Carchitecture: When the Car and the City Collide (Paperback)

by Jonathan Bell (Editor) "We are simultaneously at one with our cars and at odds with the automobile..." (more)
Key Phrases: car culture, personal transport, New York, New Urbanism, Los Angeles (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
The automobile has brought about changes to the landscape that are nothing short of revolutionary. The dramatic reconfiguration of cities and the countryside to accommodate our taste for freedom of movement has been matched by a change in the way buildings themselves have been planned. Today, CAD and car-building techniques have opened up new possibilities for architectural design and this book, edited by the London-based architect Alex de Rijke, argues that the influence of the car on architectural and urban thinking is greater than ever.

De Rijke's selection of ideas, photographs, texts and completed projects by a variety of architects explores the parallel development of cars and architecture during the second half of the twentieth century, and provides a compelling manifesto for the future of building design.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Birkhäuser Basel; 1 edition (August 1, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 3764364548
• ISBN-13: 978-3764364540
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 9.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #992,608 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars jumbled yet objective, November 16, 2003

By	"thecrumbum" (Louisiana) - See all my reviews

A moderate history on the century of man's life with autos, and have the autos have in turn shaped our lives and environments. I thought Mr. Bell was quite objective in his tone, as many works on this subject tend to be penned by the auto-phile/phobe. A generous use of illustration and encapsulated photos keep the content matter varied, and the reader engaged.

I didnt particularly like the layout of the book. While chronologically correct, the order of material lacks a certain clarity. Additionally, I would have preferred to see an emphasis on the current state of affairs, as oppossed the lengthy history, which comprises perhaps half the book. Aside from these two small points, I though the work was a delightful read and a success.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Intriguing color photos and plenty of written insights, February 5, 2002

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

Jonathan Bell's Carchitecture examines the fall-out from the collision of autos and urban environments, from experimental cars and freeways to parking garages and home environments. Cars and architecture both need to change, and this book maintains its arguments with a series of intriguing color photos and plenty of written insights.