Product Description

Nesbitt gathers 51 essays from 1965-1995.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #238166 in Books
• Published on: 1996-03-15
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 384 pages

Customer Reviews

Correcting Ignorance
I am an architecture student at Washington University. This book is a great stepping stone into Architectural Theory. But, why I am really writing this review is to correct the unread
individual who wrote a review of this book prior to me.

phe·nom·e·nol·o·gy - noun

1. A philosophy or method of inquiry based on the premise that reality consists of objects and events as they are perceived or understood in human consciousness and not of anything independent of human consciousness.

2. A movement based on this, originated about 1905 by Edmund Husserl.

An excellent place to start
I have always been interested in architectural theory, but never knew where to start. The number of theory books is simply daunting. The key, I have discovered, is to find a book of texts edited by a clear, intelligent editor who can help ease you into the topics. That is exactly what we have here.

Because it's an anthology, there is nothing new here. What IS here is a good selection of readings from the major figures of the last 40 years, sorted by topic. Each reading is accompanied by a short introduction by the editor, explaining the context in which the article first appeared, and some background information on the author. There is also a very thorough (and highly recommended) introduction by the editor which gives background information on each of the topics covered. By the end of the book, you will, at the very least, be familiar with the philosophical underpinnings of architecture from Postmodernism on.

Granted, there's no guarantee that you'll understand what the authors are talking about. Even after reading the chapter on Deconstructionism twice, Derrida remains a complete enigma to me. On the other hand, I really enjoyed Vidler, Rowe and Frampton. As a result of reading this book, I was able to pursue further the authors and topics which most interested me (and, more importantly, skip the ones that didn't). This seems to me to be the mark of a good anthology.

Fantastic collection of works.
This book is a fantastic collection of very important works on Architecture and Architectural Theory. Containing some seminal works, such as Frascari's "The tell-the-tale detail", this book is a fantastic read for those with an interest in Architectural Theory. Beware !! if you think books on architecture need pretty pictures and white on black plans and sections, DO NOT PURCHASE THIS BOOK ! it will put you to sleep in minutes ! Otherwise, buy now and enjoy !!