(back cover)
Influenced by history, shaped by ingenuity, and defined by creativity, architecture is the world's most universal art. It is the point where design, engineering, and culture intersect--not only to produce effective buildings, but to create the icons that define the world's cultures, from the temple and the house to the skyscraper and the stadium.
By examining in detail the individual elements such as foundations, walls, roofs, staircases, and windows that make up public and private buildings, Architectura: Elements of Architectural Style presents a unique overview of the history of architecture and building. It describes the purpose, design, and practical applications of these component parts, and clearly illustrates the varied expressions of each part. In addition, the book highlights the technical accomplishments of builders, architects, and engineers, as well as the distinctive aesthetics of particular periods and movements.
Written by an international team of architectural historians and architects
Covers styles and periods of building from around the world
Explores the origins and functions of architectural details such as floors, doors, cellars, arches, gates, and gutters
Features the world's most famous buildings, including many UNESCO World Heritage sites, as well as less well-known structures
Includes more than 500 full-color photographs of interior and exterior views and details of buildings
Contains more than 60 original and highly detailed illustrations
(front flap)
Architectura takes an innovative approach to the history of architecture, examining the components and forms that make up buildings and the ways in which architects, engineers, and builders have responded to human needs and technical challenges. It considers the roof, the window, or the wall as universal phenomena that have developed over thousands of years, and shows the importance of building materials, techniques, and functional requirements on these and other aspects of buildings. Thus, the book takes the reader to the very heart of how and why architectural structures develop in the ways they do.
The detailed introduction examines the role of architecture in the lives of individuals and societies, and provides an overview of the evolution of architectural forms. Each of the eleven chapters that follow covers a key architectural element, starting with materials and techniques, and ranging from foundations, walls, doors, and roofs to ceilings, windows, and building ornamentation, as expressed in different cultures and historical periods. Throughout the book, there are special entries on the world's most important and influential buildings and architects, while the comprehensive reference section includes a glossary of architectural terms and styles as well as a full index.
Architectura contains more than 500 full-color photographs of buildings and architectural features discussed in the text. These views include interiors and exteriors--ranging from entire buildings to minute details--and show the creativity and ingenuity of architects and builders throughout the ages. More than 60 original illustrations, including cutaways, cross-sections, and technical drawings, provide a visual reference to the range of forms of key building features.
(back flap)
An authoritative and enlightening study, Architectura has been written by an international team of architectural historians and architects.
GENERAL EDITOR AND CONTRIBUTOR
Professor Miles Lewis, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
CONTRIBUTORS
Dr. Oya Demirbilck, University of New South Wales, Australia
Associate Professor Nur Demirbilck, Queensland University of Technology, Australia
Adjunct Assistant Professor Lisa Richardson Elkins, University of Illinois, United States
Assistant Professor J. Philip Gruen, Washington State University, United States
Associate Professor Rumiko Handa, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, United States
Professor Robert Harbison, London Metropolitan University, United Kingdom
Sue Harris, Writer and restoration practitioner, Australia
Chris How, Civil engineer and writer, Australia
Douglas Lloyd Jenkins, Director of Hawkes Bay Museum and Art Gallery, New Zealand
Associate Professor June Komisar, Ryerson University, Ontario, Canada
Bill Millard, Writer and researcher on design and architecture, Australia
Ron Powell, Architect and landscape/conservation architect, Australia
Craig Reynolds, University of Louisville, Kentucky, United States
Professor Elizabeth H. Riorden, University of Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
Roger Sandall, Archaeologist and anthropologist, Australia
Jeffrey John Turnbull, University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia