Customer Reviews

Vitruvius: On Architecture, Volume II, Books 6-10 (Loeb Classical Library No. 280)

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Vitruvius is the most important architect in the history of western civilization. Though his theories and practices may seem simple or out of date considering modern techiniques, Vitruvius' influence throughout the past 2000 years since his time is immesurable. The great architects of Roman times pointed to Vitruvius as irrefutable source for their architecture. Throughout the Renaissance the architects built upon Vitruvius' Ten Books and wrote a few updates, though no revisions. Bramante, the architect of St. Peters in Rome relied upon Vitruvius for the proportions for this masterpiece. Today only a few architecture schools refer back to this work of genius, notable among these is U. of Notre Dame, an island in the stormy seas of modernity.

This book is the latest in a long line of translations of one of the worlds most important architectural
treaties. It is a careful and thorough translation, in comparison to the former by Hickey Morgen,
which misses many points due to the author's minimal knowledge of architectural parctice in the age
of vitruvius, and before. I do recommend this book to all architects, and students interested in this
pivotal book.