Customer Reviews

S, M, L, XL: Small, Medium, Large, Extra Large

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

 

 

The book's designer, Bruce Mau, has as much to do with its impact as the famed architect author, Rem Koolhaas. This is a "drop-in-anytime" book. Open any page, and let yourself go on the main story, squint at the working drawings, cruise the side margins gleaned from a multitude of literary and professional sources. I compare it to a rich Web site... you enter anywhere and link to new topics and images in a surprising and stimulating way. As a personal challenge, I attacked the book in the most plebeian fashion- from cover to cover, an effort spanning several months, hence true desert island satisfaction. Certain of the stories have been reviewed by others as fairy tales, and I did read them as such. Imagine my surprise reading other architectural histories to find they were virtually true! The graphically-assisted view of project relationships is welcome to any project planner. After a dose of Koolhaas' generic city, you will see your world through new eyes. Despite its uncomfortable bulk, S M L XL contains enormous energy and insights, and is not for the architect or urban planner only. Also, despite its enormous bulk, it is well bound and will not disintegrate as you lug it all over in the significant amount of time it will take you to finish it! Compliments to Monacelli for publishing it, and risking our tolerance for a behemoth edition.

Not having actually read the book, but merely a chore just to browse thru it, i believe that this book is compiled as it was meant to be used. the swishy graphics are seductive and the essays are short enough to appeal to the short attention spans of the mtv generation of young architects (to which i belong, lest anyone critique this critique on that basis).i do agree that for content rem will not be able to surpass his manifesto delirious new york- but have you met anyone who has actually read that? all in all, i recommend pooling resources and buying this tome as a group read, or perusing it at the local library, if it is actually available

When I heard of S,M,L,XL, I was ready to be amazed. I was expecting an incisive analysis of modern architecture on different scales, filled with examples of projects, both dreams and real buildings. Instead, the book is a chaotic assortment of rubbish -- excerpts of floor-plans, littered with photos which are hopefully intended to create a mood rather than convey a sense of the building. All in all, innovative typography and an overtly abstract approach take the place of real content. For me it was a great disappointment, and after a first read, its silver spine is all of it I'm likely ever to see.

The bible of architecture, S.M.L.XL seems to be reprinted in fall 2002, at least this is the information I have from Monacelli:
"Monacelli are planning to reprint it and it should be availed in the fall."

Greetings from Austria,

Patrick

Quite simply, the Bible of architecture.