30 Second Architecture

30 Saniyede Serisi

by Edward Denison (Editor), Jonathan Glancey (Forward)

Exactly what did Roman architects do for us? Can you identify a voussoir or a vault? What is “architecture of the veil?” Are you able to expound on Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles? And who was the father of the skyscraper? This set of 50 explanations of the innovations, theories, styles, and developments in architecture will equip you with all the answers and provide a rock-solid grounding in the essentials of the built environment—from ancient tomb to urban icon. 30-Second Architecture presents you with the foundations of architectural knowledge, explaining each idea, no matter how complex, using 300 words and one picture: all easily digested in a spare half minute. Expert authors are challenged to define and describe both the principles upon which architects depend, and the styles with which they put those principles into practice. So, if you want to know your arch from your elevation, and your Baroque from your Byzantine, or you wish to end your next dinner party with a stirring speech on biomimetics, this is the quickest way to construct your argument.

Genres: Architecture, Nonfiction, Art, History, Design

160 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Dr Edward Denison is a Lecturer at The Bartlett School of Architecture and an independent architectural, urban and cultural specialist. He is Director of the MA Architecture and Historic Urban Environments, Co-coordinator of Year5 Thesis, Module Coordinator of Multiple Modernities Architecture on the MA Architectural History, and a PhD Supervisor.

Reviews

[Raisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Yep, that was 30 second architecture. Informative in bite-sized pieces but lacked interesting facts. The pictures were sometimes useless because they were photoshopped into oblivion.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another gift from a nephew. Love them!

The arrangement didn’t flow very well for me, the paucity of female architects was annoying (although no idea if this book is an accurate reflection), and oddly for a book bought in Canada, no mention of any Canadians to the best of my recollection. That said, definitely learned stuff.

[Nadezhda · Rating 2 out of 5]

A mess which was thought to be a rough guide to architecture.

[Anna · Rating 1 out of 5]

The title is exactly what's in the content of this book however the book did not often provide a lot of examples for different concepts it was trying to teach (i.e almost nothing for the Brutalism movement) and the organization of the book was poor. You would have better luck with Wikipedia.

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

An overview of 50 architectural ideas, people and design elements. Not the best organization and not always clear.

[Michael Dubakov · Rating 3 out of 5]

В качестве введения в архитектуру — довольно слабо.
Особенно раздражает плохая связь иллюстраций и текста.
Но что-то интересное есть, так что не полный провал.

[consuelo · Rating 5 out of 5]

First step

Gives you an overall view of dif6styles and basic elements in ar architecture. Good reference for simple minds like mine

[Jacqueline Nyathi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a thing about Zaha Hadid

[Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Книга поверхностная, но помогает сделать первые шаги

[Daphne Papadopoulou · Rating 3 out of 5]

30 Second Architecture is a great book for a beginner who wants to learn about the foundations of Architecture, comprehend its primary principles, explore the history and visualize the future. Its content is very organized, with equivalent dictionary at the start of each chapter, filled with terminology one might not know of, and also includes excellent, interesting information, while giving you triggers to make your own researches.
The language is a bit tough, but it is manageable. I'd recommend it to people who are very fond of Architecture.

[Gulzab · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great, short variety on all things architecture - a review book for me for the most part. The added profiles on some of the most well-known architects (Vitruvius, Le Corbusier, Frank Lloyd Wright) had an added addition of I. M. Pei which I was thrilled to read about! Overall, a great primer on architecture before you delve into thick of specificity.

[Etienne · Rating 3 out of 5]

J'ai trouvé ce livre moins intéressant et moins instructif que ceux de cette collection. Pourtant c'était un sujet qui m'intéressait et dont je ne connaissais pas grand chose... Si vous avez un très grand intérêt pour l'architecture et que vous êtes un néophyte allez-y, sinon, ce n'est peut-être pas nécessaire.

[Arjun · Rating 3 out of 5]

"30-Second Architecture" is a concise and informative guide that offers a quick yet engaging overview of architectural concepts and styles. With its bite-sized explanations and vibrant visuals, it's a perfect introduction for both newcomers and enthusiasts, making architectural history easily accessible in just 30 seconds.

[Steve Fenton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fascinating and clear explanation of the fundamental concepts, beautifully laid out. Describes the evolution of style and techniques, which are more interrelated than I realised. A great companion to 101 Things I Learned in Architecture School.

[Aaron Chu · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good quick primer of architecture, but could use more visual references.

[Ark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Concise, well-researched, a good introduction to basic concepts, famous names, and historical periods in architecture.

[Wesley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting and good information but could have used more and clearer pictures