Showing titles in Architecture

A fascinating biography of the philanthropist Albert Barnes, whose pioneering collection of modern art was meant to transform America’s soul From prominent critic and biographer Blake Gopnik comes a compelling new art collector biography of America’s first great collector of modern art...

It may be the most interesting and yet loneliest spot on Earth: a volcanic rock surrounded by a million square miles of ocean, named for the day Dutch explorers discovered it, Easter Sunday, April 5, 1722. Here, people created a complex society, sophisticated astronomy, exquisite wood sculpture, monumental stone architecture, roads, and a puzzling ideographic script. And then they went about sculpting amazing, giant human figures in stone.

Explore ancient Mesopotamia and uncover the architectural marvel that defined a majestic empire. Perfect for your daily commute, this immersive history transports you directly to the sun-baked plains of the Tigris and Euphrates. Walk alongside legendary kings as they construct a shimmering...

Witness how devastating grief birthed an architectural marvel in this epic historical journey through the Mughal Empire. Trace a dusty riverside settlement's rise into a gleaming imperial capital. Experience a true story of absolute power, political intrigue, and a legendary partnership that...

Uncover how a condemned architectural experiment survived scheduled demolition to become a beloved European history icon. Whether you are fueling an educational morning commute or preparing for a Parisian getaway, this inspiring narrative transports you straight into a city desperate to prove...

Unlock the gates of China's imperial palace to witness the dramatic history and political intrigue of a hidden empire. Perfect for your daily commute or an immersive armchair travel experience, this sweeping architectural biography transforms cold stone into a theater of human ambition. Navigate...

Experience the epic ancient history of the Egyptian empire through the rise and fall of its ultimate architectural marvel. Perfect for an educational commute or deep-focus listening, this atmospheric journey transports you directly to the golden sands of ancient Thebes. Watch centuries of...

Explore soaring Gothic architecture and uncover a thousand years of royal history within Britain's most iconic church. Far from a static museum of monuments, this living stage has hosted every triumph and tragedy of the monarchy. Experience the dramatic rise of a marshy island sanctuary into a...

All my life, I have been looking for a man who has discovered the universal law which lies back of the Sermon on the Mount, and who consciously uses that law with full awareness of its meaning and full obedience to its principles. Walter Russel Clark found this man.

Archaeologist Jim Leary reanimates the past with this riveting 'archaeology of movement' All too often we think of the past as static, 'frozen in time', and indeed movement is not always easy to decipher from the archaeological record. With Jim Leary's expert eye we explore the tangible remains...

Go beyond décor trends to make your home beautiful, stylish, and comfortable. . .on any budget. Writing for the hands-on woman who'd rather move her own furniture than hire a designer, Myquillyn Smith--author of the The Nesting Place--helps you think through every room in your house, one...

Step into the resilient history and serene spiritual architecture of a sacred sanctuary built for radical equality. Perfect for your daily commute or an afternoon of armchair travel, this inspiring journey transports you to the sacred waters of Amritsar. Experience the contemplative energy of a...

Horror begins at home. From family homes in Amityville to Gothic mansions in Los Angeles and the Unabomber's cabin, houses often capture and contain the horror that has happened within them. Sick Houses crosses the threshold of these eerie spaces to explore how different types of architecture become vessels for terror and how these spaces, meant to shelter us, instead become the source of our deepest fears.

Here is Jon Krakauer’s portrait of the iconoclastic architect Christopher Alexander, whose revolutionary human-centered approach has shaken the foundations of modern architecture. Krakauer delves into Alexander’s life and career, from his theories on a timeless “pattern language” that...

In Japanese gardens, composition follows from placement of the first stone; all elements and plantings become interconnected. These eight essays on Kyoto gardens similarly begin with keen description and build into richly meditative excursions into art, Buddhism, nature, and science. Landscape architect Marc Keane shows how Japanese gardens are both a microcosm of the natural universe and a clear expression of our humanity, mirroring how we think, worship, and organize our lives and communities.

Uncover the turbulent European history and architectural wonders of a medieval powerhouse that survived empires and wars. Perfect for your daily commute or armchair travel, this atmospheric narrative transforms cobblestone streets into a living stage of revolutionaries, artists, and kings. Let...

The arbitrary lines of zoning maps across the country have come to dictate where Americans may live and work, forcing cities into a pattern of growth that is segregated and sprawling. The good news is that reform is in the air, with states across the country critically reevaluating zoning. In cities as diverse as Minneapolis, Fayetteville, and Hartford, the key pillars of zoning are under fire, with apartment bans being scrapped, minimum lot sizes dropping, and off-street parking requirements disappearing altogether. 

Disability critiques of architecture usually emphasize the need for modification and increased access, but The Architecture of Disability calls for a radical reorientation of this perspective by situating experiences of impairment as a new foundation for the built environment. With its provocative proposal for "the construction of disability," this book fundamentally reconsiders how we conceive of and experience disability in our world.

Author Kurt C. Schlichting tells the story of the Manhattan waterfront as a struggle between public and private control of New York's priceless asset. Nature provided New York with a sheltered harbor but presented the city with a challenge: to find the necessary capital to build and expand the maritime infrastructure. From colonial times until after the Civil War, the city ceded control of the waterfront to private interests, excluding the public entirely and sparking a battle between shipping companies, the railroads, and ferries for access to the waterfront. 

Step into a millennium of Scottish history, where a volcanic fortress becomes a beacon of Enlightenment. This atmospheric narrative explores the dramatic clash between kingship, ancient stone, and fierce intellect. Witness power claimed and contested as you explore the cobblestone streets of a...