The Phaidon Atlas of Contemporary World Architecture [Hardcover]

Editors of Phaidon Press (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 11, 2004

The Phaidon Atlas of Contemporary World Architecture presents a global survey of the most outstanding works of contemporary architecture from around the world completed in the last five years. Organized geographically and illustrated with global, regional and sub-regional maps locating each building, the book illustrates more than 1,000 completed buildings, and includes some of the most influential projects as well as many lesser-known buildings from around the world. Sections on World Data, Building Data and Architect's Biographies build up a detailed picture of the influences on contemporary architecture today. Every building type, from the largest publicly-funded art museums and airports to private houses, is covered, and each project is illustrated with colour photographs, line drawings and a descriptive text. The Atlas of Contemporary Architecture presents a comprehensive survey of international architecture at the turn of the twenty-first century. Eminent architectural critics, curators, journalists and practitioners from all parts of the globe were asked to nominate what they considered to be the most outstanding works of contemporary architecture in their regions and beyond. The resulting c. 1,050 buildings both confirm the far-reaching influence of well-known and respected international practitioners such as Jean Nouvel, Tadao Ando, Renzo Piano, Sir Norman Foster, Rem Koolhaas and Herzog & De Meuron, as well as introducing a host of lesser-known architects whose work provides an illuminating point of comparison with their famous counterparts. The book provides a unique opportunity to examine contemporary architecture as a global phenomenon with all the cross-cultural influences and commonality this suggests, as well as illustrating the diversity that is generated by climate (from the Arctic circle to the African deserts), culture (from the technologically advanced secularism of western Europe to traditional rural communities) and economics (from the wealthy post-industrial mega-economies to some of the most economically challenged countries of the developing world). The Atlas is divided into six geographical regions with detailed maps in each section providing geographical orientation and an understanding of where contemporary architecture is being commissioned, designed and built. The Phaidon Atlas of Contemporary World Architecture will be essential reading for all those interested in gaining a true understanding of where the best contemporary architecture is located in the world.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The Phaidon Atlas of Contemporary World Architecture--so massive that it comes in its own plastic carrying case--is one of the rare publishing events that lives up to its hype. The book showcases 1,052 buildings completed since January 1998 with thousands of well-chosen color photographs plans, elevations, and cross-sections. Major elements of each project are described in elegantly succinct texts. Rather than simply pay lip service to the concept of "world" architecture, this book ranges throughout 75 countries on six continents. And although the big names in the field are here--Rafael Moneo and Herzog & De Meuron are each represented by nine projects; Tadeo Ando with eight, Frank Gehry with six--the focus is on the ingenuity and diversity of contemporary architecture, regardless of the fame of its creator.

The book's global view embraces many approaches, including experimental construction, neo-modernism, postmodernism, reinterpreted vernacular architecture and lingering traces of the International Style. While virtually every building type is included, from factories to museums, from lookout towers to train stations, the largest and most creative category is single family housing. Selected (as were all the projects) by a panel of leading architects, critics, scholars and others, these homes offer a tantalizing sense of what is possible, even on a modest budget. Grouped by country, the residences establish a sense of local context--from the elegant use of Scandinavian wood to the imaginative use of narrow plots of land in Tokyo. Fully indexed, with an array of maps and world data charts, The Phaidon Atlas of Contemporary World Architecture is destined to serve as a unique reference tool. But the geographic organization encourages you to just open the book anywhere and make a discovery--perhaps the surreal vision of Ake Larsson's Icehotel (carved from ice and snow), or the forest of Cor-ten steel pipes Jose ABP Forjaz used in the Mbuzini Memorial, or the startling shed forms of Rick Joy’s Tubac House. --Cathy Curtis

Product Details

• Hardcover: 824 pages
• Publisher: Phaidon Press; Com edition (May 11, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0714843121
• ISBN-13: 978-0714843124
• Product Dimensions: 18.2 x 12.5 x 2.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #109,625 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars outstanding compilation of current architecture!!, December 8, 2004

By 

Rings fan "walt" (Arcadia, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Phaidon Atlas of Contemporary World Architecture (Hardcover)

I bought this book recently (not at amazon)primarily to bring myself up to date on what's out there in the latest trends. I hadn't seen the book, other than the publisher's web site. I was astounded when it arrived at my place of employment to see how much detail on the various projects has been worked into half page arrangements. It's a giant of a book, so the format works. This is one of the finest collections of contemporary architecture I have seen. (I am a practicing architect.)For the price, i believe it to be unique and unrivalled in scope. What especially impressed me was how much work from non-marquee architects was included.

I would heartilly recommend this to anyone, in the profession or not, for an in-depth survey of buildings worldwide. I only hope that this is the start of a series and not a one shot deal.

34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars to Buy or not to Buy, April 22, 2005

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ArchiZona "archidreamer" (Phoenix, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Phaidon Atlas of Contemporary World Architecture (Hardcover)

It is hard to review or even to critique good books, especially this one. Simply say "great" or "must have" does not help potential readers decide whether they need to invest in this volume. I have been struggling as well due to the fact that this book costs money (considering that I am still a poor student) and time (for reading). I was unable to finalize my choice untill this afternoon; and I would like to share my thoughts with all of you.

If you are an architecture professional, then the decision is easy to make. Just buy it! Owning this book to you is similar to getting a good dictionary or thesaurus to a professional writer.

The hard part comes if you are only a layperson or causal connoisseur to modern architecture (like me). To me, the cons to the investiment is twofold: 1)Information overload and redundancy. The information contained in this book is just massive. Honestly speaking, if you have already read quite a few books about modern architecture, nearly 70-80% of these projects (especially residentail buildings) are similar conceptually. What I (and probably you) need now is thought-provoking ideas and eye-catching images, which pop up among the mediocre. As a reference book, this Atlas includes both the ingenious ones and the boring ones. I have been wondering the necessity of reading all these projects. At least, I don't plan to get a PhD in architecture. 2)Size of the book. This point is peripheral comparing with the above, but still important (at least to me). The book is so large and so heavy that I cannot lie in my sofa or bed, holding and reading it comfortably. I have to get a desk and sit tight and straight. Architecture is my hobby and I really don't want to infuse a research-like mood when reading the book.

Fortunately, I picked up another book "Architecture Now 3" (AN) published by Taschen this afternoon. To me, AN is a concise version of the Phaidon Atlas, and could serve as a good substitute. The projects in AN and Phaidon Atlas overlap a lot. The good thing is that, in general, AN selected those interesting ones from the Atlas, removing all other redundant buildings. So you will still get the cutting-edge trends in today's architecture world with fewer projects and a little bit more detailed text. Plus, AN is organized by architects, so you got the chance to know those people (really useful information for amateurs). Further, AN is much smaller and I can read it anywhere I like (on the patio, in the bed, in a park...).

In summary, whether you need to buy this book depends on your needs. Spend money wisely. Hope this helps.

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive and gorgeous, September 14, 2004

By 

Symbiat (New York City, NY, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Phaidon Atlas of Contemporary World Architecture (Hardcover)

Comes in a briefcase-style transparent case, which you will definately need to carry this huge tome home (the book measures around 12"x18" and weighs almost 18 pounds!). This is a beautiful book covering a fairly comprehensive range of architecture and is well organized (the material is broken down by regions/sub-regions and the pages are color-coded). Anyone interested in architecture and design will thoroughly enjoy this fantastic book.