Rating: 
Summary: An Exceptional Book
Review: 'Courtyards' is a rare and captivating book. I think it tries to be many things; I think it succeeds completely. It has the visual elegance of a coffee table book, but is as far as it can be from being a bauble. It is a comprehensive architectural treatise, presenting not only conceptual discussions but also detailed, comparative technical information. In this it does not shy away from scientific explanations, showing precisely how and why courtyards do what they do. Perhaps above all, it is clearly a work of passion. Professor Reynolds loves his work, his subject, and obviously loves sitting in courtyards and marveling at what they can do to a home's comfort and allure. It is a book to dream on.
Rating:
Summary: Ralph L.Knowles reviews Courtyards by John S. Reynolds
Review: At long last, a book about courtyards! And one that not only shows what beautiful miniature gardens they are, but how people use them, how they age, and even why they are so often cool in summer. Sprinkled with delightful quotes from Garcia Marquez and other lovers of courtyards, this is much more than a beautiful collection of photos. It's about that essential architectural triangle: firmness, commodity, and delight.
Rating:
Summary: What a pleasure!
Review: At long last, a book about courtyards! And one that not only shows what beautiful miniature gardens they are, but how people use them, how they age, and even why they are so often cool in summer. Sprinkled with delightful quotes from Garcia Marquez and other lovers of courtyards, this is much more than a beautiful collection of photos. It's about that essential architectural triangle: firmness, commodity, and delight.
Rating:
Summary: Must have for courtyard designer
Review: Courtyards book is filling a gap in architectural book market where much is focused on nice pictures and minimal designs. Few technical books that gets published receive little attention. But this book will attract the designer as well as the technician.
All technical aspects are simlply stated and science and aesthetics of the courtyards are very well covered with nice drawings and beautiful photos. The guidelines that summarize the long research are very clear, creating a pattern language for courtyard design. Being an architect from Turkey, I have been interested with courtyards and did some research. This book is doing much groundwork for those who will design a residential courtyard. But the guidelines would also apply to commercial atriums. Too bad that housing today is understood as single family housing in American Style Villas or public housing as high rise apartment buildings. This book proves that with the correct guidelines very nice and dense housing is possible. Ýt inspired me to do some courtyard housing design. I am sure it will be one of the most used buildings of my library.
Rating:
Summary: Rhythms of Nature
Review: Courtyards by Reynolds encourages you to dance to the rhythms of nature. It shows that the courtyards of these structures are the soul or heart of the building complex. It is a flexable space that can adjust or change with the seasons. The book has all the techanical information about thermal comfort, but with its great photographs it is also a coffee table book. The book is technical, personal and spritual. A great read!
Rating:
Summary: Rhythms of Nature
Review: Courtyards by Reynolds encourages you to dance to the rhythms of nature. It shows that the courtyards of these structures are the soul or heart of the building complex. It is a flexable space that can adjust or change with the seasons. The book has all the techanical information about thermal comfort, but with its great photographs it is also a coffee table book. The book is technical, personal and spritual. A great read!
Rating:
Summary: THE Book on Courtyards.
Review: Courtyards is a terrific book, the result of 20+ years of loving research. Oregon Professor John Reynolds is crazy for courtyards and it certainly shows.
A courtyard is a space surrounded by a building, often surrounded by a house. There are all manner of courtyards, large, small, huge, quiet, loud. Some are open and others are terribly private. But all good courtyards have things in common. In the landscapes most of us in the US are used to, we have a house and the gardens are on the outside and we see them before we see the house. In a sense these landscapes serve mostly as dressing to enhance the outward look of the house. But a fine courtyard garden is different. It is smack in the middle of the house and the house surrounds it. It is not wide open to the world, but instead is a place to get away from it all, a place to be outside, but not to be out in the open. The best courtyards are open to the sky, have water, vines, a multitude of interesting flowers, trees, potted plants. A large number of the very finest courtyard plants are discussed in detail in this excellent book. I was struck by how interesting the numerous photos and designs were. Profusely illustrated, each one serves a definitive purpose. I was struck too, by how many different things go into the making of a well thought out courtyard. What is involved so that it will be warm in the winter and cool in the hot summer. What is involved so that it becomes a place where people want to be. I took many notes as I read this large book and some day I plan to build a house of my own design, and in the middle of it, I'm going to have a courtyard. And in this courtyard, I'll have all the things needed, the ingredients so carefully detailed here, that make the right courtyard a magical place. I'd recommend this book for anyone who ever plans to build their own home, for all landscape designers, for all architects, for anyone with a serious interest in horticulture and design. An excellent book.
Rating:
Summary: Ralph L.Knowles reviews Courtyards by John S. Reynolds
Review: Finally, a book that treats both the art and science of courtyard buildings. John Reynolds excites our imagines and more with this important new book. Most works on climate and architecture either analyze the physics or treat the visual aspects of adaptation. Reynolds does both effectively by combining beautiful photographs and drawings with clear analytical diagrams to describe and interpret his subject. This book is destined to become a classic used by practicing professionals and by academics for teaching and research.
Rating:
Summary: An Exceptional Book
Review: I am a design professional with a particular interest in courtyards, patios, and indoor outdoor garden rooms. In my business I look at courtyards and patios as part of the living space. Important as the living room or bedroom, a courtyard is sometimes the center of life and delight in a residence or commercial building. The Reynold's book "Courtyards" takes the subject as seriously as I do. If I cannot spend months or years traveling around the world studying courtyards at least I can read this book and immerse myself in ALL the history, micro-climatic impact, and design information. There are photographs of courtyards in Mexico, Spain, Argentina, and elsewhere. There is a chapter on how temperature levels fluctuate (or don't) in courtyards and how these spaces have provided social and cultural settings. For instance in some Islamic cultures where women are supposed to be kept hidden away from the rest of society they spend much of their lives in -- you guessed it -- a courtyard concealed within a residence. There is detailed technical data about aspect ratios and thermal sailing and I am studying all of it. I want to be fully informed so that when I create courtyards for clients I use valid historical, technical, and cultural knowledge. It's nice to come across a book that is a detailed study of what I make my living creating -- indoor/outdoor garden rooms. Note: I withheld one star from my rating because I wished some of the photographs were larger.
Rating: 
Summary: Courtyards, An Environment Worthy of Serious Study
Review: I am a design professional with a particular interest in courtyards, patios, and indoor outdoor garden rooms. In my business I look at courtyards and patios as part of the living space. Important as the living room or bedroom, a courtyard is sometimes the center of life and delight in a residence or commercial building. The Reynold's book "Courtyards" takes the subject as seriously as I do. If I cannot spend months or years traveling around the world studying courtyards at least I can read this book and immerse myself in ALL the history, micro-climatic impact, and design information. There are photographs of courtyards in Mexico, Spain, Argentina, and elsewhere. There is a chapter on how temperature levels fluctuate (or don't) in courtyards and how these spaces have provided social and cultural settings. For instance in some Islamic cultures where women are supposed to be kept hidden away from the rest of society they spend much of their lives in -- you guessed it -- a courtyard concealed within a residence. There is detailed technical data about aspect ratios and thermal sailing and I am studying all of it. I want to be fully informed so that when I create courtyards for clients I use valid historical, technical, and cultural knowledge. It's nice to come across a book that is a detailed study of what I make my living creating -- indoor/outdoor garden rooms. Note: I withheld one star from my rating because I wished some of the photographs were larger.
|
