Renzo Piano Building Workshop - Volume 1 [Paperback]

Peter Buchanan (Author)

Book Description

Series: Renzo Piano Building Workshop | Publication Date: July 29, 1999

This first of four volumes on the work of Renzo Piano, shows key buildings and projects from the architect's early career as well as from the Building Workshop. It examines the evolution of his work, his working methods, his early mentors and his architectural development. Presentations of some of his most significant buildings and projects are included.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

This first of four volumes on the work of Renzo Piano, shows key buildings and projects from the architect's early career as well as from the Building Workshop. It examines the evolution of his work, his working methods, his early mentors and his architectural development. Presentations of some of his most significant buildings and projects are included.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Phaidon Press (July 29, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0714838985
• ISBN-13: 978-0714838984
• Product Dimensions: 11.4 x 9.9 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,345,966 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very, very enjoyable set of books, January 6, 2002

By 

Philippe Vandenbroeck (HEVERLEE, BELGIUM) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Renzo Piano Building Workshop - Volume 3 (Paperback)

As a set this is a great achievement. The books are wonderfully produced with glorious photography, lots of drawings and sketches (both of larger structures and details), stylish typography and a clear, rhythmic page layout. It's a genuine feast to the eye. However, I was slightly disappointed by the first volume's first section, in which Buchanan sets the scene for all that is to follow by providing us some conceptual and genealogical background on Piano's art. Buchanan's lead essay is repetitive, diffuse, conceptually thin and strays too far from the substance of Piano's architectural practice. The section on the 'spirit of the workshop' is really a missed opportunity: instead of a detailed picture of the collaborative dynamics in this complex environment, we get a rather glossy account of Piano's role of 'scout, actor and editor' in the design process. The pages on 'early influences' again are rather sketchy, with brief references to a series of mentors and to the role of the Genuese cityscape on Piano's mental map. From then on the book takes wing: I was grateful for the inclusion of the work in the early Studio Piano, the Piano & Rogers venture (Pompidou Centre) and particularly of the fancyful, but fascinating experiments in the Piano and Rice period. It gives us an idea of the rather exploratory journey Piano had behind him by the time the Building Workshop was established (he was 44 then). Volume I then goes on to document the early years of the workshop. Generally this represents an inconspicuous beginning: we see a lot of fine craftsmanship but there is relatively little that takes your breath away in terms of architectural vision. Compared to the later designs, we see a modesty that is approachable, refreshing and invites careful study. With its mix of full page photographs and thumbnail pictures, sketches and plans, colours and greytones the book never tires. And this applies to the whole series. A laudable example of serious and effective book design! As a whole I have no reservations in recommending this set to anyone remotely interested in contemporary architecture.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Each Volume is SUPERB!, August 27, 2001

By 

Ari N Syrimi - See all my reviews

This review is from: Renzo Piano Building Workshop - Volume 2 (Paperback)

...This book along with the previous volume are Fabulous!. Great photo's/details/extensive information about each and every project. Bravo Peter on a great series. Volume 3, is a bit iffy. Even though it continues with the tradition of the other Volumes, it devotes approx half the book towards the kansai airport (which im not particularly fond of). Volume 4 is on the list, those of you in OZ already know about Auora Apartments, an apartment building designed as only the Piano Workshop know how. I'm glad the Piano virus has made its way to Down Under.....Lets just hope its catching! - Check it out.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Volume 2...not detailed...nor in depth...in between book, March 8, 2006

By 

mdr "mdr" (4points) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Renzo Piano Building Workshop - Volume 2 (Paperback)

As much as I like Renzo Piano's works, he can learn something from Norman Foster to properly produce his set of books. These 4 editions are nice size (not heavy like Foster's) so you can bring to your job site or office if you want to show some examples. However, each building is not well documented. the plans have no measurements or too small to read, no scale, and the details are not complete enough. Simply, there are no coherent base of each buildings. Furthermore, the different editions sometimes cover the same building (ex.edition 3 covers Kansai Airport (perhaps too much), but it is also covered in edition 2.

Edition 2 seems to be a compilation of his works from the 80's but it is very difficult to figure out what exactly this book want to focus on. I recommend that Renzo Piano redo this whole editions of which he deserves.