The Grammar of Architecture

by Emily Cole

Do you know a Doric column when you see one? Perhaps. But what about an entablature, a hypostyle, a pylon, or a pagoda? The Grammar of Architecture uses beautifully engraved plates from the great works of architectural history to illustrate a journey of the architecture of civilizations around the world, from Ancient Egypt to the Industrial Revolution.

Most of the drawings and engravings have been taken from early sources, unparalleled for their elegance and delicacy of line, as well as for the amount of fine detail they offer. Extended captions provide a comprehensive naming of architectural elements that, as well as identifying and defining the correct terminology, will cultivate a knowledge of how architects planned and made the buildings of the past, from Amenhotep to Palladio and Vitruvius to Wren.

Emily Cole is an architectural historian currently working at English Heritage. Other contributors include architectural historians Susie Barson, James Rothwell, Emily Rawlinson, Philippa Baker, Mary Peskett Smith, Emma Lauze, Emily Gee, Alice Yates, Sarah Vidler, Xu Yinong, Maria Flemington, and Tessa Gibson.

Genres: Architecture, Reference, Art, Nonfiction, History

352 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Kirousekcukrousek kulka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jo předtím než se mě začněte ptát, tak jsem to dostala k Vánocům od táty, protoze se mi snaží nenápadně podstrčit neco, co by mi pomohlo vybrat si budoucí obor, bohužel chudák neví, že nenakreslim pořádně ani čáru rovnou pravítkem, takže architektura není the best choice.

[Benjamin · Rating 4 out of 5]

pro:

-not only the European/American architecture is described, but also the architecture of other cultures like the Indian and the Chinese.

-informative texts give background information about the historical context and the elements of the respective architecture style

-differences between respective architecture styles in different countries are explained

-in a small second chapter several architecture elements like stairs are explained

contra:

-the book stops at the neoclassicism, architecture styles like historism and Art Nouveau aren't explained.

-the quality of the illustrations isn't very good

Although this book isn't perfect, I recommend it to every architecture enthusiast, who is interested in the classical architecture. For those, who are mainly interested in modern architecture it is maybe not the right book. For me it is a good reference book.

[Dvine · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for a crash course in architecture up to the 19th Century, this is your book.
It covers not only Western architecture Ancient Greeks, Romans, ... Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, ... Neo-classicism, ... but also architectural styles from different traditions and civilizations all around the globe Egyptian, Persian, Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Meso-American, Islamic, ...

[Adrian Neri · Rating 4 out of 5]

El final un poco flojo... me hizo mucha falta la etapa industrial, raro que no la incluyeran

[Wojtek Konieczny · Rating 5 out of 5]

9/10

[Jeffrey Sandberg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just have this on my shelf due to an intrigue in looking at buildings and as a reference for designing architecture in drawing/painting

[MrsEnginerd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very useful guide when traveling to locations with varied architectural components and buildings. It includes pictures and references to the most common examples of the different styles. It doesn't go too much in depth in terms of artists that follow the styles or architects famous for using particular elements but it serves as a starting point for understanding ancient and modern architecture. Good read especially for kids and teenagers interested in the subject matter.

[DNA · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a student of 3D architecture modeling, and one day my instructor dumped this on my desk. "I want you to take this home and study it, and give it back to me after the holidays." -- I did not even bother taking it home. I bought another copy for myself right away.

[Caroline Baldwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

this has turned out to be one of my favorite resources for information pertaining to decorative arts history!

[Tommy]

Hardcover.

[TMCGriffin · Rating 3 out of 5]

good general reference to styles and periods across cultures.

[Priya]

good