Customer Reviews

Kees Christiaanse

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Kees Christiansses monograph is a brief, but excellent introduction to one of today's most important architect/urban planners. Written in both Dutch and English, the book with a convenient brevity, summarizes the tremendously dense work that Christiansse both seeks and has ascertained. Small graphics of plans and sections accompany the generous images of his theoretical, and realized projects. What the book lacks is a more in depth coverage of Christiansses urbanist ideas and formal propensities. Although there are brief insights and writings that follow the project descriptions, and a small prologue at the end, the reader is left somewhat wanting a more comprehensive understanding of Christiansse form language at both the urban and architectural scale. Overall, however, this monograph is an invaluable introduction to a strangely misunderstood and unfortunately little discussed architect/urban planner (at least in the States). Christiansse, nonetheless, is at the fore of urban design in Europe and is undoubtedly a key research figure for architects and urban planners around the world.