For most of us, architecture is experienced through a blur of habit. Celebrated architect Charles Holland urges us to look harder and discover more. As he reminds us, we inhabit buildings with our bodies: we follow their layouts, handrails guide us up and down stairs, windows direct our gaze. Small spaces create intimacy between us, while large and spectacular rooms stop us in our tracks. We seek out the cool of a cathedral when in hot cities or the warmth of a pub on a winter's night.
Holland introduces us to key principles which can transform our thinking about architecture: Style, Composition, Space, Materials, Structure and Use. From the satisfying symmetry of a Queen Anne house to the thrill of a high-tech office block or the social ideals that lie behind a Brutalist housing estate, he helps us understand that, when designed with intelligence and care, all these structures can enrich our lives.
Above all, Holland invites us to share in his enjoyment of his craft and appreciate the playfulness, imagination and joy that can be found in even the most familiar buildings.
Size: 150 x 220mm (hardback with dust jacket)
Pages: 192 (34 colour illustrations)
Publisher: Yale University Press
