Residential Books

Alvaro Siza Vieira is our (Portugal) most respected architect. I bought this book as birthday present for a friend that shares the same career as Siza Vieira.

Alvaro Siza is a true architectural genius and this book does a wonderful job to illustrate his great many talents and vision. The poems placed throughout the book add a special flavor. As an architect, I also appreciated the detailed photos. A must book for architects and Siza's fans!

Whilst writing my tome on Sears Homes, I kept Clark's book close at hand as a resource. Years earlier, I'd read it cover to cover and just loved it. "The American Family Home" is written by a college professor but it's a warm, conversational and fascinating read. Lacks the dry-as-dust technical, clunky language that some architectural writers seem to relish (and employ!).

What I love most about his book is that he explains HOW and WHY American architecture evolved the way that it did. He explains (in delicious and interesting depth) why the early-1900s bungalow was actually a specific response to the ostentatious and ornate Victorians of the late 1800s.

This book was well-researched and well written. I highly recommend it, both as an entertaining book and a wonderful resource to help you gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of America's architecture.

Rose Thornton
author, The Houses That Sears Built

Few books, in my experience are written as clearly as this one. Clark leads the reader carefully and thoughtfully from 1800 to 1960, and shows why certain styles of home were popular in each era. His word choice is excellent and his sentence formation is flawless. He gives many examples and the book is well illustrated. For anyone wishing to understand why Americans have bought and built the houses they have, and what they hoped to get out of them, this is the book to buy. Get two.

This is a beautifully produced book with wonderful photographs that capture the essence of Predock's work, the magical interplay of light and shadow. A characteristic of Predock residences is the interdigitation of the house and the land so that it appears as if the house almost grew out of and/or grew into the earth (pp.46-7, 82-3). The siting of the Boulder House (pp.46-7)against the majestic barren New Mexico environ is bold and assertive but at the same time is pitched in perfect harmony with its surroundings(pp.38-9). It embodies the primordial purpose of a domicile, a shelter from the harsh elements of nature and a haven where the inhabitant inside feels snug and protected. A unique feature of Predock's buildings is his almost metaphysical approach to design so that the structure seems to morph into a kind of mythic place, evocative of some distant place/ancient times/primordial culture. This is exemplified by the Fuller house as illustrated on pages 86-7. The Fuller house is classical without appearing derivative. It is timeless in its suggested monumentality. Predock's designs should withstand the vagaries of time. Though he is a gifted master of modernism, he is a universal architect of all times and all places because of his almost mystical reverence for the land and his profound appreciation of the "geological strata" of culture encoded in the place where his building is situated. Because he also understands stage craft from his background in dance performance, he is a clever stage master and understands the emotional impact of well choreographed presentations. (See the boulders spilling down to the pool on pages 100-1.) He is also a brilliant colorist, as exemplified by the elegantly tinted exteriors of his houses which blend in so seamlessly with the background landscape without the artifice of mimicking nature (pp. 86-7, 104-5, 120-1). This book does an admirable job of capturing these special attributes of Preodock's designs.

Predock is the George Jetson of our day. He ia a prime speciman of a spaceman. The man knows space. This is not so much a review of the product I received from Amazon as it is a prelude to a Predock. As you move yourself toward the crafting of your space and before your space craft blasts off, go for a test drive with Predock. He will put the rocket in your proverbial pocket. He will put the capital D on your dreamhouse. Predock is not the product but all props to Amazon for hooking me up with the man and his work. I am feeling deeply satisfied and inspired.

I purchased a "like new" copy of this book for cheap. I've been volunteering for Habitat, and this text introduces the terminology that describes many of the new (to me) architectural concepts that I've confronted in our new construction, and illustrates alternative designs that may be used in more formidable projects. This book predates the newer 10th edition (revised for ADA), which is required material at our community college for an architecture course. I'm an experienced 2D CAD draftsman, and the numerous elaborate drawings in the book are of huge benefit. This text represents a wealth of knowledge for a residential neo-builder like me. An absolute bargain in the used book marketplace.

This item is also a workbook that is useless without the textbook it coralates with.

This book, like Arts and Crafts Houses II, covers only three houses, in this case William Morris's Red House (designed by Phillip Webb), William Richard Lethaby's Melsetter House, and Sir Edward Luteyns' Goddards, but it covers them beautifully and thoroughly. There are site plans, floor plans, elevations, beautiful black and white photos and stunning color photos, significant introductory essays, and lists of references. This is a beautiful book at an amazing price.

These are three of the major works of the Arts and Crafts Movement beginning with the fabulous Red House which brought together many of William Morris' ideas in shaping this movement. Philip Webb worked with Morris to create this resplendent design, inspired by the earlier neo-Gothic movement, but pointing the direction to a new architecture. There are many fine color photos as well as key details of the house that give you a very good impression of this seminal work in the English Freestyle.

Lethaby and Lutyens carried the movement forward. They, along with C.F.A. Voysey, were the leading figures in the Arts and Crafts Movement, and shown here are their key works. The Melsetter House is a tour-de-force, stripped of most of the Neo-Gothic trappings, this house offers a more refined version of the English Manor House of the late 19th century. The site plan shows the beautiful configuration that Lethaby came up with to anchor the house on the large site with its radiating gardens. There are many beautifully detailed drawings, including molding profiles of the enormous fireplaces, which graced this mansion. But probably the most evocative photos and drawings are those of the chapel which was an extension of the main house.

Lutyens was a very eclectic architect, drawing on many classical themes as well as Neo-Gothic themes. Goddards represents a closer adherance to the Arts and Crafts Style, but in the introduction the author gives the reader a wide sampling of Lutyens' style. Goddards has elements of timber architecture and is more earthy in its appearance. The skewed wings open up the courtyard to the countryside beyond, and Lutyen's richly detailed chimneys rise as strong tower elements in the otherwise horizontal house. Lots of wonderful sections and detail drawings to give the reader a full impression of this manor house.

As a lay person anticipating residence in Assisted Living before all is said and done, I wanted to find out just what it is, how to evaluate it, and what pitfalls and protections await the residents. I had read Internet articles suggesting that there are problems with defining Assisted Living, that protection for residents varies from state to state, and that variations are great, even within states. Mr. Lawton's work, combined with B. Schwarz's Aging, Autonomy, and Architecture: Advances in Assisted Living, managed to provide me either with the answers or with an explanation of why there are still so many unanswered questions. Lawton's Needs, Practices and Policies in Residential Care for the Elderly presents the results of studies and investigations in a number of states, one a potential retirement destination of mine. Both volumes deal with the issue of "aging in place," which turns out to be an urgently important concept to those whose needs might be better served by skilled care (nursing) but an often unwelcome practice to those residents not wishing to be surrounded by the very frail. What happens to those wishing to age in place but who are unable to do so without risk to themselves? What are the issues of liability, as regards the institution? Marketing departments promote the concept of living in a "homelike" atmosphere, but architectural design has traditionally been dictated, and often still is, by practical needs and has been patterned after a "medical" (hospital-like) model, as is the typical nursing home. In the nursing model, the lack of independence and the hospital-like appearance of the establishment apparently contribute to the depression and despair of many residents. What kinds of building styles lend themselves better to the creation of a more homelike atmosphere? Mr. Lawton's studies deal with most of these issues, and his conclusions tend to confirm the information of the other text. The difference? Mr. Lawton's work, as suggested, is based upon studies executed in several states. Mr. Schwarz has compiled a text containing a variety of articles by respected experts in the field from around the country. Both books are valuable because they arrive at many similar conclusions, using different approaches. Mr. Lawton's is a hardback text, perhaps one that more easily fits the bookshelf. But both are excellent, and both enabled me to have a well-informed interview with an assisted living administrator. The lay reader can appreciate these texts by reading attentively, and the elder care administrator will undoubtedly find well-documented discussion and many names familiar to those in the field -- features that would make this a worthwhile text in the office.

This thoroughly researched, scholarly book is just as valuable to the consumer seeking to learn more about assisted living, as it is to healthcare professionals, students of gerontology, and policymakers. The authors have amassed a wealth of information concerning key issues in assisted living, including the evolution and future direction of long term care in the U.S., as well as policy and regulations across states.

Each chapter is written by professionals who are experts in their field. I highly recommend Part II of the book, which focuses on assisted living in four specific states, illustrating the diverse nature of long-term care facilities. Topics such as physical environment, characteristics of residents, types of care provided, special concerns related to dementia, and financial issues are all explored in depth.

As an eldercare executive who works with assisted living facilities across the country, I believe it is crucial for all of us to have a thorough knowledge base in order to make informed decisions about care for our loved ones.

The partnership between Purcell and Elmslie lasted only about a dozen years (1909-1921). But during that time their firm was second only to Frank Lloyd Wright 's in the number of houses they designed. In addition, the work of Purcell and Elmslie, to me anyway, seems to have generated more features seen intoday's architecture than the houses of any other architect of the period.

To be sure the Purcell & Elmslie lack the dramatic styling features of say 'Falling Water.' But then so does everything else. The Purcell& Elmslie features that I see today include the internal fireplace (dramatically designed), the wide use of windows, built in cabinets, open designs that lead from room to room, and more.

This book is a beautifully photographed and printed review of some two dozen Purcell & Elmslie homes. Most of the homes included are of the prarie home style extremely common in the midwest, but in reality seen from coast to coast and Canada to Louisiana. It is a beautiful book.

I can only ask that Korab and Legler consider another book on Purcell's later work when he moved to Portland, Oregon and designed houses the fit into a more urban setting.

This book helps to address the problem of a dearth of material on Prairie School architecture by anyone other than Frank Lloyd Wright. Not that Wright wasn't an important proponent of the school, but he was far from the only architect of this style. More needs to be done to document the works of the others such as Griffin, Mahoney, Tallmadge and Watson, and Purcell and Elmslie.

This book does an admirable job of this in regards to the latter two architects and their brief but productive joint practice. The two produced a remarkable number of very liveable houses in the space of ten years, houses that are notable for the quality of detail often achieved on quite modest budgets.

The book itself includes a brief history of the practice and then a description and pictures of a selection of many of the houses that they designed. The pictures are first rate. The descriptions, though necessarily brief, cover not only the construction and features of the house but some of their subsequent history as well.

I found this book an important and welcome addition to my collection of books on the Prairie School.

You can not longer build and live so close to the water's edge but these beauties are grandfathered in on beautiful Muskoka and Rousseau, et. al. I thought of my boyhood days on a lake in Northern Minnesota. I remember smaller and less grand boathouses where the sundappled water reflected off the rafters inside. You were really one with the water. This book captures the essence of it all--I could almost smell the water, wood, paint, varnish, canvas, wet rattan and wicker--

At the water's edge

Muskokaá Boathouses.

This book gives the reeder a chance of dreaming back to the early yaers of the 20th century and experiance how the riche and famuose people spent there weekends and holidays. If you are intrested in old houses, especially bothouses, and architect designs this book is a must.

This book is my best inspiration ever.

Peter Östlund Stockholm Sweden

This is a wonderfully photographed book written by someone who clearly loves authentic antique log homes. This book belongs on the coffee table of every antique log home lover.

This book has beautiful interior and exterior photographs of new homes built with old,old logs. Great ideas on decorating log homes, from western to camp-style to classic. I have bought dozens of log home books, and this one is the best.

John Vlach's book is a thorough study of the architecture of plantation slavery in the South. He primarily used resource materials from the 1930s Historic American Building Survey and WPA interviews with former slaves to develop a social history. The research is solid and comprehensive. Vlach demonstrates ways to interpret the buildings for information about the life of the people who worked and dwelled in them, and he backs up his conclusions with interview materials. It's a terrific way of studying architecture that merges folklife studies with architectural history. The conclusions expanded my understanding about history, and this book is an essential contribution to learning about black history.

This study of vernacular architecture is a great contribution to the social history of slavery. By looking at facets of design such as settlement patterns and the formal qualities of buildings, Vlach shows how patterns in material culture provide clues for understanding the patterns of history that one can read by examining the buildings. This remarkable book not only documents plantation architecture as an important contribution to the historical record, but it also provides a fascinating interpretation of the subject. It is an especially important study because of the dearth of written documents left by slaves.