Towards a New Architecture (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Review

'The only piece of architectural writing that will be classed among the essential literature of the 20th century.' Reyner Banham -- Review --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

'The only piece of architectural writing that will be classed among the essential literature of the 20th century.' Reyner Banham --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications (February 1, 1985)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486250237
• ISBN-13: 978-0486250236
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #211,656 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Where it all began, December 7, 2003

By	James Ferguson (Vilnius, Lithuania) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

Probably the most important book in Modern Architecture. Certainly the most villified over the years, especially since the death of Le Corbusier. In it he laid the ground work for Modern Architecture, extolling the virtues of an architecture that was the product of the machine age rather than a pastiche of historical styles.

Le Corbusier illustrated the principles which he felt should govern architecture, drawing from historical references such as the Parthenon, but stressing the need to come up with a new proportional system reflective of concrete construction. He had developed the Dom-ino system by this point and had designed a few villas along these lines. Included are wonderful sketches and models of his Citrohan House, which he hoped would be mass-produced like the automobile. He even approached the French car maker, Citroen, in this regard.

He explored low-scale housing solutions based on what he called the "Honeycomb" principle, porous housing blocks that allowed light and air to pass through the buildings for better ventilation and more airy courtyards. He forsaw many of the environmental concerns architecture now faces, despite the many attacks to the contrary.

Le Corbusier would reshape many of his ideas over time, but this book outlines his early view of architecture in the machine age, which led to the quote most often taken from this book, "a house is a machine for living." But, Le Corbusier saw it in much more human terms than his critics have.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully written and illistrated, August 12, 1999

By A Customer

Le Corbousier's mathematical and, at times, brutal approach to architecture is clearly and coherently laid out in this gem of a book. He is very to the point and uses words and ideas that can plainly be understood by his audience. This book is not as bad as some people say it is - Le Corbousier's just not a romantic like the rest of us!

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A seminal work, September 29, 2001

By	Ron (North York, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews

This book is inspirational for those who believe in modern architecture. The ideas are still as potent as ever. This book reflects the optimism of those early 20th century architects who worshipped new technology, who had a fervent desire to do every "modern" using industrial materials, who denounced old materials like stone and wood, who preached the benefits of a social architecture for the masses. For almost a century, this book has also influenced every great architects in the 20th century.

Having said all that, this book needs to be read with the reminder that not everything it preaches is "correct" and the many manifestations of modern architecture is darn right "de-humanizing" and "souless". This book is best contrasted by the work of Frank Lloyd Wright and many contemporary architects who emphasize the importance of a sense of "living" space in architecture.