Архитектура

The ecological approach to building is the great untold story in the architectural history of the past century. This book is essential reading for architects and students. As an urgent wake-up call on the state of our built environment, it will be of interest to everyone who cares about the future of our planet.

In the past, many of the key tenets of the ecological philosophy - sustainability, energy efficiency, harmonious relationship with the environment - appeared to stand contrast to the sweep of science-led ‘progress’ that characterized the modern movement. Today, however, past visionaries are vindicated and yesterday’s eccentricities are today’s legal requirements: every architect has an obligation to the environment as well as to his or her client.

After an introduction to the terminology of ecological architecture - including terms such as ‘green’ and ‘sustainable’,
Part one identifies recurring themes in ecological architecture. Part two features twenty-five case studies each focusing on a specific architect, movement or topic. Some of the names are familiar in this context - Rasem Badran, Hassan Fathy - but there are also plenty of surprises - Le Corbusier, Buckminster Fuller, Rudolf Schindler. Part three looks to the future as ecological architecture struggles to deal with global urbanization.

A premier metalsmith in the early 20th century in France, Edgar Brandt (1880-1960) designed and fabricated some of the most beautiful architectural and decorative ironwork of his age.

This elegant book recounts his life and work with scholarly text and photographs. Lyrical gates, doors, and tables, including his most famous screen, L'Oasis, appeared at the seminal 1925 Exposition des Arts Dcoratifs, in Paris, which gave the name Art Deco to the new style of designs.

Combining motifs from ancient Egypt and classical Greek sources, floral and animals forms, and machine-inspired geometric designs, Brandt created items that became synonymous with the most lavish designs of the time. His workshop and showroom in Paris, along with a gallery that featured works by other contemporary artist-craftsmen, produced luxury goods and private commissions.

Grilles, fire screens, doors, tables, andirons, vessels and lighting devices were exquisitely executed, and appear here to be studied and compared. Historians and art collectors interested in this fascinating period will find this book an invaluable reference.

This book teaches us that when the creative processes are used in combination with social, cultural and environmental systems, modern architecture meets without hesitation the artistic and sensible necessities of present days without compromising the requirements of our future generations. A combination of architects versed in sustainable, bioclimatic architecture and emergent architects, across different projects they explore the critical line between how we construct and the natural environment.

TASCHEN's 25th anniversary - Special edition! What do we really know about our ancestors? Not about the rulers and generals, but about laborers, farmers, soldiers and families. Egypt is a perfect case in point, almost a blank slate for most of us as it regards details of their everyday life. This useful and informative book attempts to set the record straight by offering a distinctive take on that most mythologized of epochs. Who would have guessed, for example, that the first strike in recorded history took place in 1152 BC during work on the necropolis in the Valley of the Kings, a protest by construction workers against delayed deliveries of oil and flour? Two fairly banal commodities maybe, but essential: oil protected the skin against the savage desert climate, whilst flour was the base ingredient for thirty different kinds of nutritional cake. It is this detailed examination of the evidence that distinguishes this volume, with chapters on everything from relationships to leisure activities, the role of women to the manufacture of mummies. And just like the mummies, “fragile as eggshell but solid as a statue” and magically able to transcend death, both people and country are brought alive for us again.

Roman emperors, Arab scholars, and early travellers were already drawn to and enchanted by the fascination of the land along the Nile. The pyramids of Giza, the temple-city of Karnak, or the Valley of the Kings with the grave of Tutankhamen even today maintain their extraordinary force of attraction.Across the centuries, the high culture of the ancient Egyptians has pertained its allure. This can certainly be attributed to their astounding architectural, artistic, and technological achievements as well as their high level of writing and literature. The unified world view of old Egypt, in which science and religion are an indissoluble unity, impresses us deeply, as well.

Egypt’s romantic allure does not end with the age of the pharaohs. This lavishly illustrated book offers an unprecedented look inside the opulent estates of the pashas, khedives, and great ladies of 19th-century Egypt, and the princes and kings of the early 20th century. Here in all its cosmopolitan splendor is the world of unparalleled prosperity that attracted adventurers the world over, from the Belle Époque through the Roaring Twenties. The stories of the families and architects behind 41 spectacular villas and palaces make this volume as fascinating to read as it is to look at. Sumptuously illustrated with 174 original color photographs, Egyptian Palaces and Villas will entrance and delight anyone interested in this proud land and its dramatic history.

A woman among Modernists

Eileen Gray is now celebrated as a pioneer of modern design and one of the most influential designers of the twentieth century, together with Le Corbusier, Charlotte Perriand, Marcel Breuer, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Alvar Aalto, Gerrit Rietveld and Charles Eames.

Her Bibendum chair and E.1027 table are today familiar icons around the world, while E.1027 and Tempe à Pailla – two houses that she built and furnished entirely with her own designs – are cited among the purest examples of Twenties and Thirties architecture.

Peter Adam, a long-time friend of Gray’s, has had privileged access to her surviving correspondence, drawings and journals as well as her architectural sketchbooks and photographic archives. From these sources he has built up a full-scale picture of her eventful life, from her aristocratic beginnings in Ireland, to the extravagant Art Deco period in Paris, and her productive years in the south of France.

Enriched by a wealth of previously unpublished material and an extensive plates section in full colour and duotone, this volume is a mine of rare and fascinating information which reveals above all the contemporary relevance of Eileen Gray’s work.

'More is more'. That is the motto of paster decorator Pieter Porters. His interiors are rich, full and cosy; even a little decadent. Interiors in which people can really live. The luxurious finishing of Elegance & Decadance also reflects that grandness.

What is the use of a lovely house or interior if you dare not live in it? If you are frightened of making something dirty or damaging it? In our eyes, a house should be a warm nest, a place where after a busy day, you can relax, and where family and friends are welcome.

Whether we help build up a house from cellar to attic, or add atmosphere to an existing interior with a few well-chosen accessories, at House of Porters we want to create a timeless world, in which people will feel comfortable. We aim for warmth, light, homeliness, comfort. Cold interiors or harsh colours are not our things. That does not mean that we never take on design or modern interiors, but even then we strive for that timeless atmosphere, regardless of trends or fashion fads. Our interiors are meant to grow and develop with their occupants throughout their lives.

The interiors illustrated in this book show perfectly what the House of Porters stands for: sumptuous, homely, warm and elegant, with here and there a touch of decadence.

Featuring interiors from all over the world, including Belgium, The Netherlands, the UK, Germany and Colombia, the pictures by Studio Verne and the magnificent layout by Leen De Pooter will fully grasp the authenticity and vivacity of Pieter Porters' interiors.

Pieter Porters is a decorator and flower binder. His timeless interiors can be admired in an astonishing house in the centre of Antwerp, where he also gives workshops and has a hotel. His previous book Senses of Living was an international bestseller.

This beautiful book is hand-bound with Linen that Porters designed himself and the book has a special closing system with a ribbon and a knot.

Known for her understated elegance, Stephaniem Stokes explains how to maintain fantasy and functionality in home decor by focusing on the planning of comfortable and multipurpose spaces that include attractive storage.

New York-based interior designer Stephanie Stokes has dealt with demanding spaces in apartments and houses worldwide. With consummate skill, she has delivered unparalleled efficiency of space without sacrificing style.

This design primer is organized by room type from living rooms and kitchens to bedrooms and entryways. Her ingenious solutions to the challenges of creating a livable environment from clever and attractive storage units to libraries that convert gracefully to guest rooms and home offices are inspirational to all homeowners. With exacting precision, she plans every anticipated need and can turn the tiniest of spaces into a cornucopia of cabinetry and imaginative storage. Her secrets for using every cubic inch while creating atmospheric environments that work are illustrated in this attractive yet practical book.

Recently awarded the Venice Biennale 2008 ‘Silver Lion for Most Promising Young Architect’, Elemental is a Chilean initiative creating innovative solutions for subsidized housing. The program’s urban projects aim to improve social housing for poverty stricken families. Elemental organized an international architecture competition which resulted in seven constructed projects throughout Chile as hybrids between house and building, pushing the limits of expansion and density. Built in central areas, these houses are half-constructed, offering inhabitants the infrastructure to extend the house to personal needs. This is a fascinating study of the successes and failures of the ‘Elemental Houses’. ELEMENTAL is a Do Tank affiliated with the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and COPEC, implementing urban projects for social interests.