A Weekly Dose of Architecture Books

February is Book Month on A Daily Dose of Architecture. The " 28 in 28 " series features a different book every day of the month. New York Neon by Thomas E. Rinaldi, published by  W. W. Norton , 2012. Paperback, 192 pages. ( Amazon ) New York Nights by James T. and Karla L. Murray, published by  Gingko Press , 2012. Hardcover, 276 pages. ( Amazon ) November saw the release of two books documenting New York City in the hours between sunset and sunrise, when the glow of artificial lighting adds color to the city's sidewalks. While each book sets its sight on old establishments (you won't find Times Square in these titles), and the names New York Neon and New York Nights even confuse matters, the differences between the two are nevertheless great, as will be seen. Nevertheless, beyond the obvious overlap in subject matter and format (photography books), the books share an appreciation of New York City's ever-changing streetscapes as evidenced in early att...

Re:Crafted: Interpretations of Craft in Contemporary Architecture and Interiors by Marc Kristal, published by  Monacelli Press , 2010. Hardcover, 208 pages. ( Amazon )   Transformer: Reuse, Renewal, and Renovation in Contemporary Architecture by Sandu Publishing, published by  Gingko Press , 2010. Hardcover, 272 pages. ( Amazon ) These two books featuring collections of contemporary buildings carve their own niches to present developments in the wide-ranging realm of architecture. One focuses on craft at a time when the notion appears to have been disappeared, and the other on transformations of existing buildings, a theme found in other recent books . The first, Re:Crafted by New York-based journalist Marc Kristal, presents 25 primarily residential projects that "feel 'crafted'" in the author's words. Notions ...