The Color of Cities: An International Perspective [Hardcover]

Lois Swirnoff (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 16, 2000

A photographic reference that documents the distinctive colour characteristics in urban design throughout the world. It shows how cultural colour preferences are grounded in perceptive differentials based on geographic determinants and variations.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Honorable Mention" designated by the Association of American Publishers for the best book on architecture and urban design in 2000. -- The Association of American Publishers (AAP), 2000

...original and fascinating …environment through the lens of color and light…richly illustrated journey...worth the journey. -- Architecture Boston

From the Back Cover

The First Major Study of Color in Urban Design. Architecture and urban design define a locale by giving it structure and form. But less obviously, and more fundamentally, color has a significant impact on the overall perception of an urban environment. The Color of Cities: An International Perspective is the first book to explore the complex interactions that inform and shape this perception. It documents the use of color in urban areas around the world, showing how color contributes to a city's unique character and appearance.

Over 300 full-color photographs support this ground-breaking work by noted color theorist Lois Swirnoff. Drawing on specific examples from cities in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia, The Color of Cities demonstrates how local color selection is rooted in the geophysical, determined in large part by how colors originate in - and are altered by - the angle of the Sun's rays. And the book explains how the intensity of light differs globally, from the direct beam of the Equatorial regions to the angular glow of cities nearer the poles.

Using dimensional color as her premise, Swirnoff explores the links between a culture's distinctive character and its color choices, and describes how color plays a role in building the environment. You'll also see some unexpected similarities in different cities' use of color in standard urban features such as facades, streets and plazas, boundaries, and market-places. For easy reference, the book is organized according to these features, with abundant photographic appendix offers a summary overview of the color palettes of cities and locales. It all adds up to the most in-depth, most complete look at the pivotal role of color in urban design - and one you'll refer to again and again.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 230 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Professional Publishing; 1ST edition (February 16, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0070633487
• ISBN-13: 978-0070633483
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 2.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,073,345 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A visual, historical and sociological treat!, September 19, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Color of Cities: An International Perspective (Hardcover)

The is a somewhat remarkable book, worth the high price tag. Swirnoff tackles an unique issue: the role of color/light in forming a particular city's identity. She cites (and sites) examples from New York to Santa Fe to Venice to Mexico to Paris to the Caribbean to Stockholm to Japan and many others, too. The book has many photo examples, both black-and-white and color, as well as quite thought provoking written discussion.This is a much-needed book, focusing on an important issue of local identity at a time when globalization challenges the specifics of space and place. The book would appeal to travellers, visual artists, architects, sociologists, urban planners and many others.

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars The Color of Cities, February 13, 2001

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Color of Cities: An International Perspective (Hardcover)

As a colorist for the last twenty years, specializing in exterior building color I was sorely disappointed to read this book. Basically everything she had to say of import could have be said in an essay. The author has a wonderful vocabulary but after wading through all the prose one finds there is liitle said that isn't entirely obvious. I was left with the impression that this book was concieved as a great excuse to travel to the world's really wonderful places. You will note that she not traveled to Lubbock or Erzerum.

2 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars The Color of Cities, February 13, 2001

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Color of Cities: An International Perspective (Hardcover)

As a colorist for the last twenty years, specializing in exterior building color I was sorely disappointed to read this book. Basically every she had to say of import could have be said in an essay. The author has a wonderful vocabulary but after wading through all the prose one finds there is liitle said that isn't entirely obvious. I was left with the impression that this book was concieved as a great excuse to travel to the worlds really wonderful places. One is aware that she not traveled to Lubbock or Erzerum.