Architecture Art

The theory of architecture implicit in our world today, Christopher Alexander believes, is bankrupt. More and more people are aware that something is deeply wrong. Yet the power of present day ideas is so great that many feel uncomfortable, even afraid, to say openly that they dislike what is happening, because they are afraid to seem foolish, afraid perhaps that they will be laughed at. Now, at last, there is a coherent theory which describes in modern terms an architecture as ancient as human society itself.

The architecture of Britain is an art gallery all around us. From our streets to squares, through our cities, suburbs and villages, we are surrounded by magnificent buildings of eclectic styles. A Short History of British Architecture is the gripping and untold story of why Britain looks the way it does, from prehistoric Stonehenge to the lofty towers of today.

In Battle of the Skyscrapers, we take you through the evolution of humanity's tallest architectural wonders. Crossing oceans and spanning the years since the first skyscraper, this book clues you in on how different eras and cities have aimed for the sky over the decades, observing the shifts in culture, economy, wealth, power, and technology that have driven humanity's race to go even higher.

A counting book that follows the construction of a building, from one plan to twelve stories.

During the real estate crash of the late 2000s, Christopher Brown purchased an empty lot in an industrial section of Austin, Texas. The property—a brownfield site bisected with an abandoned petroleum pipeline and littered with concrete debris and landfill trash—was an unlikely site for a home. Along with his son, Brown had explored similar empty lots around Austin, so-called “ruined” spaces once used for agriculture and industry awaiting their redevelopment as Austin became a 21st century boom town.

A visionary carpenter shares meditations on work, creativity, and design, revealing powerful lessons on building a meaningful life through his experience constructing some of New York’s most iconic spaces.

Have you ever seen the Eiffel Tower? Gustave Eiffel’s tower is one of the most recognized landmarks in the world, but it wasn’t an easy path to turn his idea into a reality. Listeners will love learning the story behind the name as they follow along with Gustave’s beginnings as a bridge designer and the engineer behind the Statue of Liberty, the criticism and personal attacks by the media he faced while building the tower, and his eventual world-renowned success.

Frank Lloyd Wright has long been known as a rank egotist who held in contempt almost everything aside from his own genius. Harder to detect, but no less real, is a Wright who fully understood, and suffered from, the choices he made. This is the Wright whom Paul Hendrickson reveals in this masterful biography: the Wright who was haunted by his father, about whom he told the greatest lie of his life.

In Montparnasse begins on the eve of the First World War and ends with the 1936 unveiling of Dalí’s Lobster Telephone. As those extraordinary years unfolded, the Surrealists found ever more innovative ways of exploring the interior life, and asking new questions about how to define art. In Montparnasse recounts how this artistic revolution came to be amidst the salons and cafés of that vibrant neighborhood.

Have you ever looked at a skyscraper and wondered how it was built? Do you ever look up at a tall building and wonder how it does not fall down? This story helps you explore the changes that have led to the creation of skyscrapers! You will get to see the different materials that have been developed to allow for better stability. You will get to understand how things like iron, steel, and concrete have revolutionized the way buildings are built and designed. By the end of this story, you will have a new appreciation for the skyscrapers that are all over the world!

Peter Cook has been a pivotal figure within the architecture world for over half a century. Suffused with Peter’s infectious energy, enthusiasm, and charm, this intriguing memoir explores major themes in architecture through the lens of his life and work. Taking the listener on a journey through his colorful and wide-ranging career, it touches on his early years and architectural education, his relationships with key figures within the architecture community, and his work teaching and lecturing internationally.

Le Corbusier famously said, "A house is a machine for living in." We now confront the litany of environmental challenges associated with the legacy of the architectural machine: a changing climate, massive species die-off, diminished air and water quality, and resource scarcities. Brook Muller offers an alternative: water-centric urban design that fosters sustainability, equity, and architectural creativity.

Legal scholar and architect Sara C. Bronin examines how zoning became such a prevailing force and reveals its impact. Outdated zoning codes have maintained racial segregation, prioritized cars over people, and enabled great ecological harm. But, as Bronin argues, once we recognize the power of zoning, we can harness it to create the communities we desire, and deserve. Drawing on her own experience leading the overhaul of Hartford's zoning code and exploring the efforts of activists and city planners across the country, Bronin shows how new codes are reshaping our cities.

Through engaging storytelling, human behavior insights, and proven design techniques, Kevin Kelley—an attention architect and cofounder of Shook Kelley, a strategic design firm that pioneered the field of "convening"—unfolds why physical places are essential to civil society, business, and community.

We are living through a global catastrophe. Buildings affect how we feel, moment by moment, day by day. They have the power to lift us up and make us feel awestruck, playful, safe, and inspired, just as they can make us feel alienated and sad. But many of the places where we live, work, learn, and heal have become monotonous and disposable. We’re surrounded by cheap, boring buildings that make people stressed, sick, and unhappy. In short, much of our world has been crafted in a way that is hostile to human experience.

What was life like in Ancient Rome? If your sixth grader has ever wondered what it’s like to live in the ancient times without technology, then this book should be listened to. Ancient history can be a wonderful, interactive listen, if you give your child the right learning tools. Learn about the early history, science, architecture, art, and government of ancient Rome. Start listening today.

The purpose of Why Architecture Matters is to "come to grips with how things feel to us when we stand before them, with how architecture affects us emotionally as well as intellectually" - with its impact on our lives. "Architecture begins to matter," writes Paul Goldberger, "when it brings delight and sadness and perplexity and awe along with a roof over our heads."

Building Toronto's Skyline traces the evolution of the city's iconic residential towers from their humble beginnings in the late 19th century to the modern, high-rise buildings of today.

Do you know what architecture is? It is the art of designing and constructing buildings! Learn the different variables architects consider in the design of a building. Discover how buildings differ all over the world—where building materials from nature are used like mud, ice, and sod! How have buildings changed through history and new technology?

Fiona MacCarthy challenges the image of Gropius as a doctrinaire architectural rationalist, bringing out the visionary philosophy and courage that carried him through a politically hostile age. Pilloried by Tom Wolfe as inventor of the monolithic high-rise, Gropius is better remembered as inventor of a form of art education that influenced schools worldwide. He viewed argument as intrinsic to creativity. Unusually for one in his position, Gropius encouraged women's artistic endeavors and sought equal romantic partners.