ABC of Architecture [Paperback]

James F. O'Gorman (Author), Dennis E. McGrath (Illustrator)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0812216318 | ISBN-13: 978-0812216318 | Publication Date: October 1, 1997

ABC of Architecture is an accessible, nontechnical introduction to architectural structure, history, and criticism. Author James F. O'Gormon moves seamlessly from a discussion of the most basic inspiration for architecture (the need for shelter from the elements), to an exploration of space, system, and material, and, finally, to an examination of the language and history of architecture. He shows the nonspecialist how to read a design in plans, sections, and elevations, and how architects, like other artists, make creative use of space and light.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

James F. O'Gorman's A B C of Architecture is a concise, illuminating introduction to the complex subject of architecture. O'Gorman himself calls this slim volume a "modest grammar" on the subject, but it's much more than that. In elegant prose O'Gorman teaches architectural theory as he teaches history. If you've ever wondered about arches, domes, or the importance of concrete, A B C Architecture will likely have the answers you're looking for. For those unfamiliar with architecture, O'Gorman includes a glossary of terms and suggestions for dictionaries.

From Library Journal

This volume represents a significant departure in terms of its intended readership, scope of subject, and depth of analysis for O'Gorman (art, Wellesley Coll.), who has written eloquently and with considerable originality on late 19th-century American architecture. Here he provides a brief primer on architectural awareness for the beginning student or lay reader. The text, which addresses the reader directly, closely approximates the tone of an undergraduate lecture. Structured around three central chapters, each corresponding to one of Vitruvius's defining elements (firmness, commodity, and delight), the lucid explanations focus on plan, structure, and style, respectively. The illustrations are the chief liability: heavy-lined drawings provide less than adequate visual descriptions of buildings rich in texture, shadow, and color. Moreover, lacking figure numbers and descriptive captions, they are much less useful than they might otherwise be. As an introduction to the topic, this volume does not eclipse Steen Eiler Rasmussen's timeless and original Experiencing Architecture (1962), but it may do well in larger public libraries.?Paul Glassman, Pratt Inst. Lib., Brooklyn
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: University of Pennsylvania Press (October 1, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0812216318
• ISBN-13: 978-0812216318
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #388,081 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Introduction to Architecture, March 30, 2003

By 

David M. Ng (Palo Alto, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: ABC of Architecture (Paperback)

My college freshman daughter told me she was thinking about majoring in environmental design. Knowing nothing about environmental design, I decided I needed to know more. Architecture is a part of environmental design, and I feel fortunate to have found this book. It is a fast read at about 120 pages, and it is focused on the three principles of an ancient Roman architect named Vitruvius: Utilitas, Firmitas, and Venustas in Latin, or function, structure, and beauty. The book devotes a chapter to each of these principles, and has additional chapters on architecture as communication and the vocabulary of architecture. The book also stresses the importance of history on architecture. The book has numerous drawings that help illustrate the points in the text. After reading this book I feel like I have a high-level picture of what architects have to consider in their profession.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Light and convenient, attractive and well made, March 6, 2001

By 

"petersonreviews" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: ABC of Architecture (Paperback)

This pleasant little book can be a valuable tool in the education of any amateur interested in architecture. It's of such a convenient size that you can take it with you, on long or short trips, and learn its concepts: ashlar, battered, common bond, dado, exoskeleton, firmitas, groin vault, and so on and so forth, through voussoir and wind bracing and many others.

It's a coherent story of architecture, not a glossary or dictionary, but the fresh, new words accumulate.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Short and, mostly, sweet., March 15, 2003

By 

algo41 "algo41" (philadelphia, pa United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: ABC of Architecture (Paperback)

This is a very informative, short book. While he doesn't ignore periods entirely, O'Gormans approach is to concentrate on key architectural principles, primarily structural, and use buildings, or even simplified sketches, to illustrate them. The book would have been even better if the glossary at the end were expanded, and used some sketches: words are frequently far less useful than pictures in explaining a term. Also, I found O'Gormans introduction a bit forced and wordy. Conversely, the last few pages of the book, in which he hurriedly covers such topics as the importance of history and association in interpreting architectural work, were fascinating, but rushed.