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Rice's Language of Buildings
A beautifully packaged, idiosyncratic introduction to British building styles, by the acclaimed illustrator and architectural enthusiast Matthew Rice.
The Language of Buildings covers the grammar and vocabulary of British buildings, explaining the evolution of styles from Norman castles to Norman Foster. Its aim is to enable the reader to recognize, understand and date any British building.
As Matthew Rice says, "Once you can speak any language, conversation can begin, but without it communications can only be brief and brutish. The same is the case with an inability to describe the component parts of a building leaves one tongue-tied and unable to begin to discuss what is or is not exciting, dull or peculiar about it." The Language of Buildings will explain the language of architecture. With it in your hand, buildings will break down beguilingly into their component parts, ready for inspection and discussion. There will be no more references to that curly bit on top of the thing with the square protrusions. Ungainly and inept descriptions will be a thing of the past and, fluent in the world of volutes, hood moulds, lobed architraves and bucrania, you will be able to leave a cathedral or country house with as much to talk about as a film or play.
The Language of Buildings starts with an explanation of the basic "Grammar" of elevation, plan, roof, gable and eave. This will enable the reader to better make use of what is to follow. It will also cover the Orders of Architecture--Doric, Tuscan, Ionic, Corinthian and Composite--so that the vital basics of Classicism are covered. Following this is the "Vocabulary." This will be a chronological reference section covering, period by period, the windows, doors and doorcases, columns, chimneys, arches, balustrades and pediments that make up the built environment.
The Language of Buildings covers the grammar and vocabulary of British buildings, explaining the evolution of styles from Norman castles to Norman Foster. Its aim is to enable the reader to recognize, understand and date any British building.
As Matthew Rice says, "Once you can speak any language, conversation can begin, but without it communications can only be brief and brutish. The same is the case with an inability to describe the component parts of a building leaves one tongue-tied and unable to begin to discuss what is or is not exciting, dull or peculiar about it." The Language of Buildings will explain the language of architecture. With it in your hand, buildings will break down beguilingly into their component parts, ready for inspection and discussion. There will be no more references to that curly bit on top of the thing with the square protrusions. Ungainly and inept descriptions will be a thing of the past and, fluent in the world of volutes, hood moulds, lobed architraves and bucrania, you will be able to leave a cathedral or country house with as much to talk about as a film or play.
The Language of Buildings starts with an explanation of the basic "Grammar" of elevation, plan, roof, gable and eave. This will enable the reader to better make use of what is to follow. It will also cover the Orders of Architecture--Doric, Tuscan, Ionic, Corinthian and Composite--so that the vital basics of Classicism are covered. Following this is the "Vocabulary." This will be a chronological reference section covering, period by period, the windows, doors and doorcases, columns, chimneys, arches, balustrades and pediments that make up the built environment.
240 pages, Hardcover
Published May 14, 2019
29 people are currently reading
389 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
November 1, 2018
Awesome book! Gosh, I love it so much. Everything is perfect. The introduction, the illustration, even paper is gorgeous. Nothing I found lacking. The author, no doubt, is knowledgeable in this area. But what I love the most is the illustration. I am a visual person. I need to see what is what in order to fully understand. And this book gives me that luxury. I also love the paper. It's thick and yellowish in color, not glossy. I don't know what it's called, but it's absolutely beautiful.
January 22, 2023
really fun and informative guide to the history of British architecture as well as the basic elements of many many styles of buildings. I especially enjoyed the illustration - a lot of architectural drawing is by necessity very intricate, precise, and mathematic which I enjoy but I found this sort of loose-scribbled painting refreshing. it's a good lesson in how to draw a building and capture the important elements without getting caught up in the details.
I've also been doing a deep dive into gothic architecture lately as inspiration for my art (hence why I've been awol from Goodreads for a bit - focusing on that over reading rn) so this was an excellent jumping off point that got me started!
I've also been doing a deep dive into gothic architecture lately as inspiration for my art (hence why I've been awol from Goodreads for a bit - focusing on that over reading rn) so this was an excellent jumping off point that got me started!
March 17, 2019
I have very mixed feelings about this book. Originally published as Rice's Architectural Primer, the move to Rice's Language of Buildings seems appropriate as that is such a key feature of the pleasure to be got from it. Who cannot love learning of vermiculated rustication? I've long enjoyed Matthew Rice's illustrative and design style and the drawings here are appealing.
BUT...BUT...BUT (and I capitalise very deliberately) the design of this book is awry. In particular the very odd decision to capitalise some words in the text and present them in a light brown. Initially I thought this was a way to highlight key terms... but it isn't... 'huge' or 'first' for example are not a key terms. The text is a bit of an uneven dash through the architectural history of Britain. The drawings relate too erratically to the text - I have a personal attachment to the della Robbia tondos in Florence but I don't need them drawn here as pure speculation about an Arts & Crafts arcade in Norwich. Rice's endearing additions to his buildings, cats, dogs, people sometimes don't bear close inspection: Bolsover Castle features ne'er-do-wells slumped with their beer cans (rude), and as for page 151, the entrance to a court of law... well, there's a story there it seems but it made me feel very uncomfortable.
The list of buildings to visit is not all the usual suspects (and may not be that accessible, although we are only talking about exteriors) I liked that but there were some odd choices of illustration. I wondered if he didn't want people to visit the University of East Anglia given that he has drawn a tiny segment of Lasdun's massive academic building, robbing it of all meaning, instead of depicting the ziggurat student accommodation.
An exasperating book. I loved the language and much of the illustration but other aspects made me want to throw it across the room.
BUT...BUT...BUT (and I capitalise very deliberately) the design of this book is awry. In particular the very odd decision to capitalise some words in the text and present them in a light brown. Initially I thought this was a way to highlight key terms... but it isn't... 'huge' or 'first' for example are not a key terms. The text is a bit of an uneven dash through the architectural history of Britain. The drawings relate too erratically to the text - I have a personal attachment to the della Robbia tondos in Florence but I don't need them drawn here as pure speculation about an Arts & Crafts arcade in Norwich. Rice's endearing additions to his buildings, cats, dogs, people sometimes don't bear close inspection: Bolsover Castle features ne'er-do-wells slumped with their beer cans (rude), and as for page 151, the entrance to a court of law... well, there's a story there it seems but it made me feel very uncomfortable.
The list of buildings to visit is not all the usual suspects (and may not be that accessible, although we are only talking about exteriors) I liked that but there were some odd choices of illustration. I wondered if he didn't want people to visit the University of East Anglia given that he has drawn a tiny segment of Lasdun's massive academic building, robbing it of all meaning, instead of depicting the ziggurat student accommodation.
An exasperating book. I loved the language and much of the illustration but other aspects made me want to throw it across the room.
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October 15, 2022Lovely ♥️
March 6, 2019
Difficult read - the text didn’t really match up with the images. Still I can now happily identify keystones, two light windows, and all things gothic.
March 11, 2025
Quality Rating: Five Stars
Enjoyment Rating: Five Stars
I’ve always been a little bit obsessed by architecture, but I’ve mostly breezed through many a National Trust property without paying much attention to the context these buildings were created in and instead just enjoying the aesthetic, the feel, the grand presence of it. And don’t get me wrong, architecture is absolutely there to be experienced that way, but I got an awful lot of satisfaction by being able to join the dots through Rice’s exemplary and accessible guide to styles, trends and the history of the UK’s eclectic collection of buildings. His drawings fantastically illustrate his whistle stop tour through centuries worth of economic, cultural, political and social evolution that intrinsically carves the streets, paints the walls, and lays the bricks of the cities, churches, houses and more that we take for granted today.
Enjoyment Rating: Five Stars
I’ve always been a little bit obsessed by architecture, but I’ve mostly breezed through many a National Trust property without paying much attention to the context these buildings were created in and instead just enjoying the aesthetic, the feel, the grand presence of it. And don’t get me wrong, architecture is absolutely there to be experienced that way, but I got an awful lot of satisfaction by being able to join the dots through Rice’s exemplary and accessible guide to styles, trends and the history of the UK’s eclectic collection of buildings. His drawings fantastically illustrate his whistle stop tour through centuries worth of economic, cultural, political and social evolution that intrinsically carves the streets, paints the walls, and lays the bricks of the cities, churches, houses and more that we take for granted today.
October 15, 2025
The tangible design of the book, the thickness of the paper, the texture of the cover - excellent quality!
The illustrations are fantastic and I feel that it did a phenomenal job depicting the architectural pieces being discussed. I feel that the pictures really helped me to understand what we were talking about and what these “thingys” (as I used to call them) are named. A few illustrations frustrated me when they were placed in the center of the book and were separated in the middle by the binding - but I can overlook that.
My only displeasure was that I found some portions of the book to be very dull in its writing. The information was there, the explanation was there, but the manner in which it was written can be a little bland.
But all around it is a solid book and a great visual resource! Will definitely be keeping it on my book shelf!
The illustrations are fantastic and I feel that it did a phenomenal job depicting the architectural pieces being discussed. I feel that the pictures really helped me to understand what we were talking about and what these “thingys” (as I used to call them) are named. A few illustrations frustrated me when they were placed in the center of the book and were separated in the middle by the binding - but I can overlook that.
My only displeasure was that I found some portions of the book to be very dull in its writing. The information was there, the explanation was there, but the manner in which it was written can be a little bland.
But all around it is a solid book and a great visual resource! Will definitely be keeping it on my book shelf!
February 23, 2024
Quite an enjoyable book with really nice illustrations. I only wish the text and the illustrations were combined together a bit better, rather than a block of text followed by a block of illustrations. With how the book is currently laid out I feel like the features being pointed out lack context and I will just forget all the terms I’m supposed to have learnt.
September 6, 2025
Mr Rice, I owe you my life. And my degree. You beautiful man. No longer will I wake in the middle of the night in a cold sweat over brick bonds and mathematical tiles. Panic attacks over perpendicular architecture, no more. I will name my first born after you. May your pillow always be perfectly chilled on both sides. Love you. If I loved you less maybe I could talk about it more.
December 9, 2018
Nice drawings. Good to dip in and out of
October 26, 2020
Not really a reading book and not really a reference book. But good to have on hand when you are trying to name bulding elements which is a good way to learn to appreciate our landscape.
January 15, 2023
Beautiful book!
June 20, 2023
Very interesting, informative and well illustrated. My only criticism is that I would've liked more - more depth, more Information and detail and more drawings.
January 16, 2024
Incredibly delightful. Deliciously artistic.
May 12, 2024
I don't know how much of this will stick with me, but it's a delightful way to pass the time.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews