50 Architecture Books that will make you the Best Architect

Books are a valuable source of information for any profession – even more so for architects. With innumerable books available to download legally, there is no excuse for not reading architecture books.
Whether you are an architect, a current or future architecture student or just someone with a passion for architecture, here are a few books (in no particular order) that will be a welcome addition to your library.
1. Form, Space, and Order by Francis D.K. Ching
This beautifully illustrated book by D.K Ching encourages critical thought in designing architectural spaces. Being used for over 40 years, Form, Space, and Order are used as the introduction to basic architectural vocabulary. It comes as no surprise that architecture schools all around the world are recommending this book to its students.

Courtesy Of Francis D. K. Ching

2. The Architecture Reference and Specification Book: Everything Architects need to know Every day by Julia McMorrough
With a  majority of standards books coming with overwhelming details, The Architecture Reference and Specification Book contains vital information in a format small enough to carry around. It streamlines the data provided in standard books and includes the most requested and indispensable architectural data.

Courtesy Of Julia McMorrough

3. A Field Guide to American Houses: The Definitive Guide to Identifying and Understanding America’s Domestic Architecture by Virginia Savage McAlester
A Field Guide to American Homes is a book that makes all the periods of domestic Architecture in America, easily identifiable. Covering more than 50 styles, this book is invaluable to architects, tourists, house buyers and to architecture enthusiasts.
The illustrations in the book make it pleasing to the eye and informative.

Courtesy Of Virginia Savage McAlester

4.The Future of Architecture in a 100 Buildings
Architizer.com’s founder and practicing architect draws on his unique experience in social media and architecture to identify 100 buildings that are representative of the future.

Courtesy Of Marc Kushner

5. Architecture A World History
Beautifully illustrated, this architecture book is a gift for an enthusiast. This pocket-sized book is filled with significant movements in architecture as well as crisp biographies of great architects. It also explores the evolution of the industry and of architectural masterpieces.

Courtesy Of Daniel Borden, Jerzy Elzanowski, Joni Taylor, Stephanie Tuerk

6. Ten Books on Architecture by Vitruvius
Vitruvius has been of great influence in the world of architecture. For hundreds of years, the instructions in his Ten Books on Architecture was followed to the dot. His influence can be seen in numerous buildings and this book has been important in the creation of many architectural masterpieces.

Courtesy Of Vitruvius

7. ArchiDoodle by Steve Bowkett
Just as the name suggests, this book is a fun and interactive way to learn about architecture. With numerous challenges for the user –  from designing a skyscraper to creating a Constructivist monument, this is an amazing book for learning about architecture while having fun.

Courtesy Of Steve Bowkett

8. Understanding Architecture: Its Elements, History, and Meaning by Leland M Roth and Amanda C Roth Clark
This intriguing and engaging book includes architectural styles from all over the world. It examines the meaning, structure, function of architecture in ways that are accessible and interesting.

Courtesy Of Leland M. Roth, Amanda C. Roth Clark

9. Brunelleschi’s Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture by Ross King
Written as a tribute to the man who built a dome and changed the way Architecture was viewed, this book is about how Brunelleschi reinvented Architecture. Engineering the perfect placement of brick and stone, hoists and cranes to carry 70 million pounds, hundreds of feet in the air, he also designed the routines and platform of workers. His planning was so precise, that only one man died during the decades of construction.

Courtesy Of Ross King

10. Architecture: Residential Drafting and Design by Clois E. Kicklighter Ed. D., W. Scott Thomas
This provides comprehensive information on architectural designs, drafting methods, construction principles and methods. It helps new students to easily learn different and unique ways of drafting as well as designing sustainably, through a design-building process.

Courtesy Of Clois E. Kicklighter Ed. D., W. Scott Thomas

11. The Language of Architecture: 26 Principles every Architect should know by Andrea Simitch, Val Warke
Based on 26 building blocks of Architecture, this book is a comprehensive learning tool. Starting from the basics and moving on to complex architectural designs, The Language of Architecture is definitely a go-to book for reference.

Courtesy Of Andrea Simitch, Val Warke

12. The New Old House: Historic & Modern Architecture Combined by Marc Kristal
An interesting perspective on timeless houses, which have been revamped and used for other purposes, The New Old House traces the inventive methods used by architects to revitalize old buildings.

Courtesy Of Marc Kristal

13. St. Petersburg: Architecture of the Tsars by Dmitri O. Shvidkovsky
It chronicles the history of city planning and construction of St. Petersburg under the Russian Tsars. It is compiled with pictures, illustrations and detailed descriptions of the architecture of St. Petersburg.

Courtesy Of Dmitri O. Shvidkovsky

14. Dictionary of Architecture and Construction by Cyril M. Harris
Updated and revised, this is a comprehensive collection of architectural terms – with 25,000 definitions, 2,500 illustrations. This is the best dictionary for an architect and one of the must-have architecture books.

Courtesy Of Cyril M. Harris

15. Architecture: From Prehistory to Postmodernity by Marvin Trachtenberg, Isabelle Hyman
This book depicts the various periods of architecture and illuminates the aesthetical, social and intellectual difference in the historical trends

Courtesy Of Marvin Trachtenberg, Isabelle Hyman

16. A Visual Dictionary of Architecture by Francis D K Ching
It is a concise dictionary of illustrations and hand-rendered drawings of numerous architectural definitions.

Courtesy Of Francis D. K. Ching

17. Architecture in Wood: A World History
Written by a photographer, who trained as an architect, this book beautifully conveys the excitement of seeing timber architecture.

Courtesy Of Will Pryce

18. Sustainable Design: A Critical Guide
Sustainable Design is a comprehensive guide to reducing energy and carbon footprints and creating structures that are environmentally responsible.

Courtesy Of David Bergman

19. World Architecture: The Masterworks by Will Pryce
With over 350 photographs showcasing the finest buildings of the world, this is one of the best architecture books.

Courtesy Of Will Pryce

20. Modern Architecture Since 1900 by William J R Curtis
This contemporary classic combines a concise and clear historical outline with masterly interpretation.

Courtesy Of William J.R. Curtis

21. A Global History of Architecture by Mark M. Jarzombek, Vikramaditya Prakash
This book differs from the standard architecture books, by looking at history from a global perspective rather than from a Western lens.

Courtesy Of Mark M. Jarzombek, Vikramaditya Prakash

22. Sketching for Architecture + Interior Design by Stephanie Travis
Having learned architecture in the era of computers and rendering software, a lot of today’s architects lack the ability to sketch. This book is a brilliant guide to help students and architects hone their sketching skills.

Courtesy Of Stephanie Travis

23. The Architecture Of Light by Sage Russel
As the name suggests, The Architecture of Light is jam-packed with lighting concepts and techniques.

Courtesy Of Sage Russell

24. Architecture’s Odd Couple: Frank Lloyd Wright and Philip Johnson by Hugh Howard
The twentieth century is known for the two important and influential architects – Frank Llyod Wright and Phillip Johnson. This book discusses their most admired buildings and their design ideology.

Courtesy Of Hugh Howard

25. Craftsman Homes (Dover Architecture) by Gustave Stickley
This architecture book has 296 drawings, floor plans and photographs illustrate 40 different kinds of “Mission Homes”

Courtesy Of Gustav Stickley

26. Seeking New York: The Stories Behind the Historic Architecture of Manhattan–One Building at a Time by Tom Miller
This engaging book is beautifully illustrated with drawings and traces the social and architectural history of Manhattan’s buildings, one at a time.

Courtesy Of Tom Miller

27. Introduction to Architecture by Francis D.K. Ching
D.K. Ching, known for his hand-rendered drawings, has written this book for all those who are new to Architecture.

Courtsey Of Francis D. K. Ching, James F. Eckler

28. Archi-Graphic: An Infographic Look at Architecture By Frank Jacobus
This book takes an unusual approach to understanding architecture. With numerous infographics, it approaches architecture in an unconventional manner. For designers all over, this is one of the best architecture books to have in your library.

Courtesy Of Frank Jacobus

29. Architecture After Modernism by Diane Ghirardo
This book examines the architectural world in the 1960s by looking into social and political issues.

Courtesy Of Diane Ghirardo

30. The Story of Architecture by Jonathan Glancey

Courtesy Of Jonathan Glancey

31. The Architecture of Community By Leon Krier
In this book, Leon Krier has expanded his writing from his 1988 book – Architecture: Choice or Fate.

Courtesy Of Leon Krier

32. The Architecture Student’s Handbook of Professional Practice by AIA
This is a definitive textbook on practice issues written by AIA. It is a comprehensive guide for students of architecture who want to be their career.

Courtesy Of American Institute of Architects

33. A detail in Contemporary Timber Architecture by Virginia McLeod
This book analyzes the importance of details – technically and aesthetically – in timber architecture.

Courtesy Of Virginia McLeod

34. How to Read Churches: A Crash Course in Ecclesiastical Architecture by Denis R. McNamara
This tiny, but full of information book, is one of the must-have architecture books. It contains clues for architecture lovers to guess and understand the different architectural styles.

Courtesy Of Denis R. McNamara

35. Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture by Robert Venturi
Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture have become an essential document of architectural literature.

Courtesy Of Robert Venturi

36. The Four Books of Architecture by Andrea Palladio
With over 200 illustrations, this single volume edition gives the reader a glimpse into the mind of the great architect.

Courtesy Of Andrea Palladio

37. Architecture in Italy, 1400-1500 By Ludwig H. Heydenreich
This survey of Italian Renaissance architecture has information from Brunelleschi’s dome to works of Bramante and Leonardo.

Courtesy Of Ludwig H. Heydenreich

38.  The Architecture of the Italian Renaissance by Peter Murray
This is a classic and comprehensive guide of the period of Italian Renaissance in art and architecture.

Courtesy Of Peter Murray

39. The Architecture of Madness: Insane Asylums in the United States by Carla Yanni
Grandly constructed asylums were a usual sight in American cities. For much of the nineteenth century, there was a widely held belief among doctors and social reformers that insanity was a curable disease, and that architecture could cure it.

Courtesy Of Carla Yanni

40. Architecture of the Sun: Los Angeles Modernism by Thomas S. Hines
This book surveys the masters of 20th Century modernist architecture in Los Angeles.

Courtesy Of Thomas S. Hines

41. Art and Architecture in Mexico by James Oles
James Oles offers new readings of painting, architecture, sculptures, photographs, and prints. He looks at major works by such famous artists as Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo but also discusses less familiar figures.

Courtesy Of James Oles

42. Baroque and Rococo Art and Architecture by By Robert Neuman
This book reviews recent and traditional methods of interpreting artworks.

Courtesy Of Robert Neuman

43. The Architecture of Happiness by Alain De Botton
The Architecture of Happiness is an illustrated book on the philosophy and psychology of architecture and the connection between our identities and the location we are in.

Courtesy Of Alain De Botton

44. The Urban Sketching Handbook: Architecture and Cityscapes: Tips and Techniques for Drawing on Location by By Gabriel Campanario
In this book, Gabriel Campanario makes sketching fun and interactive. It helps the reader develop their unique style of sketching, even if one is a beginner in sketching.

Courtesy Of Gabriel Campanario

45. Why Architecture Matters by Paul Goldberger
This book helps the reader understand the connections between space, proportion, materials, scale etc. Upon finishing the book, one has a different way of looking at the architecture around them.

Courtesy Of Paul Goldberger

46. Architecture and Violence
This is an impressive collection of essays by architectural theorists, on the relationship between violence and space.

Courtesy Of Actar

47. Cape Cod Modern: Midcentury Architecture and Community on the Outer Cape By Peter McMahon, Christine Cipriani
This talks about a new style of architecture, fusing regional modernism with Bauhaus and post-war experimentation

Courtesy Of Peter McMahon, Christine Cipriani

48. Architecture of First Societies: A Global Perspective By Mark M. Jarzombek
Starting from the dawn of society, this book travels through time tracking the different cultural formations in various parts of the world. It also looks at the construction methodologies and materials used by indigenous societies.

Courtesy Of Mark M. Jarzombek

49. The Splendor of Cuba: 450 Years of Architecture and Interiors by Michael Connors
A significant compilation of the important mansions, palaces and private homes of Cuba that have been brilliantly preserved. This book has structures that were not previously photographed and buildings that are not open to the public.

Courtesy Of Michael Connors

50. Drawings and Plans of Frank Lloyd Wright: The Early Period
This has been called the “single most important compilation of works” of Frank Llyod Wright.

Courtesy Of Frank Lloyd Wright

Hope this long list of architecture books inspires you and helps you be more innovative.

The post 50 Architecture Books that will make you the Best Architect appeared first on Arch2O.com.

https://www.arch2o.com/50-architecture-books-that-will-make-you-the-best-architect/ September 16, 2018 at 06:30PM https://www.arch2o.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Arch2O-50-Architecture-Books-that-will-make-you-the-Best-Architect-51-700x373.jpg