It's no secret that architects have an affinity for books. Architects' libraries are often filled with a rich collection of architecture classics and inspiration that has been accumulated over the years, starting with their first year of architecture school. Thus, we have decided to expand our yearly gift guide selections to include some of the most impressive, newly published books that any architect could appreciate.
The Bauhaus: #itsalldesign edited by Mateo Kries and Jolanthe Kugler
This volume offers the most comprehensive overview of the extended concept of design that was initiated at the Bauhaus. Alongside rare exhibits from design, architecture, art, film and photography--some of which have never previously been published--the book documents the development processes as well as the socio-political concepts behind the Bauhaus. To underline their relevance for today's creative practice, these ideas are contrasted to current themes in design such as the digital revolution, and the works of numerous present-day artists and designers. Published by Vitra Design Museum on November 24, 2015. ($80 on Amazon)
An Eames Anthology: Articles, Film Scripts, Interviews, Letters, Notes, and Speeches by Charles Eames
An Eames Anthology collects for the first time the writings of the esteemed American architects and designers Charles and Ray Eames, illuminating their marriage and professional partnership of fifty years. More than 120 primary-source documents and 200 illustrations highlight iconic projects such as the Case Study Houses and the molded plywood chair, as well as their work for major corporations as both designers (Herman Miller, Vitra) and consultants (IBM, Polaroid). Previously unpublished materials appear alongside published writings by and about the Eameses and their work, lending new insight into their creative process. Correspondence with such luminaries as Richard Neutra and Eero Saarinen provides a personal glimpse into the advance of modernity in mid-century America. Published by Yale University Press (1st edition) on April 28, 2015. ($40 on Amazon)
The High Line by James Corner Field Operations and Diller Scofidio & Renfro
The first-hand, behind-the-scenes account of the creative inspiration behind the High Line, the transformative public 'park in the sky' that has reshaped global perceptions of urban space – and become one of the most beloved and visited destinations in New York City. The first full documentation that visually charts the journey of this global landmark from the designer's point of view. Hundreds of illustrations showcase every aspect of the project and its unforeseen influence in its entirety. Includes previously unpublished archival materials such as the drawings behind the original proposal and exclusive images of construction. Published by Phaidon Press on November 9, 2015. ($45 on Amazon)
Slow Manifesto: Lebbeus Woods Blog by Lebbeus Woods and edited by Clare Jacobson
In the fall of 2007, Lebbeus Woods (1940–2012), long admired for his visionary architecture and mastery of drawing, began a blog. Part forum and part public journal, the eclectic mix of articles, drawings, anecdotes, poetry, interviews, and photographic essays explored topics ranging from architectural theory and criticism to education and politics. Amassing more than three hundred entries by its end in the summer of 2012, it is regarded by many as the most comprehensive and accessible archive of Woods's prodigious creativity. Slow Manifesto: Lebbeus Woods Blog, an edited volume of the blog's centerpiece entries, stands as a fragmentary essay on the nature of architecture that will be dear to architects, students, and thinkers everywhere. Published by Princeton Architectural Press on December 15, 2015. ($17 on Amazon)
Gardens of Eden: Long Island's Early Twentieth-Century Planned Communities by Robert B. MacKay
Edited by SPLIA’s former director, Dr. Robert B. MacKay, Gardens of Eden is an exploration of a distinct type of suburban development that proliferated across the region before zoning regulations were developed to manage land use in New York City and its environs. While the onset of suburbia on Long Island is often believed to be a post-World War II phenomena, it actually began a half century earlier when greater affluence, improved railroad service, and new methods of financing made the dream of country living a greater reality for a growing urban middle class. Luminaries such as Grosvenor Atterbury, Charles W. Leavitt Jr., and Frederick Law Olmsted designed dozens of high-end, carefully conceived communities on New York’s Long Island. Touted as an antidote to the complexities of urban living, these “residential parks” were characterized by significant investment in landscaping and infrastructure and employed concepts introduced by the Garden City movement in England. Published by W. W. Norton & Company on September 14, 2015. ($42 on Amazon)
Space, Hope, and Brutalism: English Architecture, 1945–1975 by Elain Harwood
This is the first major book to study English architecture between 1945 and 1975 in its entirety. Challenging previous scholarship on the subject and uncovering vast amounts of new material at the boundaries between architectural and social history, Elain Harwood structures the book around building types to reveal why the architecture takes the form it does. Buildings of all budgets and styles are examined, from major universities to the modest café. The book is illustrated with stunning new photography that reveals the logic, aspirations, and beauty of hundreds of buildings throughout England, at the point where many are disappearing or are being mutilated. Space, Hope, and Brutalism offers a convincing and lively overview of a subject and period that fascinates younger scholars and appeals to those who were witnesses to this history. Published by Paul Mellon Centre BA on November 17, 2015. ($125 on Amazon)
Archi-Graphic: An Infographic Look at Architecture by Frank Jacobus
This informative and engaging book uses a variety of inventive infographics to take an unusual look at architecture in a way that would not be possible with words and images alone. Through a variety of different infographics it compares, for example, the range of materials and colours used by different architects, the relative locations of their buildings, who influenced who, and which architects are the most discussed. It also approaches architecture from more unconventional angles with spreads that show the kinds of architecture favoured by dictators, the networks of love affairs that architects got entangled in; the defining facial features of famous architects and so on. Irreverent and entertaining, this book will appeal to all those with an interest in architecture or infographics. Published by Laurence King Publishing on October 27, 2015. ($14 on Amazon)
Architecture Visionaries by Richard Weston
Featuring 75 of the world's most influential architects, this book presents the story of 20th-century architecture through the fascinating personal stories and significant works that have shaped the field. Arranged in a broadly chronological order, the book gives the reader a sense of the impact that inventive individuals have had on the development of architecture and our built environment. Key dates in the architects' careers are listed in timeline features, thereby allowing the author freedom to move beyond well-known biographies to analyze the buildings and map out the exciting visions behind them. With insightful text describing carefully selected examples, this is a dynamic and unique guide to the architects whose visions have created the buildings around us. Published by Laurence King Publishing on August 18, 2015. ($28 on Amazon)
Steven Holl by Robert McCarter
This in-depth monograph is devoted to one of the leading United States architects on the contemporary scene: Steven Holl (b.1947). Richly illustrated with hundreds of color photographs and Holl's own watercolors, the book introduces the artist's personality and works, and the studio he founded in 1976, Steven Holl architects. Published by Phaidon Press (1st edition) on October 26, 2015. ($60 on Amazon)
Tom Kundig: Works by Tom Kundig
In Tom Kundig: Works, the celebrated Seattle-based architect presents nineteen new projects, from Hawaii to New York City. Kundig's award-winning houses, known for their rugged yet elegant and welcoming style, are showcased in lush photography with drawings and sketches, and appear alongside his commercial work—from multistory complexes to the Tacoma Art Museum to a line of hardware (handles, door pulls, hinges, and more). In firsthand accounts, Kundig describes the projects and his design process with many personal anecdotes, making Tom Kundig: Works as much memoir as monograph. The book also includes an introduction by design editor Pilar Viladas and in-depth conversations with Kundig's frequent collaborators—"gizmologist" Phil Turner and contractor Jim Dow (Schuchart/ Dow)—and clients (Bigwood Residence and Studhorse). Published by Princeton Architectural Press on November 10, 2015. ($36 on Amazon)
750 Years in Paris by Vincent Mahé
A literary graphic novel unlike anything else on the racks, 750 Years tells the story of our time, focusing on one single building in France as it sees its way through the upheavals of history. Beginning in the thirteenth century and making its way towards today, this historically accurate story is the eagerly anticipated debut from Vincent Mahé. Published by Nobrow Press on November 3, 2015. ($20 on Amazon)
The Garden Bible: Designing Your Perfect Outdoor Space by Barbara Ballinger and Michael Glassman
This book focuses on 20 case studies of the most popular garden trends from around the United States, how they transformed a site, demonstrating how various challenges were involved and overcome to create beautiful gardens, and how the project(s) could have been done with more affordable options. Published by Images Publishing Dist Ac on January 25, 2016. ($32 on Amazon)
FOR STUDENTS: The Architecture School Survival Guide by Iain Jackson
Oops! Forgot to include a door! Every year new architecture students make the same mistakes, forgetting the same essential elements in their studio work. This handy guide provides basic tips and hints to help students make the most of their work. Advice ranges from the practical (how to orient a building on a site) to the thought-provoking (notions of taste) to just plain fun (how to dress, or not to dress, like an architect). All accompanied by the author's witty and beautiful illustrations. The Architecture Student's Survival Kit is a life-saving and entertaining resource for any first-year student or anyone thinking about studying architecture. Published by Laurence King Publishing on August 25, 2015. ($14 on Amazon)
FOR CHILDREN: An Igloo on the Moon: Exploring Architecture by David Jenkins and Adrian Buckley
Aimed at young, enquiring minds An Igloo on the Moon explores how and why we build. Beginning with the igloo, whose origins are lost in time, and culminating in the latest 3D-printing technology for building dwellings on the Moon, the book weaves together themes and ideas to create an unfolding visual narrative. Illustrated with a sequence of extraordinary images, specially created for the book by artist Adrian Buckley, An Igloo on the Moon is structured under seven thematic headings, each of which ranges through history and across architectural styles: Simple Forms of Shelter; Keeping Cool and Staying Warm; Exploring New Types of Structure; Living Beneath the Ground; Habitable Bridges and Heroic Spans; Reaching up to the Sky; and Visions of the Future. Underlying the narrative is an acute awareness of environmental issues and the need to reconnect with sustainable patterns of building. It is a book to engage and excite the next generation of architects – and their parents and grandparents. Published by Circa Press on May 1, 2015. (£17 on Amazon)
STOCKING STUFFER: What is Architecture?: And 100 Other Questions by Rasmus Waern and Gert Windgardh
This entertaining and informative book explores the world of architecture through a series of 101 questions and answers that cover a wide range of issues on its practice and theory. There are historical questions, such as "Who was the first architect?" and "Are all churches architecture?" as well as ones that relate to contemporary activity, such as "Have computers changed architecture?" and "How small can a home get?." There are also many that are intriguing and irreverent, such as "Why do architects want to paint the world white?" and "Is Dubai a city?". For each of the questions there is a brief, one-line answer and then a more extended discussion. Aimed at both general readers as well as those in the field, this book will make a perfect purchase or gift for anyone interested in architecture. Published by Laurence King Publishing on September 1, 2015. ($10 on Amazon)
