The House Book (Architecture) [Hardcover]

Editors of Phaidon Press (Author)

Book Description

Series: Architecture | Publication Date: May 10, 2001

A reference for anyone interested in houses. Following the format of "The Art Book", it presents houses and dwellings from all periods and all corners of the globe. The houses selected represent a broad variety of styles, structures and aesthetics. From Hadrian's Villa to Palladio's Villa Rotonda to Le Corbusier's Villa Savoye and the contemporary houses of Richard Rogers or Frank Gehry, it features a range of architect-designed houses as well as traditional types of dwelling. There are 500 houses altogether, each classified by architect, designer, patron or cultural tribe and people, in A to Z format. There is a full-page reproduction of each house and a text that describes the building, placing it and its designer in its historical context. The volume also includes an easy-to-use glossary of technical terms and movements, and a directory of houses open to the public.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"'Packaged like six bricks, with a cover to match, it's a stunning visual experience. Beautifully produced, thoroughly thought-provoking, this is the gift book of the year.' (The Independent); 'Like all Phaidon publications, it is beautifully produced, cleanly laid out, with short, pithy captions.' (The Sunday Business Post, Ireland); 'In the spirit of calm, detached journalism, let's just say that The House Book is beyond fabulous.... For each pad - from Sami tent to the Winter Palace - you get a brief description, a glorious photo, and snappy cross referencing. What more could you want?' (Independent on Sunday); 'While many of the works are iconic, others are little-known and a revelation for the first-time viewer, particularly, I found, those from South America, Australia, India and Japan. Its selection of contemporary architecture is also impressive.' (Contemporary); 'Eclectic, inspiring, sometimes eccentric, toeing no party line... The House Book, which in the wrong hands could have told a rather partial history of domestic design, aims instead for catholic inclusivity - and succeeds. (Hugh Pearman, World of Interiors); '... an ideal coffee table companion - to be delved into time and time again.' (Self Build); 'Fresh and vibrant views of the architects and designers responsible for some of the world's most interesting homes.... the perfect gift for anyone interested in architecture and design.' (OK!); 'Surveys everything from palaces to mud huts.... What would you rather live in? A chateau in France or a yurt in Mongolia? An usha in Saudi Arabia or a villa in Rome?... The book is beautiful to look at, fascinating to dip into.' (The Tablet); 'Illustrates the incredible diversity of human habitation.' (The Scotsman); 'An elegant cheat sheet for residential architecture.' (Dwell); 'An interesting and fresh view of 500 iconic houses and traditional dwellings.' (Echoes); 'Features the work of 500 great architects - from Alvar Aalto to Peter Zumthor - in a clear, visually compelling format.' (Home Style); 'Each page of The House Book offers a new delight, usually totally different from the one before it. For instance, a Blackfoot tepee in a circa 1900 black-and-white photograph contrasts starkly with a '50s modern glass-and-concrete house on the next page and a stately 16th-century French chateau a few pages away. The 500 dwellings from around the world included in this handsome book are presented alphabetically by architect or other designation, leading to interesting juxtapositions of styles and history. Brief but informative text keeps you turning pages.' (Houston Chronicle); 'A resource for the architecturally knowledgeable as well as eye candy for design lovers.' (LA Weekly); 'Among the serendipitous pleasures of this eye-filling album are the random juxtapositions that occasionally pair designs with surprising affinities on facing pages, prompting memories of compare-and-contrast final-exam questions.' (New York Times Book Review); 'An endlessly fascinating, encyclopedic tour of the world's best examples of domestic architecture.' (Town and Country)" --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 512 pages
• Publisher: Phaidon Press (May 10, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0714839841
• ISBN-13: 978-0714839844
• Product Dimensions: 11.6 x 10.2 x 1.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,417,751 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Really fun to look through, February 12, 2002

By 

David J. Huber "Addicted to books!" (New York, NY United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The House Book (Architecture) (Hardcover)

A great collection of 500 houses, from huts in thirdworld countries, to historic castles and palaces and estates and chateaus, to modern architecture, done by 500 architects. This is a visuals-only book. It does not have much information about the buildings or the architects, but it makes up for the lack of text with the large, vibrant photos, which is what the book is all about. This book is a trade-off - it has more homes and architects than any other book out there, but it also has very little information, since with 500 architects, that only leaves one per page.

Fun to look through and mentally design the dream estate of my retirement years...and to learn about a lot of architects I'd never heard of.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The House Book, November 26, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The House Book (Architecture) (Hardcover)

If you liked The Art Book you'll love The House Book. An alphabetical listing of the most important 500 houses from all time. This concise visual history of icons covers everything from ancient cave dwellings to the latest in architectural wonders. Everyone one is there - Gehry, Aalto, Eames, Thomas Jefferson, Henry VIII, Palladio.
Beautifully photographed and printed, I ordered 10 copies of this coffee table book for holiday gifts.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Architecture as Anthropology!, March 12, 2006

By 

Paul Sas "Paul Whitmore Sas" (Berkeley) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The House Book (Architecture) (Hardcover)

Fascinating tour of homes, with most of the really rewarding images revealing the indigenous styles of homes across the globe, including the iglu, the long house, dung hovels, and dozens of other styles that incorporate the folk wisdom of humans across the centuries. The modernist austerities were the least interesting, even more boring than castles from the Hapsburgs. Some of the contemporary puzzle pieces were striking, and each page repaid the time invested pouring over the details captured. I wish that they would double page load, and show a representative interior of each exterior captured here.