A Weekly Dose of Architecture Books

Revisiting Postmodernism by Sir Terry Farrell and Adam Nathaniel Furman, published by  RIBA Publishing , 2017. Paperback, 200 pages. ( Amazon ) An architect would need to have been asleep for the past five or ten years to not realize that Postmodern architecture has made some sort of comeback. A younger generation of architects is embracing the Platonic forms, pastel colors, and historical glances of the movement that took hold of the architectural profession in the 1970s and 80s. What exactly today's neo-Postmodernism is, and how prevalent of an effect it will have on the profession, is hard to say, since the design of neo-Modern buildings — glass boxes — is alive and kicking. Nevertheless, it's hard to deny the evident appreciation of Postmodern sensibilities that is being filtered through today's technology (e.g. Photoshop) and the critical distance that comes from the younger generation not experiencing Postmodernism firsthand. Just look at last year's Chicago ...

Buildings That Feel Good by Ziona Strelitz, published by  RIBA Publishing , 2008. ( Amazon ) The phrase "buildings that feel good" -- with a clear emphasis on the word feel in this book's title -- brings to mind a number of things: thermal comfort, warm materials, uncluttered spaces, clear spaces. In other words one thinks about the experience of being in a space or place, the sort of consideration that tends to be played down by architects, in favor of talk of form, texture and light. But of course architects know that these are one and the same, as form, materials, and transparency influence (if not dictate, to some extent, in some circumstances) how one feels in an environment, be it "designed" or not. This book by Ziona Strelitz -- founder of ZZA , a London-based "research and consulting practice ... [who] provides ...