The Charged Void: Architecture. (Constant Engagement).

By Alison and Peter Smithson. New York: The Monacelli Press. 2001. [pounds sterling]50

A curious phenomenon in British architecture during the last fifty years or so has been the separation of theory from practice. As architectural education has been increasingly organized on the model of so-called conventional academic disciplines, the idea has developed that research should be conducted by academics and that practice is quite different from research. The architectural life of Alison and Peter Smithson covers precisely this period. As it is represented in this substantial book, this is a vital demonstration of the potential of practice and theory to interact in a complex and evolving process and thereby to assume all of the necessary characteristics of research, as it is defined by my dictionary -- 'careful search or inquiry after or for; course of critical investigation'.

The narrative is chronological and is organized in 15 parts that identify distinct stages in this unfolding exploration. The sequence of projects, built and unbuilt, large and small, are the core material. Each of these is illustrated, assessed and interconnected by succinct commentaries. What emerges is a constant engagement with the fundamentals of architecture, of its social obligations, its tectonic essence, its relationship to climate. The major buildings, Hunstanton School, the Economist, the garden building at St Hilda's, Oxford, the buildings at the University of Bath, all exemplify their ability to address the specifics of each situation while exploring wider themes. But the same may be said of the numerous small projects, houses, conversions, tiny additions. Of these I am particularly struck by the sequence of little interventions at the Hexenhaus at Bad Karlshafen, culminating in the Hexenbesenraum pavilion hovering on stilts above the River Weser.

To draw out just one specific theme, the Smithsons' lifelong interest in climate response takes its place as an integral part of their overall view of architecture. Throughout their work we see north points, sun angles, environmental processes and qualities represented in the drawings, not only in designs such as the English Climate House and the 'Solar' Pavilion at Upper Lawn, but in projects such as the 1989 competition entry for the Bibliotheca Alexandrina. In this, lucid environmental analysis is translated into form and detail with clarity and elegance. This should encourage those engaged in the often unproductive current debate on 'sustainable' architecture.

The book is beautifully produced and illustrated, with images that range from simple sketches to working details. Always the graphic meets the need. Nothing is gratuitous or arbitrary, but there are many touches of gentle humour. This volume is to be followed by a companion. The Charged Void: Urbanism. Together they should constitute a significant contribution to the literature of architecture and remind us that the drawing office is a key location for research.