The Story of Architecture

Author: Jonathan Glancey
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-10-01
Features: In the long history of world architecture, which is constantly being reevaluated, popular critic Jonathan Glancey guides us on an exciting five-thousand-year journey through architectural brilliance, from ancient Sumer to the magnificent urban landscapes of glass and steel today. Along the way, we experience the harmony of Buddhism, the opulence of Baroque, and the functionalism of Modernism. An unprecedented collection of full-color photographs, artworks, and design drawings accompanies the text with sharp and insightful writing. With passion and insight, the author tells unforgettable stories. How were the pyramids moved from Luxor to the Louvre? Why is the Parthenon compared to a Greek warship? What is the connection between the Hadrianic Villa and the Getty Center in Los Angeles? In this passionate and innovative work, Jonathan Glancey weaves the five-thousand-year history of world architecture into a single thread with a fresh perspective and unique personal insights. From the ziggurat of Ur to the Buddhist temple of Ziya, passing through Romanesque arches, Gothic spires, Baroque palaces, and Modernist apartment buildings, the vivid narration reveals the geographical, historical, and cultural influences embedded within. While the development of major architectural styles is emphasized, the progress in structural and technological innovations is clearly explained through representative artworks and illustrations. Throughout the dazzling history, this book dedicates special features to the most influential and creative architects in the world, from Palladio to Le Corbusier and Frank Lloyd Wright. These features showcase the masterpieces of these architects while briefly touching upon their fascinating lives. The rich illustrations, smooth writing, rigorous, truthful, and insightful content will appeal equally to seasoned enthusiasts and curious newcomers. The book tells the story of architecture from 7,000 BC in Mesopotamia to the 21st century globally. It reminds us that our culture is the process of creating things, a process that begins with elements that provide shelter. The difference between architecture's fundamental need to fulfill this basic human requirement and its expression across time and space is as vast as the difference between plant species and animal species—two entirely different worlds. Jonathan is an excellent communicator, and this work explores the fundamental principles of architecture hidden behind the wide diversity.