Learn from Las Vegas: The Revised Edition

Author: (USA) Venturi / (USA) Brown et al. / Xu Yifang / Wang Jian
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-01-01
Features: This book, along with Venturi's Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture, is considered a manifesto of modernist architectural thought. Venturi opposed Mies van der Rohe's famous quote "Less is more," arguing that "Less is bare." He believed that the public does not understand modernist architectural language and that the buildings they prefer are often ordinary, lively, highly decorated, and metaphorical. He saw the Las Vegas Strip, with its narrow streets, neon lights, billboards, and fast-food restaurants—all trademarked in form—as perfectly reflecting the public's tastes. Therefore, in this book, he called on architects to engage with the public, accept their interests and values, and learn from Las Vegas. From the perspective of popular architecture, this book offers architects a new way of thinking and vision, making it a valuable and collectible masterpiece. It serves as a reference for architects, as well as students and faculty in architectural-related fields at various institutions.