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**Pointing persistently to heaven: A guide to UK cathedrals** Rich, rolling countryside and historic towns, scenic coasts and picture-perfect landscapes. The west of England and Wales has many attractions, and not least of these are its cathedrals. Here you'll find some of Britain's finest and most awe-inspiring. From the country's longest cathedral, at Winchester, to its smallest, at St Asaph. From the tallest spire in the country at Salisbury, to the longest Gothic stone vaulted ceiling in th...

From time immemorial have the natural elements determined and influenced man's thinking and expression of his being in the world. They stood at the center of Greek philosophy and led to the rise of early atomic theory. They lost the status of being the 'root' of everything existing, i.e. matter in its most basic form, only during the Enlightenment's chemical re-structuring of the universe. Nonetheless in terms of their physical presence the elements remain at the forefront of our encounter with...

From coast to coast, the English landscape is still richly studded with castles both great and small. As homes or ruins, these historic buildings are today largely objects of curiosity. For centuries, however, they were at the heart of the kingdom's social and political life. The English Castle is a riveting architectural study that sets this legion of buildings in historical context, tracing their development from the Norman Conquest in 1066 through the civil wars of the 1640s. In this magnif...

The multiple Chinese migrations from southeastern China to Southeast Asia have had important implications for both regions. In Southeast Asia this influence can be seen in the architecturally eclectic homes these migrants and their descendants built as they became successful; homes that combined Chinese, European and local influences, especially during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Chinese Houses of Southeast Asia strives not only to be an informative but also an authoritative bo...

Hudson Modern showcases stunning new houses in the Hudson River Valley that embrace the dramatic settings and cultural bounty of this popular region. As the birthplace of American landscape painting, the Hudson River Valley has long been a refuge from the city and a laboratory for new aesthetic expression. Today, thanks to its ascendant reputation as a weekend utopia, architects are extending that tradition into the built environment. Designing residences that revere local climate, landscape, a...

The genesis, development and life-long occupation of the McIntyre house, built in 1972 as part of a multiple-dwelling subdivision, provides possible answers to some very pressing contemporary design questions. How might one live near the city and be respectful of nature? How might efficiently built dwellings also be spacious and dense site occupation still allow for privacy? This history is recounted through text augmented by photographs and site diagrams, house sections and plans. They r...

We are all drawn to water, whether for relaxation or recreation. So it is little surprise that many homes are designed especially for a gorgeous waterfront location. Beautiful Houses by the Water beautifully illustrates examples from around the globe that make the most of their stunning location by the water, creating a relaxed abode with a strong connection to nature. Take an inspiring journey with this gorgeous edition, crammed full of evocative images, through some of the world's best contemp...

An alluring overview to the thirty-year, award-winning output of Brininstool + Lynch, whose rigor, vision, and elegance has distinguished their diverse projects since its founding. Brad Lynch and David Brininstool of Chicago-based Brininstool + Lynch feature their most exemplary built works from over the course of their thirty years in practice. Founded in 1989, their office has become known for modern works that are rooted in the exceptional architectural culture of the American Midwest but al...

Islands - real, artificial, and metaphoric - have always fascinated people. Buildings near, or even in water transcend boundaries and merge concrete, familiar structures with flowing visions to create symphonies of water, light and stone. Examples of the mastery of this interplay of elements are provided by Abu Dhabi's Saadiyat museum island, artificial city suburbs such as Crystal Island in Moscow, and even entire new cities such as Island City in Japan. Apart from such dynamic urban centres, D...

Investigating the rich architecture of post-Mao China and its broad cultural impact In the years following China's Cultural Revolution, architecture played an active role in the country's reintegration into the global economy and capitalist world. Looking at the ways in which political and social reform transformed Chinese architecture and how, in turn, architecture gave structure to the reforms, Cole Roskam underlines architecture's unique ability to shape space as well as behavior. Roskam trac...

Connecticut boasts some of the oldest and most distinctive architecture in New England, from Colonial churches and Modernist houses to refurbished nineteenth-century factories. The state's history includes landscapes of small farmsteads, country churches, urban streets, tobacco sheds, quiet maritime villages, and town greens, as well as more recent suburbs and corporate headquarters. In his guide to this rich and diverse architectural heritage, Christopher Wigren introduces readers to 100 places...

Timber-framed architecture has long been viewed as an embodiment of Chinese civilization, a hierarchic society ruled by Confucian orthodoxy. Throughout its history, Chinese architectural design was closely regulated by court-enforced building codes, which created a highly standardized and modularized system. In Diversity in the Great Unity - the first in-depth English-language work to present regional traditions of Chinese architecture based on a detailed study of the timber construction system...

An ideal volume for lovers of Venice and architecture aficionados, combining in-depth history of this singular city with more than 100 color photographs and maps. Of Venice's many majestic spaces, none is as evocative and significant as the Piazza San Marco. An authoritative account of the development of the entire piazza complex, through which unfolds the history of the Republic in general, The Genius of Venice celebrates the city's oldest and most important architectural site. Dial Parrott's...

Beyond Peter Zumthor and Herzog & de Meuron, numerous Swiss architects have shaped the contemporary architectural scene. This book documents 25 buildings in Switzerland, designed by 15 influential Swiss architects. Occupying a variety of sites, from urban locations to Alpine environs, the buildings demonstrate how advanced construction techniques can be combined with traditional materials, skillful engineering, and great craftsmanship.

Michael Gross, chronicler of America's rich and powerful, goes west to uncover the very secret history of Los Angeles, specifically those wealthiest and most private of enclaves--Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Holmby Hills, and Beverly Park--through their most mind-boggling estates, and the fascinating, fabulous folks who created and populate them. Gross begins with the mob-driven history of the newest mega-mansion district in L.A., Beverly Park. Using the century-long evolution from adobe huts to $100...