Siteless: 1001 Building Forms


François Blanciak - 2008
    Others may think of it as the last architectural treatise, for it provides a discursive container for ideas that would otherwise be lost. Whatever genre it belongs to, SITELESS is a new kind of architecture book that seems to have come out of nowhere. Its author, a young French architect practicing in Tokyo, admits he "didn't do this out of reverence toward architecture, but rather out of a profound boredom with the discipline, as a sort of compulsive reaction." What would happen if architects liberated their minds from the constraints of site, program, and budget? he asks. The result is a book that is saturated with forms, and as free of words as any architecture book the MIT Press has ever published.The 1001 building forms in SITELESS include structural parasites, chain link towers, ball bearing floors, corrugated corners, exponential balconies, radial facades, crawling frames, forensic housing--and other architectural ideas that may require construction techniques not yet developed and a relation to gravity not yet achieved. SITELESS presents an open-ended compendium of visual ideas for the architectural imagination to draw from. The forms, drawn freehand (to avoid software-specific shapes) but from a constant viewing angle, are presented twelve to a page, with no scale, order, or end to the series. After setting down 1001 forms in siteless conditions and embryonic stages, Blanciak takes one of the forms and performs a "scale test," showing what happens when one of these fantastic ideas is subjected to the actual constraints of a site in central Tokyo. The book ends by illustrating the potential of these shapes to morph into actual building proportions.

The Search for the Pink-Headed Duck


Rory Nugent - 1991
    In the tradition of the best travel narratives, he recounts his experiences in such places as Calcutta, Sikkim's Valley of Bliss, Darjeeling, and the Indian wilderness.

Into the Valley: Marines at Guadalcanal


John Hersey - 1943
    While there, Hersey observed a small battle upon which Into the Valley is based. While the battle itself was not of great significance, Hersey gives insightful details concerning the jungle environment, recounts conversations among the men before, during, and after battle, and describes how the wounded were evacuated as well as other works of daily heroism.

A Dictionary of Color Combinations


Sanzo Wada - 2011
    Wada was ahead of his time in developing traditional and Western influenced colour combinations, helping to lay the foundations for contemporary colour research. Based on his original 6-volume work from the 1930s, this book offers 348 color combinations, as attractive and sensuous as the books own design.

Louis Kahn: Essential Texts


Louis I. Kahn - 2003
    Professor Twombly's introduction and headnotes offer incisive commentary on the texts.

Sketch with Asia: Manga Style Art, Tips and Tutorials


Asia Ladowska - 2019
    Asia blends her experience in hyper-realism with her passion for Manga, creating a style she is well-loved and recognised for.In this book she shares more of her art and behind the scenes information, along with numerous tips and tutorials for any budding Manga artist.This is a detailed look at her processes from drawing expressions, to colouring hair.

Getting Genki In Japan: The Adventures and Misadventures of an American Family in Tokyo


Karen Pond - 2012
    From bewildered and befuddled (and back again) to (somewhat) wise, these narratives recount a journey of cultural discoveries, experiences and the follies of a newcomer to Japan; including (mis)identifying food, (mis)pronouncing Japanese, (mis)pantomiming for necessities, and finally figuring out how to flush the Japanese toilet!

Atomic Ranch Midcentury Interiors


Michelle Gringeri-Brown - 2012
    It features the exceptional interiors of eight houses, discusses successes and challenges, and shows how to live stylishly. Tips are shared on color, flooring, window coverings, furniture arrangements, and how off-the-shelf components can be turned into custom features. The homeowners' stories explain why these rooms work, and provide you with resources and ideas for everything from garage doors to the art on the wall.