Chambers for A Memory Palace

by Donlyn Lyndon, Charles Willard Moore

"Offers as good an introduction to the way architects look at, and think about, the world as any I have read.... There are treasures enough in this chamber to delight anyone interested in architecture."
-- Richard Weston, "The Architects' Journal" This collaboration between two distinguished architects and former colleagues is a joyous celebration of admired places and a thoughtful consideration of the role that design has played in giving these places their memorable qualities. It is also an invitation to readers to inhabit the chambers of the book with their own imaginations to join in the making of the Memory Palace proposed. The authors' informal, witty, and anecdotal style extends to the illustrations - the freehand travel sketches, line drawings, and watercolors of places they have remembered and enjoyed.

Chambers for a Memory Palace consists of an exchange of letters in which one author recalls and the other responds to the elements considered essential to the art of successful place-making. Each of the book's chapters forms a chamber, and each chamber is inscribed with personal observations on the composition of places and the architectural elements central to each building, garden, court, monument, or open space described. The examples considered in these dialogues range from classic Western tradition to Asian temples and Islamic tombs, from ancient ruins to modern cities.

Genres: Architecture, Nonfiction, Design

322 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1994

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyable exploration of architectural principles. The authors” framework of [Nouns] that [Verb] for each chapter sets up a unique framework for otherwise not wholly new explications of the basics of architectural design. Moore is a bit too enamored with his own work for my taste, but the sketches of both his work and numerous places around the world used to illustrate their ideas are completely enchanting.

[Ted Manahan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Text book.

[Windry · Rating 4 out of 5]

buku arsitektur yang sangat cantik. bicara mengenai bagaimana ruang bisa menjadi kenangan indah dan tidak terlupakan lewat elemen-elemennya ^^ nice one dan sangat filosofis. bentuknya juga sangat menarik, berupa balas membalas surat antar dua penulisnya

[Ariel · Rating 4 out of 5]

At times meandering, but I loved the epistolary format (two architects exchanging letters about their favorite architectural and landscape elements from their favorite places around the world), with beautiful line drawings.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

Cannot finish

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book makes you think about buildings differently.