The Oxford Companion to Architecture: Two-volume set (0) [Hardcover]

Patrick Goode (Author), Stanford Anderson (Author), Sir Colin St John Wilson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 17, 2009 | ISBN-10: 0198605684 | ISBN-13: 978-0198605683 | Edition: 1

The Oxford Companion to Architecture is a unique and indispensable two-volume resource for all who wish to enrich their passion and knowledge of architecture. 1,500 A-Z entries cover all aspects of architecture, from architects, building types, and movements and styles to materials, aspects of design, and definitions. High-quality illustrations complement and enhance the text, and in-depth cross-referencing and a thematic table of contents enable readers to find information easily.

Embracing the world of architecture in all its variety, the Companion offers complete coverage of architecture from around the world, giving equal weight to architecture in Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and South America as to the more familiar examples from Western Europe and the United States, and of both modern and vernacular architecture. It covers all periods, from the beginnings of architecture in ancient Egypt to the present day, and yet is strongly rooted in an approach to architecture that looks at its social, technical, and practical aspects, beyond an art-historical perspective. Written by a team of over 150 distinguished contributors, The Oxford Companion to Architecture is one of the most authoritative, up-to-date and accessible architecture reference books available.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

This many-authored set is a “companion” rather than a dictionary or encyclopedia, writes editor Goode, “in that the authors were encouraged to make judgments, rather than merely list dates and attributions (though every effort has been made to ensure that these are correct).” Of course, the work does much more than that, providing 1,500 A–Z entries that will be accessible and informative for amateur and architect alike. Goode hopes that readers find it “informative and stimulating intellectually, but above all that it will inspire them to look at architecture in a new light.” Four-fifths of the coverage is devoted to the pre-1900 period, and contemporary architects “who did not made a significant reputation” by 2000 are excluded (at least from having entries of their own). Coverage is worldwide, purposely giving significant weight to Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and South America. The “Thematic Analysis of Entries” reveals entries for architects (by far the largest category); building types (Airports, Chateaux, Hotels, Prisons, Synagogues, Warehouses, etc.); countries and other geographic divisions; theory; architectural details (Arch, Doors, Gargoyle, Portico, etc.); materials; movements; and more. The thousands of significant buildings mentioned or discussed are not given separate entries. The greatest emphasis on the non-European traditions is in the often lengthy articles on countries, empires, and peoples (Africa, Buddhist architecture, Chile, Indian subcontinent, Iran). Fewer than 200 monochrome photos and building plans, ranging from small to full page, illustrate these pages. A fine and opinionated “Bibliographic Essay” (or rather an annotated bibliography extensively subdivided by topic) and an index of contributors round out the set. Recommended for academic and large public libraries for its authoritative, comprehensible, and wide-ranging coverage. --Craig Bunch

About the Author

Dr. Patrick Goode is a historian and was an executive editor and contributor to the Oxford Companion to Gardens (1986) and Humphry Repton (1983). He is currently carrying out research on the relationship between Classicism and Modernism in 1930s Italy.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 1152 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; 1 edition (September 17, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0198605684
• ISBN-13: 978-0198605683
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 7.7 x 2.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,999,857 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)