XS: Big Ideas in Small-Scale Building [Hardcover]

Phyllis Richardson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 5, 2001

A follow-up to the highly successful XS: Big Ideas, Small Buildings, this book features contemporary solutions to two of today's most challenging problems-how to conserve space and help save the environment. The design goals of the 40 houses included here are to build as small as possible, to harmonize with the site, to use natural heating and cooling techniques, and, above all, to combine aesthetic beauty with ecological sensitivity. The houses are striking in appearance, inexpensive to build, and totally functional, and will serve as inspiration for architects and potential owners.Designed by a variety of young international architects (among them Patkau, ShoP, Sean Godsel, and Klein Dytham) the projects featured here reveal an extraordinary degree of ingenuity within a tight, creative context or budget. As homeowners become more environmentally savvy and demand environmentally sound choices, a new generation of architects and builders is creating warm, inviting homes that cause only a fraction of the ecological impact of conventional building methods. The book is also a compelling manifesto that illustrates how ecological responsibility can reinvigorate contemporary architecture. Sustainability is not just good for the environment-it also propels architects toward new innovations and greater creativity.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Phyllis Richardson is the author of the bestselling XS: Big Ideas, Small Buildings. Her other books include Contemporary Natural, StyleCity London, and StyleCity Barcelona. She lives in London

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Universe (October 5, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789306425
• ISBN-13: 978-0789306425
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 1.1 x 7.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #197,169 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Enlightening, April 17, 2005

By 

ArchiZona "archidreamer" (Phoenix, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: XS: Big Ideas in Small-Scale Building (Hardcover)

This book is about creativity and innovation; not just small-house-designing, but compact-space-creation. It contains not only residential projects, but also public facilities (e.g., bus stops) and objects (e.g., stunning tents), plus some "think-outside-the-box" structures for extream weather (e.g., north pole), remote locations, unusual situations (e.g., floating on a river) and pure entertainment (a pocket-size [before use] inflatable space). It also includes all the information about the architects and designers and the prices (generally very cheap, the inflatable space only costs about 5 franc!). However, I would like to have more informatin about those designs, maybe more pictures or text to get a more complete 3D feeling of those spaces.

I discovered this book in a bookstore. After skimming through it, I immediately decided to order one copy. If you want to find some recent architecture and building cases, you'd better get some other books or buy some magazines. But if you want to know how far architecure and design can go and want to experience some intellectural stimulation, then get this book. You will be enlightened.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a gem!, March 17, 2002

By 

Matthew O. Nugent "chaglang" (Somerville, MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: XS: Big Ideas in Small-Scale Building (Hardcover)

I found this book while doing a newsstand project for my studio class. I was interested in seeing how other designers had tackled the high level of detail that becomes necessary when creating a small structure (and get some inspriation for my own project along the way). I wasn't disappointed. Although I usually like to see more process sketches in architecture books (Xs is completely lacking in this regard), the variety, creativity and inventiveness of the projects exhibited won me over. The different uses of materials are especially diverse and inspiring. The photographs are thoughtful and do a good job of showing much of the detail that makes these structures interesting in the first place. The text is well-written (I consider any architecture writing not filled with euphemisim and jargon a godsend), and the quotes from the designers is insightful. I started showing Xs to other architects in my firm and it quickly became a hit. It is, above all else, an accessable, fun book.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Cool, Unique Projects, February 1, 2002

By 

Tamara (austin, tx) - See all my reviews

This review is from: XS: Big Ideas in Small-Scale Building (Hardcover)

This is a nice little book, well put together, of some unique projects you might not otherwise see because they are so small. It isn't very indepth on any of them, no more that 3-4 pics usually. Contains a lot of projects with novel use of materials, most are built pretty cheap too.
It is good general book and worth... I think.