Book picks similar to
Nature and Architecture by Paolo Portoghesi


architecture
arquitectura
contemporary-architecture
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The Function of Form


Farshid Moussavi - 2009
    We need to move away from the definition of function as utility, she argues, to align it with how function is defined in mathematics, biology or music. Form, on the other hand, should be considered not only in the way buildings are produced, but also how they perform sensorially. Function and form, considered together in architecture, stand in opposition to the dualism which defined our approach to the built environment throughout the twentieth century. This book provides a thought-provoking account of the challenges facing the 21st century built environment, and an enlivened awareness of the wider possibilities of architectural form.

This Is Not a Pipe


Michel Foucault - 1968
    Much better known for his incisive and mordant explorations of power and social exclusion, Foucault here assumes a more playful stance. By exploring the nuances and ambiguities of Magritte's visual critique of language, he finds the painter less removed than previously thought from the pioneers of modern abstraction.

The Craftsman


Richard Sennett - 2008
    The computer programmer, the doctor, the artist, and even the parent and citizen all engage in a craftsman’s work. In this thought-provoking book, Sennett explores the work of craftsmen past and present, identifies deep connections between material consciousness and ethical values, and challenges received ideas about what constitutes good work in today’s world. The Craftsman engages the many dimensions of skill—from the technical demands to the obsessive energy required to do good work. Craftsmanship leads Sennett across time and space, from ancient Roman brickmakers to Renaissance goldsmiths to the printing presses of Enlightenment Paris and the factories of industrial London; in the modern world he explores what experiences of good work are shared by computer programmers, nurses and doctors, musicians, glassblowers, and cooks. Unique in the scope of his thinking, Sennett expands previous notions of crafts and craftsmen and apprises us of the surprising extent to which we can learn about ourselves through the labor of making physical things.

Building Construction Handbook


Roy Chudley - 1988
    It is full of detailed drawings that clearly illustrate the construction of building elements. The principles and processes of construction are explained with the concepts of design included where appropriate. Extensive coverage of building construction practice and techniques, representing both traditional procedures and modern developments, are also included to provide the most comprehensive and easy to understand guide to building construction. The new edition has been reviewed and updated and includes additional material on energy conservation, sustainable construction, environmental and green building issues. Further details of fire protection to elements of construction are provided.Building Construction Handbook is an essential text for undergraduate and vocational students on a wide range of courses including NVQ and BTEC National, through Higher National Certificate and Diploma to Foundation and three-year Degree level. It is also a useful practice reference for building designers, contractors and others engaged in the construction industry. It is ideal for students on all construction courses. The topics are presented concisely in plain language and with clear drawings. It incorporates recent revisions to Building and Construction Regulations.

The Four Books of Architecture


Andrea Palladio
    The wide spread of Palladianism was due partly to the private and public buildings he constructed in Italy, the designs of which were copied throughout Europe. But of even greater consequence was his remarkable magnum opus, "I Quattro Libri dell'Architettura"; translated into every major Western European language in the two centuries following its publication in 1570, it has been one of the most influential books in the history of architecture. The Four Books of Architecture offers a compendium of Palladio's art and of the ancient Roman structures that inspired him. The First Book is devoted to building materials and techniques and the five orders of architecture: Tuscan, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, and Composite. Palladio indicates the characteristic features of each order and supplies illustrations of various architectural details. The Second Book deals with private houses and mansions, almost all of Palladio's own design. Shown and described are many of his villas in and near Venice and Vicenza (including the famous Villa Capra, or "The Rotunda," the Thiene Palace, and the Valmarana Palace). Each plate gives a front view drawing of the building and the general floor plan. The Third Book is concerned with streets, bridges, piazzas, and basilicas, most of which are of ancient Roman origin. In the Fourth Book, Palladio reproduces the designs of a number of ancient Roman temples. Plates 51 to 60 are plans and architectural sketches of the Pantheon.In all, the text is illustrated by over 200 magnificently engraved plates, showing edifices, either of Palladio's own design or reconstructed (in these drawings) by him from classical ruins and contemporary accounts. All the original plates are reproduced in this new single-volume edition in full size and in clear, sharp detail. This is a republication of the Isaac Ware English edition of 1738. Faithful and accurate in the translation and in its reproduction of the exquisite original engravings, it has long been a rare, sought-after work. This edition makes The Four Books available for the first time in more than 200 years to the English-speaking public.

Egypt of the Pharaohs: An Introduction


Alan H. Gardiner - 1961
    This volume provides a comprehensive history of this fascinating land from its earliest days to the conquest of Alexander the Great in 332 B.C. Sir Alan Gardiner presents background on the Egyptian language, writing, land, its neighbors, and its resources, with a special section devoted to the Egyptian method of determining chronological dates. He then follows with a concise history of Egypt from the time of the Old Kingdom, through the Ramesside period, up to the last days of Egyptian independence around 323 B.C. Authoritative and meticulously researched, Egypt of the Pharaohs is an enticing introduction to the study of this ancient civilization.

Point and Line to Plane


Wassily Kandinsky - 1926
    It was his first perception of the dematerialization of an object and presaged the later development of his influential theories of non-objective art.During study and travel in Europe, the young artist breathed the heady atmosphere of artistic experimentation. Fauvism, Cubism, Symbolism, and other movements played an important role in the development of his own revolutionary approach to painting. Decrying literal representation, Kandinsky emphasized instead the importance of form, color, rhythm, and the artist's inner need in expressing reality.In Point and Line to Plane, one of the most influential books in 20th-century art, Kandinsky presents a detailed exposition of the inner dynamics of non-objective painting. Relying on his own unique terminology, he develops the idea of point as the "proto-element" of painting, the role of point in nature, music, and other art, and the combination of point and line that results in a unique visual language. He then turns to an absorbing discussion of line — the influence of force on line, lyric and dramatic qualities, and the translation of various phenomena into forms of linear expression. With profound artistic insight, Kandinsky points out the organic relationship of the elements of painting, touching on the role of texture, the element of time, and the relationship of all these elements to the basic material plane called upon to receive the content of a work of art.Originally published in 1926, this essay represents the mature flowering of ideas first expressed in Kandinsky's earlier seminal book, Concerning the Spiritual in Art. As an influential member of the Bauhaus school and a leading theoretician of abstract expressionism, Kandinsky helped formulate the modern artistic temperament. This book amply demonstrates the importance of his contribution and its profound effect on 20th-century art.

Méjico


Antonio Ortuño - 2015
    This is a story of the militiamen who fled to Mexico following the failure of the Republican cause, but also a story of one of their descendants, living in Guadalajara, who is forced to flee to the Iberian continent in order to escape a sour settling of accounts with a local politician.

Port Danby Cozy Mystery Series: Box Set


London Lovett - 2019
    But their unexpected arrival is nothing compared to the shock of what happens next. With Valentine's Day just around the corner, Lacey 'Pink' Pinkerton finds herself caught up in another unexpected murder mystery. -Tulips and Trouble (Book 5) Lacey Pinkerton is busy getting ready for spring at Pink's Flowers and at the same time Port Danby is bustling with activity as it prepares for its annual flea market in the town square. In the midst of it all, a talented group of artists has shown up with their easels to paint pictures of the Pickford Lighthouse. When one of the artists turns up missing and then dead, Lacey works alongside of her favorite detective, James Briggs, to solve the murder. What she doesn't expect is to end up on the murderer's short list of enemies. -Dahlias and Death (Book 6) Lacey Pinkerton and the town of Port Danby are preparing for the annual Fourth of July celebration at Pickford Marina. Lacey's parents are coming to stay for the week. Lacey and her friends at the Port Danby Garden Club are excited to set up a fundraising booth at the festivities. But the patriotic celebration is cut short when one of the club members is found dead. While her trusted and handsome partner Detective Briggs is dealing with a personal issue, the unexpected return of his ex-wife, Lacey works hard to tamp down the disappointment and find the killer.More in the series:Book 7: Peonies and PoisonBook 8: Hyacinths and HomicideBook 9: Crocuses and CrimeBook 10: Sunflowers and SabotageBook 11: Lavender and LiesBook 12: TBA

A Series of Unfortunate Events


Frederic P. Miller - 2009
    

Buck Out


Ken Benton - 2015
    When China and Japan decide it’s time to dump U.S. Treasury Bonds, an economic nightmare plays out in America. The Federal Reserve watches helplessly as the dollar is decimated and the resulting food shortage spreads lawlessness across the land like a virus. Malcolm is a successful day trader who always needs to make one more score before he’ll listen to Ryan and diversify some of his assets into real estate or gold. He figures an impressively-larger bank account might be the only way he can lure his Secret Service agent ex-wife back. Malcolm finally hits it big by aggressively shorting bonds when the market crashes, but waits too long to invest in tangibles. All that newfound money suddenly won’t by him a bar of gold, a pint of beer, or a minute of Hannah’s attention—especially when she’s in the field chasing down a former counterfeiting gang. As luck would have it, Ryan turns out to be a closet doomsday prepper. The two of them attempt to escape the chaotic Big Apple and reach Ryan’s land in West Virginia, supplied only by the contents of Ryan’s bug-out bag. But it’s not going to be an easy journey. Traveling has become difficult and dangerous. Malcolm learns he must redirect the same tenacity which helped him beat the markets towards staying alive on the road …and, hopefully, finding Hannah.

The Light Knight


Forrest Staley - 2018
    He is born in a new world, one filled with monsters and magic. Pyromancers decimate jungles, Cryomancers walk over frozen oceans, Electromancers kill behemoths in seconds, Geomancers build castles in hours, Aeromancers soar through the skies, Sciomancers blacken the sun, and Biomancers grow fields of crops in mere days. However, this man can't use any of these magical elements; he can only use the weakest of the magical elements: Photomancy - light.

Designing Design


Kenya Hara - 2003
    In Designing Design, he impresses upon the reader the importance of emptiness in both the visual and philosophical traditions of Japan, and its application to design, made visible by means of numerous examples from his own work: Hara for instance designed the opening and closing ceremony programs for the Nagano Winter Olympic Games 1998. In 2001, he enrolled as a board member for the Japanese label MUJI and has considerably moulded the identity of this successful corporation as communication and design advisor ever since. Kenya Hara, alongside Naoto Fukasawa one of the leading design personalities in Japan, has also called attention to himself with exhibitions such as Re-Design: The Daily Products of the 21st Century.

Walkscapes: El andar como práctica estética/Walking as an Aesthetic Practice


Francesco Careri - 2005
    Here, walking is seen as an autonomous form of art, a primary act in the symbolic transformation of the territory, an aesthetic instrument of knowledge and a physical transformation of the "negotiated" space, which is converted into an urban intervention. From primitive nomadism to Dada and Surrealism, from the Lettrist to the Situationist International, and from minimalism to Land Art, this book narrates the perception of landscape through a history of the traversed city.

Can I Have a Chocolate Milkshake?


Rajat Mishra - 2015
    Siddhant, an epitome of courage and spirit, who woke up to all this one morning and yet remained composed, when told that his right arm has been amputated post a fateful accident. An average human would collapse, but Lt. Siddhant, an Indian Army officer asked, “Can I have a Chocolate Milkshake?”This is the true-story of Lt. Siddhant, who when asked to shed his Olive Greens thereafter, goes on to build a successful career in the corporate world and becomes an inspiration for many. But, how did he get there? How did he win his battle? "Can I have a Chocolate Milkshake?" is a riveting tale of a man overcoming his limitations, fighting against all odds, and emerging as a winner.