Architecture of Today

Rating:
Summary: Uneven And Light On Content
Review: I expected this book to be better. It isn't actually bad; it just isn't up to the standard of critical architectural writing now commonly available. The book is a large format coffee table book, with a very inviting cover. Inside you will largely find many color pictures of several buildings the authors consider significant, although I frequently disagree with their appraisals of individual projects. There are some truly breathtaking projects illustrated, my favorite of which is the Ackerberg House in Malibu, California, though there are several other worthy projects depicted such as the Stockholm University Library and some of Itsuko Hasegawa's greatest Japanese homes in Tokyo and Shizuoka, Japan.

Unfortunately, the book does not pick uniformly excellent or even representative works to showcase. Some of the most garish and hideous examples of contemporary architecture imaginable are illustrated in this book, such as the grotesque Lloyds Building (London), which appears to have taken its form from that of a refinery, the mind-bogglingly ugly INIST Documentation Centre (Nancy, France), which appears to be the work of nomadic architects trying to redefine a tent as high art, and the most ungainly building of all, the Renault Distribution Centre in Swindon, England, which looks like a giant anthropomorphic caterpillar walking across otherwise beautiful English countryside.

Taken in combination with the text, which is Spartan and not particularly enlightening, I think that this book had great potential, but withered on the vine. Some of the book is great, but the bulk is merely bland, and some is downright awful.

Although there are some good features in the book, overall it only deserves two stars in my estimation: there are just too many other truly excellent books on modern architecture available to bother with this.

Rating:
Summary: excellent overvievw of (post)modern architecture, worldwide
Review: This book contains perfect examples for today's architecture, sorted in the various concepts and ideas, which are also desrcibed, some by their inventor or, one of their followers. Dozens of excellent photos visualize the buildings, and drwaings and plans help to establish an even clearer picture. In my opnion an interesting book for all you achitecture freaks out there.