The Architectural Detail--Dutch Architects Visualise Their Concepts. (Reviews: Designing Dutch).

By Ed Melet. Rotterdam: NAi Publishers. 2002. [euro]49

The sub-title says it all. This is a book to show you how leading Dutch architects view the detailing of their buildings. The author looks at the work of 12 architects to see how the design concept extends, or does not extend, into the details of construction and the jointing of materials.

The author accepts that the details of a building usually carry a considerable architectural load. The responses vary. MVRDV use detailing to explain the design, Hans Ruijssenaars often exaggerated junctions to 'ornament' the building. Mecanoo contrasts different adjacent materials in a way that sets out to please. Van Velsen follows a minimalist path that tries to make details disappear. Koolhaas tries to go even further and not have details -- 'They are old architecture', he says.

The bulk of the book consists of pictures of buildings with their details printed alongside. This is carefully and attractively done and I found it both instructive and enjoyable. But also annoying. The beautifully drawn sections tell us something of what is going on, but not how the materials join along their length or how they turn the corner. As in most architectural publications, the love of minimalist graphics gets in the way of communication. One has to look at motoring or aircraft magazines to see clear drawings of 3D objects -- or even fifty year old building construction books with their cut-away isometrics.