Shelter [Paperback]

Lloyd Kahn (Editor), Bob Easton (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1996

Shelter

"An embarassment of riches."

-- Manas

"How very fine it is to leaf through a 176-page book on architecture -- from bailiwicks to zomes -- and find no palaces, no pyramids or temples, no cathedrals, skyscrapers, Kremlins, or Pentagons in sight... instead, a book of homes, habitations for human beings in all their infinite variety." -- Edward Abbey

"Shelter is a must not only for those actively engaged in house building, but for everyone who understands that lifestyle begins at home -- that we are, after all, where we live." -- Rolling Stone

"Shelter is lavishly illustrated, containing over 1000 photographs, numerous drawings, and 250,000 words of text concerned with basic shelters from all over the world." -- San Francisco Chronicle

"It's time to educate the architects. To that extent this book on shakes and wattle and daub is the most revolutionary architecture book around..."

-- Architecture In Australia

"A piece of environmental drama."

-- Building Design

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Lloyd Kahn has managed to pull together a stunning catalog of the phenomenon of human shelter through history, across cultures and climates from around the world. Yurts and huts and tree houses and cathedrals of stone. This is an eye-opener for anyone considering building their own home, or anyone just interested in human inventiveness and creativity. With over 1000 photos and drawings of cave houses, communal huts, wooden shacks, tents, domes, towers and holes in the ground, you'll be amazed at all the different ways people have tried to keep the rain off their heads and the wolves outside!

Review

"It's an inspiring celebration of indigenous, handmade, personal-statement building. Oughta be the first book a freshman architecture student sees."
-J. Baldwin, Whole Earth Review

"How very fine it is to leaf through a 176 page book on architecture - from baliwicks to zomes - and find no palaces, no pyramids, or temples, no cathedrals, skyscrapers, Kremlins, or Pentagons in sight... Instead, a book of homes, habitations for human beings in all their infinite variety."
-Edward Abbey

"Shelter is a must not only for those actively engaged in house building, but for everyone who understands that lifestyle begins at home - that we are, after all, where we live."
-Rolling Stone

"It's time to educate the architects. To that extent this book on shakes and wattle and daub is the most revolutionary architecture book around..."
-Architecture in Australia --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Shelter Pubns (January 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 067976948X
• ISBN-13: 978-0679769484
• Product Dimensions: 14.2 x 11 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,104,443 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ! Very inspiring, a must-have reference. I never get tired of this book., October 1, 2005

By 

SteveCedarman "SteveCedarman" (Arizona USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Shelter (Paperback)

Shelters is a must-own classic. I treasure my copy, and I am actually came to the amazon site today to buy 3 copies of this book, one to donate to my Church library, one for a Christmas gift for a carpenter friend, and one to complement my first edition of this book. This book was first released in 1973 by Shelter Press. If this book is of interest, check out the other books from them.

This is a big, oversize paperback the size of a road atlas. Every page packed with great drawings, photos or diagrams. I never get tired of browsing through the pictures, reading some of the stories, and getting inspiration to go out and build a shelter, a home, for a planned or unplanned need to build a place to live; this book covers expedient shelters of many types.

I have yet to see a better book on this subject, it is simply a fantastic reference and a joy to read. This is not a book simply on construction methodology, this is a book about people building shelter to reflect available materials, tools, budget, and most of all culture.

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars HANDBUILT HOUSES, BY FREE THINKING PEOPLE. WAY COOL YES., May 14, 2006

By 

A. Lawrence "i think" (Nth Coast NSW, Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Shelter (Paperback)

I studied architecture in Australia and dragged my feet through the course. That is until a mate suggested I check out this book.
It liberated me.

Here was a bunch of common folk who met one of the most basic needs of all humanity - shelter.

So much of what we encounter in our 'western' enlightened age is alien and regulated. The materials that we commonly use in buildings & infrastruture is devoid of any life or connection with the earth. They are not in or close to their natural state. And even if they are, there is so much regulation and stipulation on how we are to use them.

But this book gives you hope, a chance to dream. It shows buildings as art forms, useful & practical but completely expressive of the owners they serve. They are not bound by regulations and conventions. This is craftsmanship not industrialisation. They are made from from natural unrefined materials which in essence connects us to the earth, which we all belong to. From dust we came, to dust we will all return. The beauty of nature is your own home.

This book is filled with ideas and ways in which people have often 'escaped' from the life draining cities to a more peacuful and harmonious way of life. It's superb photo's, hand illustrations and even the way the book is laid out are a freedom in itself. This is one book you will not regret owning and will always find pleasure returning again and again to.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Informative and Interesting, September 24, 1998

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Shelter (Paperback)

I believe this book was out of print for a while so it is nice to have it back. Architecture students or anyone with an interest in architecture would appreciate this book. It is a good look at how humans have satisfied one of our basic needs. It is an exhaustive collection of human habitats, written in a clever and unprentious way (unlike most architecture books!). If you like this book, you may also enjoy books by Witold Rybczynski such as Home, and Looking Around.