inspiring, 08 Oct 2008
A truly inspiring book that I will no doubt refer to in my teaching and continue to learn from for years to come.

The basic human perspective..., 23 Jun 2006
An excellent book, a book that peals away your pre-conceptions as you read and installs on, the most natural way of thinking. It gives you a clearer conscious when considering the environment.

I recommend this book to any one. Although I do think you need a dictionary on hand, because there are some words in this book that I never thought the meanings of existed, like the word 'haptic'. The word haptic isn't even on Word spell checker. All the better though, a big vocabulary is what's probably needed when studying and expressing architecture. I'm starting an architecture degree this September and this book has made me more interested.


A really interesting perspective, 16 Sep 2005
This book totally makes you think - whether you're a designer who should be thinking more about all the senses, or just an interested layman like me, this book is a really fascinating read and highly recommended.

Essential reading!!, 04 Feb 2005
I would recommend this to everyone, actually. This is the only book so far that has the biggest impact in my student years as an interior designer. Juhani Palasmaa manage to say plenty of strong meanings statement while using simple words.
I say this book is a bible for anyone who wants to design and be human in their design. Dont get what i mean? read it yourself!!

Necessary Reading..., 19 Apr 2004
An subtly epic piece of text...

A book that had a truly profound influence on my own practice and perception in regards to how one could and should consider ones built environment.

Get your hands on it if you can...

inspiring, 08 Oct 2008
A truly inspiring book that I will no doubt refer to in my teaching and continue to learn from for years to come.

The basic human perspective..., 23 Jun 2006
An excellent book, a book that peals away your pre-conceptions as you read and installs on, the most natural way of thinking. It gives you a clearer conscious when considering the environment.

I recommend this book to any one. Although I do think you need a dictionary on hand, because there are some words in this book that I never thought the meanings of existed, like the word 'haptic'. The word haptic isn't even on Word spell checker. All the better though, a big vocabulary is what's probably needed when studying and expressing architecture. I'm starting an architecture degree this September and this book has made me more interested.


A really interesting perspective, 16 Sep 2005
This book totally makes you think - whether you're a designer who should be thinking more about all the senses, or just an interested layman like me, this book is a really fascinating read and highly recommended.

Essential reading!!, 04 Feb 2005
I would recommend this to everyone, actually. This is the only book so far that has the biggest impact in my student years as an interior designer. Juhani Palasmaa manage to say plenty of strong meanings statement while using simple words.
I say this book is a bible for anyone who wants to design and be human in their design. Dont get what i mean? read it yourself!!

Necessary Reading..., 19 Apr 2004
An subtly epic piece of text...

A book that had a truly profound influence on my own practice and perception in regards to how one could and should consider ones built environment.

Get your hands on it if you can...

essential architectural reading, 05 Dec 2001
combining both a sensual and analytical appraisal, this book communicates the aesthetic values by which this author believes architecture can be comprehended. An optimistic book predating the excess of postmodernism and strong on sensitivity.

After Lego, 16 Jul 1998
Experiencing Architecture was a basic text in my first year of design school; the principles that I learned from it have followed me ever since.

Rasmussen takes the visual world apart and taught me to see things in their simplest forms. His commentaries on form, texture, and massing heightened my appreciation for all forms of design; his discussion of color--for one who is colorblind--provided a life-long guidedog.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wanted to pioneer the Lego curriculum at university--

inspiring, 08 Oct 2008
A truly inspiring book that I will no doubt refer to in my teaching and continue to learn from for years to come.

The basic human perspective..., 23 Jun 2006
An excellent book, a book that peals away your pre-conceptions as you read and installs on, the most natural way of thinking. It gives you a clearer conscious when considering the environment.

I recommend this book to any one. Although I do think you need a dictionary on hand, because there are some words in this book that I never thought the meanings of existed, like the word 'haptic'. The word haptic isn't even on Word spell checker. All the better though, a big vocabulary is what's probably needed when studying and expressing architecture. I'm starting an architecture degree this September and this book has made me more interested.


A really interesting perspective, 16 Sep 2005
This book totally makes you think - whether you're a designer who should be thinking more about all the senses, or just an interested layman like me, this book is a really fascinating read and highly recommended.

Essential reading!!, 04 Feb 2005
I would recommend this to everyone, actually. This is the only book so far that has the biggest impact in my student years as an interior designer. Juhani Palasmaa manage to say plenty of strong meanings statement while using simple words.
I say this book is a bible for anyone who wants to design and be human in their design. Dont get what i mean? read it yourself!!

Necessary Reading..., 19 Apr 2004
An subtly epic piece of text...

A book that had a truly profound influence on my own practice and perception in regards to how one could and should consider ones built environment.

Get your hands on it if you can...

essential architectural reading, 05 Dec 2001
combining both a sensual and analytical appraisal, this book communicates the aesthetic values by which this author believes architecture can be comprehended. An optimistic book predating the excess of postmodernism and strong on sensitivity.

After Lego, 16 Jul 1998
Experiencing Architecture was a basic text in my first year of design school; the principles that I learned from it have followed me ever since.

Rasmussen takes the visual world apart and taught me to see things in their simplest forms. His commentaries on form, texture, and massing heightened my appreciation for all forms of design; his discussion of color--for one who is colorblind--provided a life-long guidedog.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wanted to pioneer the Lego curriculum at university--

This Book is a MUST for budding students, 21 Nov 2001
I was given this book as a present, and I must say it saved me, I'm doing an architectural course, and I learned allot and brought my drawings to a whole new level!! From the basic "tricks" and skills that make these sketches come to life, to some really good Ideas for more professional drawings. I would recommend this as a must for a student, and a reference for a pro that will use it again and again!

inspiring, 08 Oct 2008
A truly inspiring book that I will no doubt refer to in my teaching and continue to learn from for years to come.

The basic human perspective..., 23 Jun 2006
An excellent book, a book that peals away your pre-conceptions as you read and installs on, the most natural way of thinking. It gives you a clearer conscious when considering the environment.

I recommend this book to any one. Although I do think you need a dictionary on hand, because there are some words in this book that I never thought the meanings of existed, like the word 'haptic'. The word haptic isn't even on Word spell checker. All the better though, a big vocabulary is what's probably needed when studying and expressing architecture. I'm starting an architecture degree this September and this book has made me more interested.


A really interesting perspective, 16 Sep 2005
This book totally makes you think - whether you're a designer who should be thinking more about all the senses, or just an interested layman like me, this book is a really fascinating read and highly recommended.

Essential reading!!, 04 Feb 2005
I would recommend this to everyone, actually. This is the only book so far that has the biggest impact in my student years as an interior designer. Juhani Palasmaa manage to say plenty of strong meanings statement while using simple words.
I say this book is a bible for anyone who wants to design and be human in their design. Dont get what i mean? read it yourself!!

Necessary Reading..., 19 Apr 2004
An subtly epic piece of text...

A book that had a truly profound influence on my own practice and perception in regards to how one could and should consider ones built environment.

Get your hands on it if you can...

essential architectural reading, 05 Dec 2001
combining both a sensual and analytical appraisal, this book communicates the aesthetic values by which this author believes architecture can be comprehended. An optimistic book predating the excess of postmodernism and strong on sensitivity.

After Lego, 16 Jul 1998
Experiencing Architecture was a basic text in my first year of design school; the principles that I learned from it have followed me ever since.

Rasmussen takes the visual world apart and taught me to see things in their simplest forms. His commentaries on form, texture, and massing heightened my appreciation for all forms of design; his discussion of color--for one who is colorblind--provided a life-long guidedog.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wanted to pioneer the Lego curriculum at university--

This Book is a MUST for budding students, 21 Nov 2001
I was given this book as a present, and I must say it saved me, I'm doing an architectural course, and I learned allot and brought my drawings to a whole new level!! From the basic "tricks" and skills that make these sketches come to life, to some really good Ideas for more professional drawings. I would recommend this as a must for a student, and a reference for a pro that will use it again and again!

Good in parts, 05 Jul 2008
This book presents itself as an introduction to the development of structural engineering for the layman and the areas that it covers it covers well. However there are massive gaps! For example, why is there no mention of portal frames? What about the progression from cruck frames to hammer beam roofs to the roof trusses we use today? How can you talk about the history of structural engineering without once mentioning the contributions of I K Brunel?

Also I fail to see why line drawings are used when photographs of complete buildings would convey so much more information.

Finally a lot of the space that could be used to cover some of the gaps mentioned above is inexcusably filled with pretentious architect's twaddle! There is even a whole chapter devoted to the "semiotic messages of structure". If someone MUST talk about such things it should be in a book about architecture but this is supposed to be a book about structural engineering and as such it is totally out of place.



Another worthy purchase!, 29 May 2000
Working in the construction industry I was instantly attracted to the title of this book. I found it an excellent 'back to basics' read. The book is written in a non-technical language and will be a fascinating to read to anyone and i mean anyone who has ever gazed at a building and wondered 'Why Buildings Stand up?'

inspiring, 08 Oct 2008
A truly inspiring book that I will no doubt refer to in my teaching and continue to learn from for years to come.

The basic human perspective..., 23 Jun 2006
An excellent book, a book that peals away your pre-conceptions as you read and installs on, the most natural way of thinking. It gives you a clearer conscious when considering the environment.

I recommend this book to any one. Although I do think you need a dictionary on hand, because there are some words in this book that I never thought the meanings of existed, like the word 'haptic'. The word haptic isn't even on Word spell checker. All the better though, a big vocabulary is what's probably needed when studying and expressing architecture. I'm starting an architecture degree this September and this book has made me more interested.


A really interesting perspective, 16 Sep 2005
This book totally makes you think - whether you're a designer who should be thinking more about all the senses, or just an interested layman like me, this book is a really fascinating read and highly recommended.

Essential reading!!, 04 Feb 2005
I would recommend this to everyone, actually. This is the only book so far that has the biggest impact in my student years as an interior designer. Juhani Palasmaa manage to say plenty of strong meanings statement while using simple words.
I say this book is a bible for anyone who wants to design and be human in their design. Dont get what i mean? read it yourself!!

Necessary Reading..., 19 Apr 2004
An subtly epic piece of text...

A book that had a truly profound influence on my own practice and perception in regards to how one could and should consider ones built environment.

Get your hands on it if you can...

essential architectural reading, 05 Dec 2001
combining both a sensual and analytical appraisal, this book communicates the aesthetic values by which this author believes architecture can be comprehended. An optimistic book predating the excess of postmodernism and strong on sensitivity.

After Lego, 16 Jul 1998
Experiencing Architecture was a basic text in my first year of design school; the principles that I learned from it have followed me ever since.

Rasmussen takes the visual world apart and taught me to see things in their simplest forms. His commentaries on form, texture, and massing heightened my appreciation for all forms of design; his discussion of color--for one who is colorblind--provided a life-long guidedog.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wanted to pioneer the Lego curriculum at university--

This Book is a MUST for budding students, 21 Nov 2001
I was given this book as a present, and I must say it saved me, I'm doing an architectural course, and I learned allot and brought my drawings to a whole new level!! From the basic "tricks" and skills that make these sketches come to life, to some really good Ideas for more professional drawings. I would recommend this as a must for a student, and a reference for a pro that will use it again and again!

Good in parts, 05 Jul 2008
This book presents itself as an introduction to the development of structural engineering for the layman and the areas that it covers it covers well. However there are massive gaps! For example, why is there no mention of portal frames? What about the progression from cruck frames to hammer beam roofs to the roof trusses we use today? How can you talk about the history of structural engineering without once mentioning the contributions of I K Brunel?

Also I fail to see why line drawings are used when photographs of complete buildings would convey so much more information.

Finally a lot of the space that could be used to cover some of the gaps mentioned above is inexcusably filled with pretentious architect's twaddle! There is even a whole chapter devoted to the "semiotic messages of structure". If someone MUST talk about such things it should be in a book about architecture but this is supposed to be a book about structural engineering and as such it is totally out of place.



Another worthy purchase!, 29 May 2000
Working in the construction industry I was instantly attracted to the title of this book. I found it an excellent 'back to basics' read. The book is written in a non-technical language and will be a fascinating to read to anyone and i mean anyone who has ever gazed at a building and wondered 'Why Buildings Stand up?'

Bedtime reading, 17 Jul 2008
This is excellent reading if you ever have trouble staying awake at night :-) Actually, it is excellent reading in general. Learning from other peoples mistakes is so much better than learning from your own.

A clear and entertaining book, 20 Apr 2003
Such is our morbid fascination that this book is inevitably more attractive than one called “Why Buildings Stay Up”. That said, I think I have not only learned more about structural engineering than I would have done from a positive counterpart, but I have also learned vastly more about the other factors, human and natural, that influence the ultimate success or failure of structures.

The book is based on the same material as the late 1990s TV series of the same name, and having watched that series many of the incidents and issues were familiar to me. The advantage of the book is the ability to digest information at your own speed and refer back to earlier pages, but it has to be said that the TV series communicated some of the issues better, helped by animated graphics and by the better mutual support of both pictures and narrative.

Each chapter takes a topic, whether a human factor like the law, a type of construction such as the dome, or a cause of failure such as metal fatigue, and then illustrates the issues by consideration of a number of case studies, frequently including some notable successes as well as dramatic failures. In the case of failures the book always attempts to assess both the practical cause, and also any human cause, impact and implications.

The book is very well written, in an accessible style supported by some useful appendixes on structural engineering principles. However, sometimes the simple line drawings and verbal descriptions of a structure don’t manage to communicate a full understanding, and more sophisticated illustrations might have helped.

Mario Salvadori died in 1997 (at the good age of 90), and the surviving author, Matthys Levy updated the book in 2002. My feelings on the update are mixed: the chapter on terrorism, culminating with the collapse of the New York Trade Centre towers on September 11th 2001 is excellent; but why did the author not acknowledge the brilliant success of efforts to stabilise the Leaning Tower of Pisa in the late 1990s?

Overall I heartily recommend this book to anyone with a serious or lay interest in structural engineering, and the many complex human and natural issues which influence it.

An excellent read for technical and non-technical alike, 11 Jun 2000
Having read 'Why buildings stand up' I immediately searched this one out. This book continues to be an excellent read for technical and non-technical persons who have an interest in structures. Fascinating!

Enlightening, not-too-tech intro. to structural engineering, 29 May 1998
This was a great introduction to the fundamentals of building science - understanding why things don't work is a great help in understanding why they do. Each chapter discusses one example of something that went wrong and explains another reason why structures can fail.

A tecnical book easily understandable by non-engineers, 21 Feb 1997
We see all the time buildings working as they should (i.e., standing up and not collapsing), however, it is very interesting to read of some real life collapses. Salvadori does an excellant job of writing so that people without a technical background can understand why these structures failed. And he writes with such detail that engineers are not bored by lack of detail. Simpley explained, fully detailed, and thoroughly researched. Excellant book for anyone who is interested in buildings, structures, or failures!

inspiring, 08 Oct 2008
A truly inspiring book that I will no doubt refer to in my teaching and continue to learn from for years to come.

The basic human perspective..., 23 Jun 2006
An excellent book, a book that peals away your pre-conceptions as you read and installs on, the most natural way of thinking. It gives you a clearer conscious when considering the environment.

I recommend this book to any one. Although I do think you need a dictionary on hand, because there are some words in this book that I never thought the meanings of existed, like the word 'haptic'. The word haptic isn't even on Word spell checker. All the better though, a big vocabulary is what's probably needed when studying and expressing architecture. I'm starting an architecture degree this September and this book has made me more interested.


A really interesting perspective, 16 Sep 2005
This book totally makes you think - whether you're a designer who should be thinking more about all the senses, or just an interested layman like me, this book is a really fascinating read and highly recommended.

Essential reading!!, 04 Feb 2005
I would recommend this to everyone, actually. This is the only book so far that has the biggest impact in my student years as an interior designer. Juhani Palasmaa manage to say plenty of strong meanings statement while using simple words.
I say this book is a bible for anyone who wants to design and be human in their design. Dont get what i mean? read it yourself!!

Necessary Reading..., 19 Apr 2004
An subtly epic piece of text...

A book that had a truly profound influence on my own practice and perception in regards to how one could and should consider ones built environment.

Get your hands on it if you can...

essential architectural reading, 05 Dec 2001
combining both a sensual and analytical appraisal, this book communicates the aesthetic values by which this author believes architecture can be comprehended. An optimistic book predating the excess of postmodernism and strong on sensitivity.

After Lego, 16 Jul 1998
Experiencing Architecture was a basic text in my first year of design school; the principles that I learned from it have followed me ever since.

Rasmussen takes the visual world apart and taught me to see things in their simplest forms. His commentaries on form, texture, and massing heightened my appreciation for all forms of design; his discussion of color--for one who is colorblind--provided a life-long guidedog.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wanted to pioneer the Lego curriculum at university--

This Book is a MUST for budding students, 21 Nov 2001
I was given this book as a present, and I must say it saved me, I'm doing an architectural course, and I learned allot and brought my drawings to a whole new level!! From the basic "tricks" and skills that make these sketches come to life, to some really good Ideas for more professional drawings. I would recommend this as a must for a student, and a reference for a pro that will use it again and again!

Good in parts, 05 Jul 2008
This book presents itself as an introduction to the development of structural engineering for the layman and the areas that it covers it covers well. However there are massive gaps! For example, why is there no mention of portal frames? What about the progression from cruck frames to hammer beam roofs to the roof trusses we use today? How can you talk about the history of structural engineering without once mentioning the contributions of I K Brunel?

Also I fail to see why line drawings are used when photographs of complete buildings would convey so much more information.

Finally a lot of the space that could be used to cover some of the gaps mentioned above is inexcusably filled with pretentious architect's twaddle! There is even a whole chapter devoted to the "semiotic messages of structure". If someone MUST talk about such things it should be in a book about architecture but this is supposed to be a book about structural engineering and as such it is totally out of place.



Another worthy purchase!, 29 May 2000
Working in the construction industry I was instantly attracted to the title of this book. I found it an excellent 'back to basics' read. The book is written in a non-technical language and will be a fascinating to read to anyone and i mean anyone who has ever gazed at a building and wondered 'Why Buildings Stand up?'

Bedtime reading, 17 Jul 2008
This is excellent reading if you ever have trouble staying awake at night :-) Actually, it is excellent reading in general. Learning from other peoples mistakes is so much better than learning from your own.

A clear and entertaining book, 20 Apr 2003
Such is our morbid fascination that this book is inevitably more attractive than one called “Why Buildings Stay Up”. That said, I think I have not only learned more about structural engineering than I would have done from a positive counterpart, but I have also learned vastly more about the other factors, human and natural, that influence the ultimate success or failure of structures.

The book is based on the same material as the late 1990s TV series of the same name, and having watched that series many of the incidents and issues were familiar to me. The advantage of the book is the ability to digest information at your own speed and refer back to earlier pages, but it has to be said that the TV series communicated some of the issues better, helped by animated graphics and by the better mutual support of both pictures and narrative.

Each chapter takes a topic, whether a human factor like the law, a type of construction such as the dome, or a cause of failure such as metal fatigue, and then illustrates the issues by consideration of a number of case studies, frequently including some notable successes as well as dramatic failures. In the case of failures the book always attempts to assess both the practical cause, and also any human cause, impact and implications.

The book is very well written, in an accessible style supported by some useful appendixes on structural engineering principles. However, sometimes the simple line drawings and verbal descriptions of a structure don’t manage to communicate a full understanding, and more sophisticated illustrations might have helped.

Mario Salvadori died in 1997 (at the good age of 90), and the surviving author, Matthys Levy updated the book in 2002. My feelings on the update are mixed: the chapter on terrorism, culminating with the collapse of the New York Trade Centre towers on September 11th 2001 is excellent; but why did the author not acknowledge the brilliant success of efforts to stabilise the Leaning Tower of Pisa in the late 1990s?

Overall I heartily recommend this book to anyone with a serious or lay interest in structural engineering, and the many complex human and natural issues which influence it.

An excellent read for technical and non-technical alike, 11 Jun 2000
Having read 'Why buildings stand up' I immediately searched this one out. This book continues to be an excellent read for technical and non-technical persons who have an interest in structures. Fascinating!

Enlightening, not-too-tech intro. to structural engineering, 29 May 1998
This was a great introduction to the fundamentals of building science - understanding why things don't work is a great help in understanding why they do. Each chapter discusses one example of something that went wrong and explains another reason why structures can fail.

A tecnical book easily understandable by non-engineers, 21 Feb 1997
We see all the time buildings working as they should (i.e., standing up and not collapsing), however, it is very interesting to read of some real life collapses. Salvadori does an excellant job of writing so that people without a technical background can understand why these structures failed. And he writes with such detail that engineers are not bored by lack of detail. Simpley explained, fully detailed, and thoroughly researched. Excellant book for anyone who is interested in buildings, structures, or failures!

useless, 03 Apr 2008
i can only really use one or two PARAGRAPHS from this book. its designed excusively for architecture - not architectural technology or any other associated professions.

i would recommend Dr Shamil Naoums book instead. and dont buy it just get a copy from your library instead cos you will only need it for 6 months or so...

inspiring, 08 Oct 2008
A truly inspiring book that I will no doubt refer to in my teaching and continue to learn from for years to come.

The basic human perspective..., 23 Jun 2006
An excellent book, a book that peals away your pre-conceptions as you read and installs on, the most natural way of thinking. It gives you a clearer conscious when considering the environment.

I recommend this book to any one. Although I do think you need a dictionary on hand, because there are some words in this book that I never thought the meanings of existed, like the word 'haptic'. The word haptic isn't even on Word spell checker. All the better though, a big vocabulary is what's probably needed when studying and expressing architecture. I'm starting an architecture degree this September and this book has made me more interested.


A really interesting perspective, 16 Sep 2005
This book totally makes you think - whether you're a designer who should be thinking more about all the senses, or just an interested layman like me, this book is a really fascinating read and highly recommended.

Essential reading!!, 04 Feb 2005
I would recommend this to everyone, actually. This is the only book so far that has the biggest impact in my student years as an interior designer. Juhani Palasmaa manage to say plenty of strong meanings statement while using simple words.
I say this book is a bible for anyone who wants to design and be human in their design. Dont get what i mean? read it yourself!!

Necessary Reading..., 19 Apr 2004
An subtly epic piece of text...

A book that had a truly profound influence on my own practice and perception in regards to how one could and should consider ones built environment.

Get your hands on it if you can...

essential architectural reading, 05 Dec 2001
combining both a sensual and analytical appraisal, this book communicates the aesthetic values by which this author believes architecture can be comprehended. An optimistic book predating the excess of postmodernism and strong on sensitivity.

After Lego, 16 Jul 1998
Experiencing Architecture was a basic text in my first year of design school; the principles that I learned from it have followed me ever since.

Rasmussen takes the visual world apart and taught me to see things in their simplest forms. His commentaries on form, texture, and massing heightened my appreciation for all forms of design; his discussion of color--for one who is colorblind--provided a life-long guidedog.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wanted to pioneer the Lego curriculum at university--

This Book is a MUST for budding students, 21 Nov 2001
I was given this book as a present, and I must say it saved me, I'm doing an architectural course, and I learned allot and brought my drawings to a whole new level!! From the basic "tricks" and skills that make these sketches come to life, to some really good Ideas for more professional drawings. I would recommend this as a must for a student, and a reference for a pro that will use it again and again!

Good in parts, 05 Jul 2008
This book presents itself as an introduction to the development of structural engineering for the layman and the areas that it covers it covers well. However there are massive gaps! For example, why is there no mention of portal frames? What about the progression from cruck frames to hammer beam roofs to the roof trusses we use today? How can you talk about the history of structural engineering without once mentioning the contributions of I K Brunel?

Also I fail to see why line drawings are used when photographs of complete buildings would convey so much more information.

Finally a lot of the space that could be used to cover some of the gaps mentioned above is inexcusably filled with pretentious architect's twaddle! There is even a whole chapter devoted to the "semiotic messages of structure". If someone MUST talk about such things it should be in a book about architecture but this is supposed to be a book about structural engineering and as such it is totally out of place.



Another worthy purchase!, 29 May 2000
Working in the construction industry I was instantly attracted to the title of this book. I found it an excellent 'back to basics' read. The book is written in a non-technical language and will be a fascinating to read to anyone and i mean anyone who has ever gazed at a building and wondered 'Why Buildings Stand up?'

Bedtime reading, 17 Jul 2008
This is excellent reading if you ever have trouble staying awake at night :-) Actually, it is excellent reading in general. Learning from other peoples mistakes is so much better than learning from your own.

A clear and entertaining book, 20 Apr 2003
Such is our morbid fascination that this book is inevitably more attractive than one called “Why Buildings Stay Up”. That said, I think I have not only learned more about structural engineering than I would have done from a positive counterpart, but I have also learned vastly more about the other factors, human and natural, that influence the ultimate success or failure of structures.

The book is based on the same material as the late 1990s TV series of the same name, and having watched that series many of the incidents and issues were familiar to me. The advantage of the book is the ability to digest information at your own speed and refer back to earlier pages, but it has to be said that the TV series communicated some of the issues better, helped by animated graphics and by the better mutual support of both pictures and narrative.

Each chapter takes a topic, whether a human factor like the law, a type of construction such as the dome, or a cause of failure such as metal fatigue, and then illustrates the issues by consideration of a number of case studies, frequently including some notable successes as well as dramatic failures. In the case of failures the book always attempts to assess both the practical cause, and also any human cause, impact and implications.

The book is very well written, in an accessible style supported by some useful appendixes on structural engineering principles. However, sometimes the simple line drawings and verbal descriptions of a structure don’t manage to communicate a full understanding, and more sophisticated illustrations might have helped.

Mario Salvadori died in 1997 (at the good age of 90), and the surviving author, Matthys Levy updated the book in 2002. My feelings on the update are mixed: the chapter on terrorism, culminating with the collapse of the New York Trade Centre towers on September 11th 2001 is excellent; but why did the author not acknowledge the brilliant success of efforts to stabilise the Leaning Tower of Pisa in the late 1990s?

Overall I heartily recommend this book to anyone with a serious or lay interest in structural engineering, and the many complex human and natural issues which influence it.

An excellent read for technical and non-technical alike, 11 Jun 2000
Having read 'Why buildings stand up' I immediately searched this one out. This book continues to be an excellent read for technical and non-technical persons who have an interest in structures. Fascinating!

Enlightening, not-too-tech intro. to structural engineering, 29 May 1998
This was a great introduction to the fundamentals of building science - understanding why things don't work is a great help in understanding why they do. Each chapter discusses one example of something that went wrong and explains another reason why structures can fail.

A tecnical book easily understandable by non-engineers, 21 Feb 1997
We see all the time buildings working as they should (i.e., standing up and not collapsing), however, it is very interesting to read of some real life collapses. Salvadori does an excellant job of writing so that people without a technical background can understand why these structures failed. And he writes with such detail that engineers are not bored by lack of detail. Simpley explained, fully detailed, and thoroughly researched. Excellant book for anyone who is interested in buildings, structures, or failures!

useless, 03 Apr 2008
i can only really use one or two PARAGRAPHS from this book. its designed excusively for architecture - not architectural technology or any other associated professions.

i would recommend Dr Shamil Naoums book instead. and dont buy it just get a copy from your library instead cos you will only need it for 6 months or so...

The Crit, 17 Dec 2006
Doidge, Charles, with Rachel Sara, and Rosie Parnell. Cartoons by Mark Parsons. 2000. The Crit. An Architecture Student's Handbook. Oxford: Architectural Press.

Nearly every student in the making disciplines - architecture, and design, fine art, and applied - sees the crit as a difficult experience. Whether it involves a project during study or the final presentation for a degree, the crit is a central aspect of an education in these fields. Understanding how to make best use of the crit will help design scholars in every field.

This book is a useable, well-written guide to the crit. Directed to students, it will also help teachers and research supervisors. While many fields of design research make no use of the crit, nearly every design student and design teacher will take part in a crit or review at some
point. This book offers helpful suggestions and benchmarks. It is also useful for professional presentations.

Despite its value as a practical guide, this book is less satisfactory in scholarship. It is seasoned with useful quotes and citations that are poorly sourced. It is unacceptable to cite a single fact or a one-sentence quote from a 257-page by casually referring to author and year. The scholar's work involves organizing sources and making them useful. When architecture and design professors make claims to scholarship, the standards of good scholarship
apply.

Good scholarship also involves critical attention to historical fact. The authors claim that the crit began with the eighteenth-century tripos of Cambridge University. Their dates are off by over a thousand years.

The crit is rooted in two traditions, the guild tradition, and the academic tradition. When guild apprentices sought journeyman status, they were required to submit a piece of work to a board of masters. The jury of masters reviewed the journeyman piece and conducted an oral examination on technique, craft knowledge, and professional ethics. After passing this crit, an apprentice advanced to journeyman and was allowed to work freelance. A similar examination took place when a journeyman submitted his masterpiece for advancement to master standing. These traditions are probably rooted in ancient history. Some aspects of these traditions go back to the ancient crafts of the Middle East. These customs were clearly in place among European guilds by the Middle Ages.

The academic tradition of public debate to defend a scholarly thesis began more than two thousand years ago with the philosophers and rhetoricians of classical Greece. The medieval universities established the custom of public lectures, debates or defense of a thesis by the 1200s. Public presentation was required for the inceptio that inaugurated a candidate into the body of masters or doctors.

The authors of this well structured book on educational and professional practice should have restricted themselves to what they know. They attempted to spice the book with learning, enhancing its authority with scholarship and history. When designers, architects, and artists make scholarly claims, they must respect the requirements of scholarship. These include proper sourcing and critical investigation of factual claims.

Ken Friedman
Professor
Norwegian School of Management, Oslo, and Denmark's Design School, Copenhagen

This review originally appeared in Design Research News

inspiring, 08 Oct 2008
A truly inspiring book that I will no doubt refer to in my teaching and continue to learn from for years to come.

The basic human perspective..., 23 Jun 2006
An excellent book, a book that peals away your pre-conceptions as you read and installs on, the most natural way of thinking. It gives you a clearer conscious when considering the environment.

I recommend this book to any one. Although I do think you need a dictionary on hand, because there are some words in this book that I never thought the meanings of existed, like the word 'haptic'. The word haptic isn't even on Word spell checker. All the better though, a big vocabulary is what's probably needed when studying and expressing architecture. I'm starting an architecture degree this September and this book has made me more interested.


A really interesting perspective, 16 Sep 2005
This book totally makes you think - whether you're a designer who should be thinking more about all the senses, or just an interested layman like me, this book is a really fascinating read and highly recommended.

Essential reading!!, 04 Feb 2005
I would recommend this to everyone, actually. This is the only book so far that has the biggest impact in my student years as an interior designer. Juhani Palasmaa manage to say plenty of strong meanings statement while using simple words.
I say this book is a bible for anyone who wants to design and be human in their design. Dont get what i mean? read it yourself!!

Necessary Reading..., 19 Apr 2004
An subtly epic piece of text...

A book that had a truly profound influence on my own practice and perception in regards to how one could and should consider ones built environment.

Get your hands on it if you can...

essential architectural reading, 05 Dec 2001
combining both a sensual and analytical appraisal, this book communicates the aesthetic values by which this author believes architecture can be comprehended. An optimistic book predating the excess of postmodernism and strong on sensitivity.

After Lego, 16 Jul 1998
Experiencing Architecture was a basic text in my first year of design school; the principles that I learned from it have followed me ever since.

Rasmussen takes the visual world apart and taught me to see things in their simplest forms. His commentaries on form, texture, and massing heightened my appreciation for all forms of design; his discussion of color--for one who is colorblind--provided a life-long guidedog.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wanted to pioneer the Lego curriculum at university--

This Book is a MUST for budding students, 21 Nov 2001
I was given this book as a present, and I must say it saved me, I'm doing an architectural course, and I learned allot and brought my drawings to a whole new level!! From the basic "tricks" and skills that make these sketches come to life, to some really good Ideas for more professional drawings. I would recommend this as a must for a student, and a reference for a pro that will use it again and again!

Good in parts, 05 Jul 2008
This book presents itself as an introduction to the development of structural engineering for the layman and the areas that it covers it covers well. However there are massive gaps! For example, why is there no mention of portal frames? What about the progression from cruck frames to hammer beam roofs to the roof trusses we use today? How can you talk about the history of structural engineering without once mentioning the contributions of I K Brunel?

Also I fail to see why line drawings are used when photographs of complete buildings would convey so much more information.

Finally a lot of the space that could be used to cover some of the gaps mentioned above is inexcusably filled with pretentious architect's twaddle! There is even a whole chapter devoted to the "semiotic messages of structure". If someone MUST talk about such things it should be in a book about architecture but this is supposed to be a book about structural engineering and as such it is totally out of place.



Another worthy purchase!, 29 May 2000
Working in the construction industry I was instantly attracted to the title of this book. I found it an excellent 'back to basics' read. The book is written in a non-technical language and will be a fascinating to read to anyone and i mean anyone who has ever gazed at a building and wondered 'Why Buildings Stand up?'

Bedtime reading, 17 Jul 2008
This is excellent reading if you ever have trouble staying awake at night :-) Actually, it is excellent reading in general. Learning from other peoples mistakes is so much better than learning from your own.

A clear and entertaining book, 20 Apr 2003
Such is our morbid fascination that this book is inevitably more attractive than one called “Why Buildings Stay Up”. That said, I think I have not only learned more about structural engineering than I would have done from a positive counterpart, but I have also learned vastly more about the other factors, human and natural, that influence the ultimate success or failure of structures.

The book is based on the same material as the late 1990s TV series of the same name, and having watched that series many of the incidents and issues were familiar to me. The advantage of the book is the ability to digest information at your own speed and refer back to earlier pages, but it has to be said that the TV series communicated some of the issues better, helped by animated graphics and by the better mutual support of both pictures and narrative.

Each chapter takes a topic, whether a human factor like the law, a type of construction such as the dome, or a cause of failure such as metal fatigue, and then illustrates the issues by consideration of a number of case studies, frequently including some notable successes as well as dramatic failures. In the case of failures the book always attempts to assess both the practical cause, and also any human cause, impact and implications.

The book is very well written, in an accessible style supported by some useful appendixes on structural engineering principles. However, sometimes the simple line drawings and verbal descriptions of a structure don’t manage to communicate a full understanding, and more sophisticated illustrations might have helped.

Mario Salvadori died in 1997 (at the good age of 90), and the surviving author, Matthys Levy updated the book in 2002. My feelings on the update are mixed: the chapter on terrorism, culminating with the collapse of the New York Trade Centre towers on September 11th 2001 is excellent; but why did the author not acknowledge the brilliant success of efforts to stabilise the Leaning Tower of Pisa in the late 1990s?

Overall I heartily recommend this book to anyone with a serious or lay interest in structural engineering, and the many complex human and natural issues which influence it.

An excellent read for technical and non-technical alike, 11 Jun 2000
Having read 'Why buildings stand up' I immediately searched this one out. This book continues to be an excellent read for technical and non-technical persons who have an interest in structures. Fascinating!

Enlightening, not-too-tech intro. to structural engineering, 29 May 1998
This was a great introduction to the fundamentals of building science - understanding why things don't work is a great help in understanding why they do. Each chapter discusses one example of something that went wrong and explains another reason why structures can fail.

A tecnical book easily understandable by non-engineers, 21 Feb 1997
We see all the time buildings working as they should (i.e., standing up and not collapsing), however, it is very interesting to read of some real life collapses. Salvadori does an excellant job of writing so that people without a technical background can understand why these structures failed. And he writes with such detail that engineers are not bored by lack of detail. Simpley explained, fully detailed, and thoroughly researched. Excellant book for anyone who is interested in buildings, structures, or failures!

useless, 03 Apr 2008
i can only really use one or two PARAGRAPHS from this book. its designed excusively for architecture - not architectural technology or any other associated professions.

i would recommend Dr Shamil Naoums book instead. and dont buy it just get a copy from your library instead cos you will only need it for 6 months or so...

The Crit, 17 Dec 2006
Doidge, Charles, with Rachel Sara, and Rosie Parnell. Cartoons by Mark Parsons. 2000. The Crit. An Architecture Student's Handbook. Oxford: Architectural Press.

Nearly every student in the making disciplines - architecture, and design, fine art, and applied - sees the crit as a difficult experience. Whether it involves a project during study or the final presentation for a degree, the crit is a central aspect of an education in these fields. Understanding how to make best use of the crit will help design scholars in every field.

This book is a useable, well-written guide to the crit. Directed to students, it will also help teachers and research supervisors. While many fields of design research make no use of the crit, nearly every design student and design teacher will take part in a crit or review at some
point. This book offers helpful suggestions and benchmarks. It is also useful for professional presentations.

Despite its value as a practical guide, this book is less satisfactory in scholarship. It is seasoned with useful quotes and citations that are poorly sourced. It is unacceptable to cite a single fact or a one-sentence quote from a 257-page by casually referring to author and year. The scholar's work involves organizing sources and making them useful. When architecture and design professors make claims to scholarship, the standards of good scholarship
apply.

Good scholarship also involves critical attention to historical fact. The authors claim that the crit began with the eighteenth-century tripos of Cambridge University. Their dates are off by over a thousand years.

The crit is rooted in two traditions, the guild tradition, and the academic tradition. When guild apprentices sought journeyman status, they were required to submit a piece of work to a board of masters. The jury of masters reviewed the journeyman piece and conducted an oral examination on technique, craft knowledge, and professional ethics. After passing this crit, an apprentice advanced to journeyman and was allowed to work freelance. A similar examination took place when a journeyman submitted his masterpiece for advancement to master standing. These traditions are probably rooted in ancient history. Some aspects of these traditions go back to the ancient crafts of the Middle East. These customs were clearly in place among European guilds by the Middle Ages.

The academic tradition of public debate to defend a scholarly thesis began more than two thousand years ago with the philosophers and rhetoricians of classical Greece. The medieval universities established the custom of public lectures, debates or defense of a thesis by the 1200s. Public presentation was required for the inceptio that inaugurated a candidate into the body of masters or doctors.

The authors of this well structured book on educational and professional practice should have restricted themselves to what they know. They attempted to spice the book with learning, enhancing its authority with scholarship and history. When designers, architects, and artists make scholarly claims, they must respect the requirements of scholarship. These include proper sourcing and critical investigation of factual claims.

Ken Friedman
Professor
Norwegian School of Management, Oslo, and Denmark's Design School, Copenhagen

This review originally appeared in Design Research News

A breathtaking and profound book., 28 Mar 1997
It is amazing how a book that propounds revolutionary architectural theory has stirred up the computer software industry. This deeply philosophical book, which is very practical and rigorous, lays the foundation for developing "pattern languages".

The book is all about a common language that can be shared to build artifacts that are alive. It stresses that a design should always concentrate on the "whole" and not on assembling parts. It also shows the power of distributed processing, if you will, as against centralized processing.

All the great principles have one thing in common. They are simple. And, after one realizes such a simple but profound principle, one can not stop wondering how one survived without it's knowledge. This book gives that feeling. If you are involved in architecture of any sort- buildings, software, organization or even politics- this book is a must for you.

inspiring, 08 Oct 2008
A truly inspiring book that I will no doubt refer to in my teaching and continue to learn from for years to come.

The basic human perspective..., 23 Jun 2006
An excellent book, a book that peals away your pre-conceptions as you read and installs on, the most natural way of thinking. It gives you a clearer conscious when considering the environment.

I recommend this book to any one. Although I do think you need a dictionary on hand, because there are some words in this book that I never thought the meanings of existed, like the word 'haptic'. The word haptic isn't even on Word spell checker. All the better though, a big vocabulary is what's probably needed when studying and expressing architecture. I'm starting an architecture degree this September and this book has made me more interested.


A really interesting perspective, 16 Sep 2005
This book totally makes you think - whether you're a designer who should be thinking more about all the senses, or just an interested layman like me, this book is a really fascinating read and highly recommended.

Essential reading!!, 04 Feb 2005
I would recommend this to everyone, actually. This is the only book so far that has the biggest impact in my student years as an interior designer. Juhani Palasmaa manage to say plenty of strong meanings statement while using simple words.
I say this book is a bible for anyone who wants to design and be human in their design. Dont get what i mean? read it yourself!!

Necessary Reading..., 19 Apr 2004
An subtly epic piece of text...

A book that had a truly profound influence on my own practice and perception in regards to how one could and should consider ones built environment.

Get your hands on it if you can...

essential architectural reading, 05 Dec 2001
combining both a sensual and analytical appraisal, this book communicates the aesthetic values by which this author believes architecture can be comprehended. An optimistic book predating the excess of postmodernism and strong on sensitivity.

After Lego, 16 Jul 1998
Experiencing Architecture was a basic text in my first year of design school; the principles that I learned from it have followed me ever since.

Rasmussen takes the visual world apart and taught me to see things in their simplest forms. His commentaries on form, texture, and massing heightened my appreciation for all forms of design; his discussion of color--for one who is colorblind--provided a life-long guidedog.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wanted to pioneer the Lego curriculum at university--

This Book is a MUST for budding students, 21 Nov 2001
I was given this book as a present, and I must say it saved me, I'm doing an architectural course, and I learned allot and brought my drawings to a whole new level!! From the basic "tricks" and skills that make these sketches come to life, to some really good Ideas for more professional drawings. I would recommend this as a must for a student, and a reference for a pro that will use it again and again!

Good in parts, 05 Jul 2008
This book presents itself as an introduction to the development of structural engineering for the layman and the areas that it covers it covers well. However there are massive gaps! For example, why is there no mention of portal frames? What about the progression from cruck frames to hammer beam roofs to the roof trusses we use today? How can you talk about the history of structural engineering without once mentioning the contributions of I K Brunel?

Also I fail to see why line drawings are used when photographs of complete buildings would convey so much more information.

Finally a lot of the space that could be used to cover some of the gaps mentioned above is inexcusably filled with pretentious architect's twaddle! There is even a whole chapter devoted to the "semiotic messages of structure". If someone MUST talk about such things it should be in a book about architecture but this is supposed to be a book about structural engineering and as such it is totally out of place.



Another worthy purchase!, 29 May 2000
Working in the construction industry I was instantly attracted to the title of this book. I found it an excellent 'back to basics' read. The book is written in a non-technical language and will be a fascinating to read to anyone and i mean anyone who has ever gazed at a building and wondered 'Why Buildings Stand up?'

Bedtime reading, 17 Jul 2008
This is excellent reading if you ever have trouble staying awake at night :-) Actually, it is excellent reading in general. Learning from other peoples mistakes is so much better than learning from your own.

A clear and entertaining book, 20 Apr 2003
Such is our morbid fascination that this book is inevitably more attractive than one called “Why Buildings Stay Up”. That said, I think I have not only learned more about structural engineering than I would have done from a positive counterpart, but I have also learned vastly more about the other factors, human and natural, that influence the ultimate success or failure of structures.

The book is based on the same material as the late 1990s TV series of the same name, and having watched that series many of the incidents and issues were familiar to me. The advantage of the book is the ability to digest information at your own speed and refer back to earlier pages, but it has to be said that the TV series communicated some of the issues better, helped by animated graphics and by the better mutual support of both pictures and narrative.

Each chapter takes a topic, whether a human factor like the law, a type of construction such as the dome, or a cause of failure such as metal fatigue, and then illustrates the issues by consideration of a number of case studies, frequently including some notable successes as well as dramatic failures. In the case of failures the book always attempts to assess both the practical cause, and also any human cause, impact and implications.

The book is very well written, in an accessible style supported by some useful appendixes on structural engineering principles. However, sometimes the simple line drawings and verbal descriptions of a structure don’t manage to communicate a full understanding, and more sophisticated illustrations might have helped.

Mario Salvadori died in 1997 (at the good age of 90), and the surviving author, Matthys Levy updated the book in 2002. My feelings on the update are mixed: the chapter on terrorism, culminating with the collapse of the New York Trade Centre towers on September 11th 2001 is excellent; but why did the author not acknowledge the brilliant success of efforts to stabilise the Leaning Tower of Pisa in the late 1990s?

Overall I heartily recommend this book to anyone with a serious or lay interest in structural engineering, and the many complex human and natural issues which influence it.

An excellent read for technical and non-technical alike, 11 Jun 2000
Having read 'Why buildings stand up' I immediately searched this one out. This book continues to be an excellent read for technical and non-technical persons who have an interest in structures. Fascinating!

Enlightening, not-too-tech intro. to structural engineering, 29 May 1998
This was a great introduction to the fundamentals of building science - understanding why things don't work is a great help in understanding why they do. Each chapter discusses one example of something that went wrong and explains another reason why structures can fail.

A tecnical book easily understandable by non-engineers, 21 Feb 1997
We see all the time buildings working as they should (i.e., standing up and not collapsing), however, it is very interesting to read of some real life collapses. Salvadori does an excellant job of writing so that people without a technical background can understand why these structures failed. And he writes with such detail that engineers are not bored by lack of detail. Simpley explained, fully detailed, and thoroughly researched. Excellant book for anyone who is interested in buildings, structures, or failures!

useless, 03 Apr 2008
i can only really use one or two PARAGRAPHS from this book. its designed excusively for architecture - not architectural technology or any other associated professions.

i would recommend Dr Shamil Naoums book instead. and dont buy it just get a copy from your library instead cos you will only need it for 6 months or so...

The Crit, 17 Dec 2006
Doidge, Charles, with Rachel Sara, and Rosie Parnell. Cartoons by Mark Parsons. 2000. The Crit. An Architecture Student's Handbook. Oxford: Architectural Press.

Nearly every student in the making disciplines - architecture, and design, fine art, and applied - sees the crit as a difficult experience. Whether it involves a project during study or the final presentation for a degree, the crit is a central aspect of an education in these fields. Understanding how to make best use of the crit will help design scholars in every field.

This book is a useable, well-written guide to the crit. Directed to students, it will also help teachers and research supervisors. While many fields of design research make no use of the crit, nearly every design student and design teacher will take part in a crit or review at some
point. This book offers helpful suggestions and benchmarks. It is also useful for professional presentations.

Despite its value as a practical guide, this book is less satisfactory in scholarship. It is seasoned with useful quotes and citations that are poorly sourced. It is unacceptable to cite a single fact or a one-sentence quote from a 257-page by casually referring to author and year. The scholar's work involves organizing sources and making them useful. When architecture and design professors make claims to scholarship, the standards of good scholarship
apply.

Good scholarship also involves critical attention to historical fact. The authors claim that the crit began with the eighteenth-century tripos of Cambridge University. Their dates are off by over a thousand years.

The crit is rooted in two traditions, the guild tradition, and the academic tradition. When guild apprentices sought journeyman status, they were required to submit a piece of work to a board of masters. The jury of masters reviewed the journeyman piece and conducted an oral examination on technique, craft knowledge, and professional ethics. After passing this crit, an apprentice advanced to journeyman and was allowed to work freelance. A similar examination took place when a journeyman submitted his masterpiece for advancement to master standing. These traditions are probably rooted in ancient history. Some aspects of these traditions go back to the ancient crafts of the Middle East. These customs were clearly in place among European guilds by the Middle Ages.

The academic tradition of public debate to defend a scholarly thesis began more than two thousand years ago with the philosophers and rhetoricians of classical Greece. The medieval universities established the custom of public lectures, debates or defense of a thesis by the 1200s. Public presentation was required for the inceptio that inaugurated a candidate into the body of masters or doctors.

The authors of this well structured book on educational and professional practice should have restricted themselves to what they know. They attempted to spice the book with learning, enhancing its authority with scholarship and history. When designers, architects, and artists make scholarly claims, they must respect the requirements of scholarship. These include proper sourcing and critical investigation of factual claims.

Ken Friedman
Professor
Norwegian School of Management, Oslo, and Denmark's Design School, Copenhagen

This review originally appeared in Design Research News

A breathtaking and profound book., 28 Mar 1997
It is amazing how a book that propounds revolutionary architectural theory has stirred up the computer software industry. This deeply philosophical book, which is very practical and rigorous, lays the foundation for developing "pattern languages".

The book is all about a common language that can be shared to build artifacts that are alive. It stresses that a design should always concentrate on the "whole" and not on assembling parts. It also shows the power of distributed processing, if you will, as against centralized processing.

All the great principles have one thing in common. They are simple. And, after one realizes such a simple but profound principle, one can not stop wondering how one survived without it's knowledge. This book gives that feeling. If you are involved in architecture of any sort- buildings, software, organization or even politics- this book is a must for you.

Building on Culture, 27 Jun 2006
This book tackles a complex subject with elan. Like all good introductions it stimulates a desire to learn more. Historic examples are chosen not only for their intrinsic value but also as emblems of differing cultural sensibilities. This gives the reader that most valuable tool, critical interpretation. Andrew Ballantyne has an elegant writing style with the ability to explain complexe ideas in a clear and entertaining way.
I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the built environment and more importantly a desire to understand it.

Rotten to the foundations., 31 Oct 2005
There is nothing wrong with introducing architecture from a sociological and cultural perspective, rather than the conventional approach of timelines, styles and schools. It's just that Ballantyne is not very good at it. Thus we have rambling, incoherent musings on what it means to be 'at home'. "Architecture is gesture made with buildings", the author assures us. Maybe so, but I would have appreciated a description of what those gestures were and how they evolved over time. Who built what, when, how and why? Instead we get constant reminders that it is all a matter of interpretation and perspective. An introduction to this subject should be a concrete foundation on which to build further knowledge. Ballantyne amuses himself with conceptual sandcastles and smiles knowingly as they get washed away by each new wave of speculation. Presenting architecture in a broad cultural context is a commendable aim, but to do it you need to have a firm grasp of that context. Informing the reader that philosophy is an 'idea' that was developed in Athens and 'Tragedy is farce in close-up' simply will not do. This is undergraduate essay stuff.

Let it be said that the 25 annotated illustrations are excellent. Each is of a famous building, accompanied by informative text. More of that kind of thing and less of the foggy narrative in which they are embedded, and this could have been a much better book.

inspiring, 08 Oct 2008
A truly inspiring book that I will no doubt refer to in my teaching and continue to learn from for years to come.

The basic human perspective..., 23 Jun 2006
An excellent book, a book that peals away your pre-conceptions as you read and installs on, the most natural way of thinking. It gives yo