
Although the book focuses on watercolor and oil, most of the lessons are applicable to all mediums. Many of the demonstration pictures are sketches suitable to the lesson at hand, not final works, so don't expect every drawing to be "amazing". Many of the paintings focus on people, and several the topics covered are of particular value to figure painters. I would highly recommend this book to any artist.
A high quality book ..........2004-12-30
...much as you would expect from Charles Reid. For me, this book seems less focused than some of his earlier output -- such as his portrait & figure painting books and his portait video -- and less compelling, as was his floral book, although I suspect they might both appeal more to a female viewer/reader. It is also possible that there is a certain amount of repetition/overlap/familiarity about the book. That said, the color and quality of the images are admittedly wonderful and superior to the mainly mono-tone portrait book mentioned previously.
Not only beautiful, it's a useful book.......2002-07-06
There are 46 lessons and assignments in this book, critiques included. Reid covers not only painting but, more important, seeing.
Reid begins by reviewing the basics: Contour drawing, value scales, seeing shapes, adding values to drawings. Then he goes into detail in working with values, handling color, directing the eye, composing with color, and interpreting light. The last two sections of the book deal with critiques, solutions and learning from the masters. There's also a useful bibliography that's divided into books about painting and those on drawing. Then there's a list of artists whose work the student should study to gain insight into different techniques.
This book is a fresh look at working in watercolors and oils. I'd recommend it to photographers, too. These ideas and information could be easily translated to the film medium.
All that said, it's a gorgeous coffeetable book, too.
Books:
- The Backyard Astronomer's Guide
- The Backyard Astronomer's Guide
- The Complete Star Wars Trilogy, Episodes IV, V, & VI
- The Cycle of Cosmic Catastrophes: How a Stone-Age Comet Changed the Course of World Culture
- The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America
- The Divine Matrix: Bridging Time, Space, Miracles, and Belief
- The Divine Matrix: Bridging Time, Space, Miracles, and Belief
- The Home Planet
- The School Counseling and School Social Work Treatment Planner (Practice Planners)
- The Social and Emotional Development of Gifted Children: What Do We Know?
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