Five recent books on the city.TEMPORARY URBAN SPACES: CONCEPTS FORTHE USE OF CITY SPACES Edited by Florian Haydn and Robert Temel. Basel: Birkhauser. 2006. E29.90 The subject of this book is the use of temporary space, especially in the urban context. With 10 essays by experts and documentation of 35 sample projects demonstrating different aspects of temporary uses in the city, the book provides an overview of current events in Europe and the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. . SIR JOHN SOANE Sir John Soane (10 September 1753 – 20 January 1837) was an English architect who specialised in the Neo-Classical style. His architectural works are distinguished by their clean lines, massing of simple form, decisive detailing, careful proportions and skilful use of light AND LONDON By Ptolemy Dean Ptolemy Dean is a British architect who specialises in the repair of historic buildings and the design of new buildings in sensitive sites. Dean is the son of a judge from the Home Counties. . Aldershot: Lund Humphries. 2006. [pounds sterling]40 John Soane (1753-1837) carried out over four hundred recorded architectural commissions in London. Although many never resulted in a finished building, these little-known commissions formed the backbone of his life and practice and were the key to its development. Sir John Soane and London pulls together this vast archive of work for the first time to illustrate Soane's remarkable and extensive involvement in the fabric of the city. THE FORM OF CITIES: POLITICAL ECONOMY AND URBAN DESIGN By Alexander R. Cuthbert. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing. 2006. [pounds sterling]55 (hb), [pounds sterling]19.99 (pb) The Form of Cities offers readers a considered theoretical introduction to the art of designing cities. It encourages them to go beyond abstract social science into the realm of human experience, aesthetics aesthetics (ĕsthĕt`ĭks), the branch of philosophy that is concerned with the nature of art and the criteria of artistic judgment. , and the creative process in order to understand why cities are how they are; and it demonstrates that cities are replete re·plete adj. 1. Abundantly supplied; abounding: a stream replete with trout; an apartment replete with Empire furniture. 2. Filled to satiation; gorged. 3. with symbolic values, collective memory, association and conflict. CITY OF COLLISION: JERUSALEM AND THE PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICT URBANISM Edited by Philipp Misselwitz and Tim Rieniets. Basel: Birkhauser. 2006. [euro]39.90 War has entered the cities. Since September 11, 2001 at the latest, it has become apparent that this is the case not only in Jerusalem and the Middle East, but also in Western metropolises. This book presents a thorough investigation of the current situation in Jerusalem from a trilateral perspective: Israeli, Palestinian, and international experts who air their views. The discussion centres on the production and use of urban space under the conditions created by the conflict, including, for example, the so-called security fence, urban enclaves, exclaves, the approach to monuments and no-man's-land, and the instrumentalisation of infrastructures, which leads to the crass juxtaposition juxtaposition /jux·ta·po·si·tion/ (-pah-zish´un) apposition. jux·ta·po·si·tion n. The state of being placed or situated side by side. of highly developed and impoverished im·pov·er·ished adj. 1. Reduced to poverty; poverty-stricken. See Synonyms at poor. 2. Deprived of natural richness or strength; limited or depleted: urban spaces. A FIELD GUIDE TO SPRAWL By Dolores Dolores (or Delores) was a common given name (until the 1960s in the USA); it is cognate with the English word "dolorous" (meaning sorrowful) and equivalent in meaning. Hayden. London: W.W. Norton & Company Ltd. 2006. [pounds sterling]2.99 Duck, ruburb, tower farm, big box, and pig-in-a-python are among dozens of zany terms invented to characterise land use practices and the physical elements of sprawl. This 'engagingly organized and splendidly photographed' (Wall Street Journal) book provides the verbal and visual vocabulary needed by professionals, public officials, and citizens to evaluate uncontrolled growth in the American landscape. With aerial photographs by Jim Wark. Book reviews from The Architectural Review The Architectural Review is a monthly international architectural magazine published in London since 1896. Articles cover the built environment which includes landscape, building design, interior design and urbanism as well as theory of these subjects. can now be seen on our website at www.arplus.com and the books can be ordered online, many at special discount. Book reviews from The Architectural Review can now be seen on our website at www.arplus.com and the books can be ordered online, many at special discount. |
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