Rethinking Architecture: Reader in Cultural Theory (Hardcover)

by Neil Leach (Author) "I would like first to express my gratitude for the confidence shown me by Adolf Arndt in his invitation to speak here today..." (more)
Key Phrases: word bauen, oneiric house, architectural message, New York, Critical Regionalism, Peter Eisenman (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
Proves that architecture does indeed occupy a serious place in the humanist thought and culture...it should set the pace for debate about architecture for a long time to come..
–Adrian Forty, Architects Journal

Proves that architecture does indeed occupy a serious place in the humanist thought and culture...it should set the pace for debate about architecture for a long time to come..
–Adrian Forty, Architects' Journal

Product Description
This invaluable reader brings together the core writings on architecture by key philosophers and cultural theorists of the Twentieth Century.

This careful selection of the very best theoretical writings offers a refreshing take on the question of architecture and provocatively rethinks many of the accepted tenets of architectural theory from a broader cultural perspective.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 432 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 1 edition (March 28, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415128250
• ISBN-13: 978-0415128254
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 7.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #381,569 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars solid choice of readings, October 3, 2006

By	Daniel Williamson - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Rethinking Architecture: Reader in Cultural Theory (Paperback)

Contrary to the opinion of the fellow who gave this book 1 star, this book has an excellent selection of essays from many key 20th century thinkers (including three essays and 1 extract from Heidegger, which should be enough to undermine the critic's credibility). For the most part, they are presented unedited in full. Many of the selections are must-reads for people who wish to understand particular periods in the history of modern architecture, and it is nice to have them all together under a single cover.

13 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Mis-reading architecture, April 17, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Rethinking Architecture: Reader in Cultural Theory (Paperback)

I read this book and was instantly struck by the mis-representation and editing of the theories of some of the centuries most important thinkers. The discourse is limited to a one-dimensional view of architectural theory that seems to dismiss the most potent ideas of critical theory and radical critique. The book is structured around themed chapters containing several extracts with a logic of "this is a critique of this" in a rather naive way. The author's ommission of Heidegger's thinking is bizarre and his critique of Loos misses out the crucial influence of the intellectual milieu of early 20th century Vienna (Kraus, Wittgenstein etc.). Some interesting lesser known figures are brought to light (Kracauer for example)and there is some fantastic material here extracted from larger works, but be warned! this is a book with its own agenda.

4.0 out of 5 stars A great sourcebook, November 11, 2008

By	Tomas Hribek (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rethinking Architecture: Reader in Cultural Theory (Paperback)

The editor of the books is to be congratulated for compiling all the key texts of the leading Continental philosophers on the topics of architecture, urbanism, or the built environment per se. Whether or not you are smitten by the so-called Continental philosophy -- a loosely connected group of twentieth century figures mostly active in Germany and France, from Heidegger and Adorno through Foucault and Derrida -- you can't deny that they have decisively influenced the contemporary architectural discourse. It's useful to have most of the relevant writings available in one volume.