But if we ourselves are open to impressions and sympathetically inclined, it will open up and reveal its true essence. Be prepared to think when you read this book. A couple of the chapters weren't as compelling (I've never found per. I was recommended ‘Experiencing Architecture’ by an architect, and I was hesitant to grab it because of my lack of knowledge on the field. It explains concepts in a way that the untrained can still understand, and he opens the reader's eyes to the beauty of architecture and all its different aspects. Author describes high-level concepts in architecture: form, void, light, sound, and does that in a very accessible way - that even art-resistant engineer can understand. I am interested in architecture as a hobby, and as a potential career at some point in the future, so the perspective I had when reading this … Rasmussen basically explains what architecture is all about, in a way that's accessible to an interested lay reader like me. The first surveys the historical development of the ocular-centric paradigm in western culture since the Greeks, and its impact on the experience of the world and the nature of architecture. Experiencing architecture can be derived from analyzing the surrounding. Exam #2: Chapters 1-5 in Experiencing Architecture - Architecture 100 with Barrow at Ball State University - StudyBlue I did enjoy this little volume, and will be content to have it sit among the other books on architecture on my shelves, but almost more for the crisp yet creamy black-and-white photos (of walnut chairs, teacups, bricks), for the silken sheen of the paper they have been printed on, and for the lovely library smell of the book, than for the text itself, which in a number of ways has not stood the test of time as well as one might have wished. Experiencing architecture by Steen Eiler Rasmussen, 1964, M.I.T. And there are some pithy observations such as his view that …, "Architecture is not produced simply by adding plans and sections to elevations. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published It's intriguing to read his thoughts about his architectural experiences compiled as a collection of short anecdotes, but then, since those experiences are very personal, some of them are less interesting than the others, some are vague, some are hanging, but most of them, I'd say, are beautiful, … The Body. He discusses many different aspects of architecture, allowing you to understand what an architect needs to consider. The nave of the cathedral, like the Pantheon, is top lit, but it lacks drama and the natural light is somehow dull or flat. I read it because Witold Rubczynski said that it was the single most influential(?)/helpful(?) ", Further on there is an observation that the architect …, "sets the stage for a long slow-moving performance which must be adaptable enough to accommodate unforeseen improvisations. Combines theory and history in a useful way; I thought the chapter on solids and cavities as they predominated in the Gothic and the Renaissance respectively was a very cogent and engaging take on a subject that can sometimes come across as dull or unnecessarily abstract. The MIT Press. Experiencing Architecture – Study Guide Chap. Published by... More Journals A smooth wall seems light, even though it may have necessitated much harder work and actually weigh more than the stone wall. From teacups, riding boots, golf balls, and underwater sculpture to the villas of Palladio and the fish-feeding pavilion of the Peking Winter Palace, the author ranges over the. His buildings should preferably be ahead of its time when planned so that it will be in keeping with the times as long as it stands.". Analysis on the Book Experiencing Architecture by Steen Eiler Rasmussen. Amazing introduction to architecture. We must strive to advance by arousing interest in and understanding of the work the architect does. Steen Eiler Rasmussen was a Danish architect, a planner and a professor at the School of Architecture in Copenhagen who travelled widely including to China. Also language is strange for 2020, its always `he`, never `she` or `they`. how to experience architecture from various perspectives. Do we see it? From the Publisher (2nd edition, 1964). (There are a few slightly racist/sexist comments by the author here and ther. We had several projects going on, and competitions as well, that my professor lost focus on the book and dismissed the paper. Suddenly, they take on human scale, become houses for human beings like ourselves, not the tiny dolls observed from the heights. architecture that was just as sublime In composttlon ana strnple in proportions. X) is a brilliant introduction to buildings and sound, with another bonus: the effect of architecture on church music, specifically how building styles led to the change from monodony to polyphony (e.g., chant to fugue). He said "if you can't read any others, at least read this one." It explains concepts in a way that the untrained can still understand, and he opens the reader's eyes to the beauty of architecture and all its different aspects. Verified Purchase. Along the way, there is sharp and perceptive analysis - so for instance on the differences between buildings by Le Corbusier and Mies van der Rohe … Rasmussen thinks it is because of the very different ways they appreciated how planes define a space. Book Review: The Experience of Architecture The Experience of Architecture by Henry Plummer Thames & Hudson, 2016 Hardcover, 328 pages Although usually overshadowed by form, material and technique when it comes to books on architecture, experience seems to be making a comeback. Book Review: 'I Marched with Patton' is a bit out of step with time ... on the next, he’s experiencing it first-hand. I was given this book for my first design class, we were supposed to write an essay of our thoughts about the book and if it changed our way to experience architecture, or the lack thereof. There’s now a wealth of literature devoted to the architectural arcana, folkloric factoids and street-level sense-impressions of various places, including Manchester. This book isn’t the most approachable on the subject, however, and I think it best serves those who are pursuing architecture as a career or someone who has some baseline knowledge of the subject already. Press edition, in English - 1st MIT Press paperback ed. There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Likewise, there was good stuff about textural effects, daylight, and rhythm. This is a fantastic book and I highly recommend it to anyone. A must read for designers. Architecture has deep wells of research, thought, and theory that are unseen on the surface of a structure. Book Review by Gioia C. Sawaya; Chemaly’s book offers a different attempt to reading war ruins in a Lebanese urban context. Rasmussen makes important points about light in architecture because, he feels, too many architects see light in terms of quantity rather than quality. Use direct phrasing from the book (don’t paraphrase). second architecture book i purchased for theory. The Eyes of the Skin has become a classic of architectural theory and consists of two extended essays. Experiencing is about seeing, feeling, understanding, criticizing, etc... -the difference between art and architecture -how we experience architecture (as opposed to being a tourist) -the difference between hard and soft -the difference between heavy and light -architecture as an "integrated whole" -the "task … Another good beginner book of architecture. You must observe how it was designed for a special purpose and how it was attuned to the entire concept and rhythm of a specific era.". Books suitable for beginners, architects and architectural students, or for people who just love architecture. Steen Eiler Rasmussen. I learned a great deal from this book. VIII) not only explains light and buildings, but explains Vermeer's use of light in his paintings--a double bonus! There are obvious examples like the pattern of light and dark as we drive along a main road at night because lampposts are equally spaced or there is a rhythm of verticals along a continuous line of buildings in a street because, although the buildings are different in design, their width is so often determined by historic and equally-spaced plot boundaries. Amazing piece changed my perception of studying building, Despite it being clearly outside of my circle of competence, it was an excellent read :). ", I have read about two dozen books on architecture; this is the most helpful by far. A must-read for all architecture students and those interested in architecture! (There are a few slightly racist/sexist comments by the author here and there, but in the whole his perspective is extremely interesting.) Indonesia is a semi-annual journal devoted to the timely study of Indonesia’s culture, history, government, economy, and society. He writes, for example, This book is amazing! He also spoke of the history of (mostly European) architecture which I also found helpful. It is impossible to explain precisely what it is - its limits are by no means well-defined. Overall, this was a good introduction. ISBN 978-0-262-68002-8. Except where indicated in the caption, all the photographs have been taken for this site. It was written in the 1950's, so is outdated for anything post-modern, but I really really enjoyed the Renaissance and Baroque discussions (most of them centered in Rome). 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