Customer Reviews

The Details of Modern Architecture: 1928 to 1988 (Volume 2)

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I guess most architects are familiar with the super famous modernists' projects, but few know what was put on the working drawings to realize it. This book does not provide actual construction drawings, but provide enough information to address what was quintessential aspects of the details. The reader would really appreciate the ingenuity of modern master's detailing by Ford's rich axonometric drawings of particular details. Ford painstakingly explains major issues involved in the details and weaves back to the historical basis of Modernism. Sometimes he makes bold generalizations to help a reader understand (and categorize) structural vs. envelope relationships. Throughout the book there is a clear categorization of attitudes towards the details; first, architects who would like to expose structure; second, architects who would like to wrap structure; third, architects who would combine the former two attitudes (expose/wrap structure). It was extremely rewarding to learn how Corb's details ("layered") differed from Mies's or Kahn's ("tectonic"). Four architects that I really enjoyed reading (because of my lack of knowledge on them) were; Asplund, Lewerentz, Greene Greene, and Aalto. I had to purchase these four architects' monographs after reading Ford's books.

Ford's book offers a unique look into selected projects of twentieth century architecture through short descriptions of projects touching on both theory and construction detailing. His choice of selected work in the volume touches most of the important modernist buildings of the sixty year period. Significant attention is paid to Scandinavia, Corbusier, Case Study Houses, Kahn, and the Post Modernists. Well worth the cash as I have referenced the drawings many times over the two years I have had it on the shelf.

Like the first volume, excellent book. Be prepared, however, for sentences like this, on page 127: "Perhaps because this methodology required the juxtaposition of opposites seemingly incapable of reconciliation, the irrational combination of radically different techniques, and the simultaneous consideration of multiple variables, it was one at which Aalto excelled". Both books are pretty much like that. It's interesting to read these elaborate sentences, but often they're the umpteenth re-statement of a point. After reading these volumes you'll have an overview of the important buildings and architects of the Twentieth century, complete with detailed drawings describing exactly how they were built, and a sense that architects will always agonize over the deceptions they are forced to perpetuate.

The book is ok, but it has too many pages and it is super heavy (hard cover version), the first 85 pages has some introduction about industrialization and some very horrible clasic works, wich was useless to me, then you got some nice works until page 337, not one of those mies mind you, then you got chapter 11: Hich tech, deconstruction, and the present day: 1972-1988 wich again is useless, I don't understand why the did not put mies works on this book being mies so carefull and rich about the detail, they miss on great architects, If i had the change to take a closer look at the book before buying I would'nt buy it...

I received the books (both the earlier publication and the follow up vol 2) today after a long wait. I must say that I have high expectation of the books and reckon that they could make an important contribution to the study of architecture. In an age where students are learning only from glossy mags and have no idea how buildings are put together and how the tactile quality of construction works, I think it is right that somebody should revisit the art and craft of architecture.

However, I am greatly disappointed with the books. Whilst the text is general reasonable, insightful and critical, the same cannot be said to the drawings. In a nutshell, they are badly drawn and poorly finished. For example, the style of the drawings does not reflect the quality of the material used. And who is going to believe that when materials of different qualities are joined together, there is no tolerance? Fixing methods are not illustrated and I have a suspicion that some of the details are guesswork. This is evident by noting the impossibility of construction sequence based on the drawings. The most unforgivable sin of the drawings is that lines are missing, or are wrongly drawn. Like my teachers used to say to us, students of architecture, the guy who did the drawings simply has no idea of construction and detailing.

As far as trying to teach my students the art and craft of architecture, I will definitely give the books a miss. The books are only useful to show how they should not be done.