Product Description

This book is a one-stop guide to the world’s greatest architectural achievements. Comprehensive and concise, it contains reviews of the most influential structures ever built worldwide. Covering a diverse array of architectural traditions and construction styles–from the bold and brash to the spiritual and reserved, from Angkor Wat to the Parthenon, from Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater to Frank Gehry’s Bilbao Guggenheim–the book celebrates the vision and achievement of world architecture. Entries are organized chronologically and include essential information on the featured building, as well as the social, political, cultural, and geographical considerations that influenced the design. Stunning illustrations and photographs highlight the technical feats and aesthetic brilliance of architects past and present. This comprehensive collection is an accessible reference for anyone interested in the history of architecture.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #145120 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-23
• Released on: 2007-10-23
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 960 pages

Review
This comprehensive introduction to the world's most important architecture is a useful tool for travelers, tourists, critics - and anyone interested in the world around them. A collection of the world's most impressive structures, from antiquity to post-modernity, is presented with a half-page essay about the building's history, details about the architect, and the artistic and political context in which it was planned and constructed. Edited by architectural historian Alan Powers, and Mark Irving, who writes on art and architecture. (Universe) -- New York Living Sept. 2007

About the Author
Mark Irving, general editor, writes on art and architecture for The Financial Times, The Independent, and The Guardian as well as for magazines such as Time, Domus, Blueprint, Prospect, L’Espresso, and The New Statesman.

Customer Reviews

Great but INDEX IS TERRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love this book but I am giving it one star because I am so infuriated by the lack of a useful index. There is no index that lists which cities the buildings are in -- they are only arranged by country. Why? Many of us would like to visit buildings that are near us or in cities that we travel to. This bizarre lack of information in the index makes that virtually impossible.

This is perhaps the most foolish indexing decision I have ever seen in my entire life, perhaps the most foolish indexing decision in the history of the written word.

Also: why don't they give addresses of the buildings anywhere?

Please correct this in the next edition. Maybe create a website where we can look this stuff up.

Clearly, a lot of time was spent on this book. It's unfortunate that strange indexing decisions have rendered it almost useless.

A contributing Author to this book
I was one of the contributing authors to this book. The reviews so far are spot on. Even though I worked on this book I find it difficult to find even my own entries as the index is inadequate. I also wrote the Elrod entry - and yes, the photo is wrong - and I would have known that if I'd seen page proofs. But on a positive note, I believe this book is definitely worth buying (I don't get royalties!) if only because I know it contains entries (like mine) that are not rewrites of existing viewpoints, but original, fresh perspectives. The next book in the series is "1001 Houses" and I've been asked to be the General Editor. I intend to take these comments on board and ensure a good index and good geographic spread for 1001 Houses. The publishers have indicated they want a website to go with the book, and that will also be a priority for me, assuming they ok costs. So buy this book as its assets outweigh its faults, and keep an eye out for 1001 Houses! http://www.dennajones.com

INTERESTING BOOK - BUT FLAWED
Some of the buildings do not have corresponding photos with the descriptions but that can be understandable because the book runs almost 1000 pages.
But I did find two errors:
First Error - Page 523 has Case Study House No.22 but the photo is of Case Study House No.21 both are by Pierre Koneig and they are both in the Los Angeles area.
Second error - Page 565 has Elrod House but the photo is of the Sheats/Goldstein House which is in Beverly Hills will the Elrod House is in Palm Springs. The Elrod House is famous for its location in the film Diamonds Are Forever and its circular in design.
Overall the book is a very good reference book with a photo and a short description of the building.