Customer Reviews

Rethinking Architecture: A Reader in Cultural Theory

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

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.

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.

I already had taken a shot on this book, after a friend recommended it to me. Of course, it's not a book by architects, it's extracts offer different perspectives on architecture and urbanism that not always are found akin to architectural thought or conventional architectural thought, but that's precisely the point... highly recommended to anyone interested in.. well. Rethinking Architecture

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.

This book is a compilation of essays on architecture from a very distinctive and unique point of view, which shows people involved with architecture or its related fields the perspective of recognised sociologists, communicators, semiologists et cetera, and which constitutes a very valuable tool for a deeper understanding of our everyday proceedings in such a globalizing practice as the art of designing works of art where we can dwell.

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.