Customer Reviews

Aldo Rossi: Architecture 1981-1991

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I am not sure if this book conveys the depth of Rossi's thoughts really well. There are not too many pictures of the actual buildings' exteriors nor interiors although the (small) pictures shown are so good that I am wanting to see more. At a glance, it gives an impression that most of the book's contents are dedicated to the (colorful) sketches and models, which are shown proportionally gigantic compared to the pictures of the actual buildings and the drafted drawings. This was rather perplexing considering that the publication was one of the two-part documentation covering 'buildings and projects': the other volume covered 'drawings and paintings'. In a way, the seriousness of Rossi's conceptual studies might have been overlooked by a reader like myself with such an impression which seemed to be mirroring the dream contents of the master architect. It almost felt as though the importance of the real and the other was inverted deliberately for a dramatic effect. Upon closer readings however, the book reveals an interesting aspect of Rossi's design process and accompanies an excellent essay titled 'the theater of shadows'. Even for someone who attended an architecture school past his direct influence, Rossi is still an enigmatic figure whom I would like to comprehend. Unfortunately, there is no biographical nor his own teaching materials available at least not in the language I understand. It seems that there had been numerous articles published in magazines during his career, which are difficult to obtain. It would be of great interest if a collection of articles or a different kind of reflection/documentation of his architecture became available.