Product Description

Clear and accessible, Analysing Architecture opens a fresh way to understanding architecture. It offers a unique ‘notebook’ of architectural strategies to present an engaging introduction to elements and concepts in architectural design. Beautifully illustrated throughout with the author’s original drawings, examples are drawn from across the world and many periods of architectural history (from prehistoric times to the recent past) to illustrate analytical themes and to show how drawing can be used to study architecture. Since its first edition appeared in 1997, Analysing Architecture has established itself internationally as one of the key texts in architectural education.

This third edition includes a new section discussing the ways analysing examples cultivates a capacity for design. Original chapters have been expanded, new case studies added, and the format rearranged for additional clarity. The bibliography of recommended supplementary reading has also been extended.

In Analysing Architecture, Simon Unwin clearly identifies the key elements of architecture and conceptual themes apparent in buildings and relevant to other works of architecture such as gardens and cities. He describes ideas for use in the active process of design. Breaking down the grammar of architecture into themes and ‘moves’, Unwin exposes its underlying patterns to reveal the organizational strategies that lie beneath the superficial appearances of buildings.

Exploring buildings as results of the interaction of people with the world around them, Analysing Architecture offers a definition of architecture as ‘identification of place’ and provides a greater understanding of architecture as a creative discipline. This book presents a powerful impetus for readers to develop their own capacities for architectural design. It will also be of use to all those with an interest in the human occupation of and involvement with space – anthropologists, archaeologists, film-makers, installation artists, planners, urban designers, politicians……..

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #99874 in Books
• Published on: 2009-01-08
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 296 pages

Review

"Excellent in every way - a core book along with An Architectural Notebook by him"

Terry Robson, Teaching Fellow in Architecture at the University of Bath, UK

"Probably the best introductory book on architecture"

Andrew Higgott, Lecturer in Architecture at the University of East London, UK

"I think this is an excellent book and I will continue to recommend it to my students."

Donald Hanlon, Professor at the Department of Architecture, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, US

From the Back Cover

Clear and accessible, Analysing Architecture opens a fresh way to understanding architecture. It offers a unique ‘notebook’ of architectural strategies to present an engaging introduction to elements and concepts in architectural design. Beautifully illustrated throughout with the author’s original drawings, examples are drawn from across the world and many periods of architectural history (from prehistoric times to the recent past) to illustrate analytical themes and to show how drawing can be used to study architecture. Since its first edition appeared in 1997, Analysing Architecture has established itself internationally as one of the key texts in architectural education.

This third edition includes a new section discussing the ways analyzing examples cultivates a capacity for design. Original chapters have been expanded, new case studies added, and the format rearranged for additional clarity. The bibliography of recommended supplementary reading has also been extended.

In Analysing Architecture, Simon Unwin clearly identifies the key elements of architecture and conceptual themes apparent in buildings and relevant to other works of architecture such as gardens and cities. He describes ideas for use in the active process of design. Breaking down the grammar of architecture into themes and ‘moves’, Unwin exposes its underlying patterns to reveal the organizational strategies that lie beneath the superficial appearances of buildings.

Exploring buildings as results of the interaction of people with the world around them, Analysing Architecture offers a definition of architecture as ‘identification of place’ and provides a greater understanding of architecture as a creative discipline. This book presents a powerful impetus for readers to develop their own capacities for architectural design. It will also be of use to all those with an interest in the human occupation of and involvement with space – anthropologists, archaeologists, film-makers, installation artists, planners, urban designers, politicians.

A companion website will be available at www.routledge.com/textbooks/9780415489287. 

About the Author
University of Dundee, UK

Customer Reviews

Excellent introduction.
Beginning with the root definition of architecture as its "conceptual organization, its intellectual structures"., the author makes clear its function as "identification of place", goes on to identify the basic elements and concepts, examines the use of natural features of the landscape, analyzes primitive place types, geometry in architecture, space and structure, and other key concepts.
From the campsites of primitive man to the sophisticated structures of the late twentieth century, architecture as an essential function of human activity is explained clearly, and illustrated with the author's own excellent drawings. Highly recommended as a well-organized and readable introduction.

(The "score" rating is an unfortunately ineradicable feature of the page. This reviewer does not "score" books.)

Fantastic, get it
The book gives you a clear understanding of architecture. Great if you are a first year architecture student. You will find that is will get you through your first year.

Excellent and highly recommended introduction to architectur
This is an excellent book, recommended to anyone seriously interested in architecture. It's starting point is Unwin's ability to draw well - to think through his hands, as it were. This is fundamental to architectural skill and Unwin has used it to 'talk back to himself' and describe the architecture around him. He uses this skill to romp through a huge number and variety of buildings and architectural situations in order to describe architectural strategies. Unwin has at the heart of his book a definition and understanding of architecture that we thoroughly endorse: to be dealt with in terms of its conceptual organisation and intellectual structure. But he adds to this potentially dry definition an emotive overlay or parallel: architecture as the identification of place ("Place is to architecture as meaning is to language.") Thus he takes on th eissue of why we value architecture. (Oddly though, his book makes no reference - even in the bibliography - to D.K.Ching and Geoffrey Baker's similar and earlier books on architectural analysis, both of which are also very good and worth looking up.)