Phaidon Atlas of Contemporary World Architecture

Rating:
Summary: A superb achievement
Review: 8 kilos - but not too hard to bear! Whoever wants to know about the jewels of modern architecture in the last 5 year, he must have this book. It covers great buildings as well as lesser known gems in exotic places. BUY BUY BUY!!!!!!

Rating:
Summary: Comprehensive and gorgeous
Review: Comes in a briefcase-style transparent case, which you will definately need to carry this huge tome home (the book measures around 12"x18" and weighs almost 18 pounds!). This is a beautiful book covering a fairly comprehensive range of architecture and is well organized (the material is broken down by regions/sub-regions and the pages are color-coded). Anyone interested in architecture and design will thoroughly enjoy this fantastic book.

Rating:
Summary: What building typologies are covered?
Review: I am an architect interested in buying this book. However, I am concerned that the book may concentrate on residential design too much, and my firm does no work in residential. I am looking for a contemporary architecture book like this one as an office resource, but I do not want it if there is too much residential. The size is also intimidating. Will it be a tomb to locate in a central spot in the office or is it managable to carry from desk to desk as inspiration is needed? (ps...the rating was a neutral 3 only because I don't own this book, but I was required to rate it)

Rating:
Summary: outstanding compilation of current architecture!!
Review: I bought this book recently (not at amazon)primarily to bring myself up to date on what's out there in the latest trends. I hadn't seen the book, other than the publisher's web site. I was astounded when it arrived at my place of employment to see how much detail on the various projects has been worked into half page arrangements. It's a giant of a book, so the format works. This is one of the finest collections of contemporary architecture I have seen. (I am a practicing architect.)For the price, i believe it to be unique and unrivalled in scope. What especially impressed me was how much work from non-marquee architects was included.

I would heartilly recommend this to anyone, in the profession or not, for an in-depth survey of buildings worldwide. I only hope that this is the start of a series and not a one shot deal.

Rating:
Summary: It's cheaper on Amazon!
Review: I'm not gonna talk about the book. Debate the content all you want to. I'm just here to tell you that if you want to buy it, you'll probably do better buying it here. Although I am an Amazon addict, I learned the hard way. I bought it at a store, figuring that the shipping for this bad boy would be so ridiculous I might as well. I was wrong. Amazon was about $100. Shipping was like 15 bucks or something. This book in a store was 160 plus tax!

My boyfriend loves it, although it puts his legs to sleep if he leaves it on his lap too long.

Rating:
Summary: Magnificent 'heirloom' book
Review: What can you say about this book other than the fact that it is magnificent!
It certainly lives up to it's name as an atlas of 'world' architecture and the areas covered are very comprehensive - from the unbelievably quaint and desirable house for 'one lady and a horse' to a toilet block in Sydney!
The technical data provided is excellent and it is amazing to see the different costings in different parts of the world.
Appealing both to professionals and those with a casual inteest in architecture, this book is more than worth the cost.