Customer Reviews

The Fourth Dimension in Architecture: The Impact of Building on Behavior: Eero Saarinen's Administrative Center for Deere and Company, Moli

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Titled; The Fourth Dimension in Architecture: The Impact of Building(s) on Behaviour, I expected great things from this book. I expected from the title (as one naturally would) an exploration and analysis of the built environment together with some anthropological, psychological, sociological and philosophical case studies, research and maybe a brief foray into geomancy or what is now referred to as Feng Shui.

Did I get any of that? No, not really! What I got (and this is where the title is just plain dishonest), is a vague non-academic 'study' of the Deere & Co. headquarters in Moline, Illinois. This book NEVER comes close to even considering (let alone addressing) the central thesis of examining the impact of the built environment on the inhabitants. I'm confused... why choose the title? Why not choose, say, A brief study of the Deere & Co. headquarters in Moline, Illinois'? Well, clearly if they did that, no-one (other that Deere employees) would purchase such a text.

Hall & Hall explain that they did not receive any funding for this research, (p.51) and that this is their opinion was a positive thing because it allowed them freedom. However, I can't help but think that the real situation was rather different. Firstly no-one (aside from Deere & Co.) would have an interest in funding this non-academic, non-research masquerading as academia. Secondly, had someone been mad enough to provide funds, they would have wanted something for their investment, some academic paper they could tout around in periodicals and at conferences, there is simply NOTHING in here that even comes close to fulfilling such ideals.

What this book is, is a very vague and limited study of the opinions of less than 5% of the inhabitants of a SINGLE building, before, during and after inhabitation. To call it 'The Impact of Building(s) on Behaviour', is wholly improper and untruthful. In addition, the exact reason as to why this study was so important is never revealed, neither are the findings of the interviews, nor are the data laid open for scrutiny. This 'study' grandstands and fronts as being academia, it hints at being written by Professors in the field and it clearly is not. It is merely the vague observations of a couple who already had publishing deals and who despite being very ill-informed are trying desperately to convince us that they have published something of literary or academic worth, which they simply have not.

The major downfalls of this 'book' would include the following:
i) It is very disorganised and possesses no real structure or cohesion.
ii) There is no bibliography, the cite only one source.
iii) There seems to be no purpose for the 'study', certainly a rationale or governing thesis is never imparted to the reader.
iv) It is written by a couple who are clearly well out of their depth and out of their fields
v) It is never clear what we are given here. Is it supposed to be a serious academic or architectural study? or just a serious of musings and anecdotes? Who knows?

If you have found this book, and unless your tutor has set it as prescribed reading (please ask them why!) don't even bother with this book. it serves no purpose whatsoever, and should slip quietly out of print. it is utterly without a redeeming feature.