Living.Vivre.Leben (French and German Edition) [ILLUSTRATED] (Paperback)

by Rem Koolhaas Oma (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"Living (by OMA and Rem Koolhaas; Birkhauser Publishers for Architecture) articulates modern-day life in the apartment building of nervy architect Rem Koolhas." -- Elle Dcor

Product Description
The first monograph on Ulrich Franzen, an architect who has influenced the architectural scene in New York since the fifties. Ulrich Franzen was born in 1921 in Dsseldorf. He studied architecture with Marcel Breuer and Walter Gropius at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design. From 1950-55 he worked for I.M. Pei before opening his own architectural office in New York in 1955. His encounter with Modernism had a determining influence on his work, and Franzen soon developed his own individual architectural language.

Reference to context and collage, the bringing together of different elements in free composition are typical themes in his work. The spectrum of his architecture spans elegant, generous residences and severe, rigorous buildings for industry and research. He has also worked on projects in urban development.

This monograph presents the oeuvre of Franzen for the first time. It was written by the renowned architectural critic, Peter Blake and attractively designed by the well-known graphic designer, Massimo Vignelli.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 96 pages
• Publisher: Birkhauser; 1 edition (June 16, 1998)
• Language: English, French, German
• ISBN-10: 3764356383
• ISBN-13: 978-3764356385
• Product Dimensions: 13 x 9.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,837,583 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars XS for Rem this round, December 18, 1998

By A Customer

All round, this book stands as a small volume analysing Koolhaas's domestic works. This book covers all of Koolhaas's housing projects, from the Patiovilla to the most contemporary built work of Maison a Bordeaux.

One striking thing about this book is the simultaneous comparison and layout of all the five canoical drawings of Architecture for all the projects. That is to say, all the site plan for all the projects are on the same page, as are all the axonometrical drawings and similar sections. This allows one to examine Koolhaas work in a systematic way to conclude on the developement of OMA's work for the last decade in housing projects.

However, this volume wandered off in the direction of more of an exhibition coverage and not so much of a typical Koolhaas's book. Gone is his often satirical remarks, as well as his whitty insights into the design process. The photographs of this volume also leave one with much to desire. The often edggy bluriness of some cover photos may make one compare to those on a typical GA periodical.

All in all, this is definitely one for a Koolhaasian fanatic. If you really wishes to know more about Koolhaas's semantic wonders, look for 'S, M, L, XL' instead.