Architecture Art

1742: the famous dome atop Saint Peter's Basilica, designed by Michelangelo, is fractured and threatened with collapse. The dome is the pride of Italy and the largest of its kind anywhere in the world. And no one knows how to fix it. This engaging and colorful narrative tells the overlooked story of how Michelangelo's Dome was saved from disaster by three mathematicians and Pope Benedict XIV, who had asked them for help.

For more than half a century, Ada Louise Huxtable's keen eye and vivid writing have reinforced to readers how important architecture is and why it continues to be both controversial and fascinating - making her one of the best-known critics in the world. On Architecture collects the best of Huxtable's writing from the New York Times, New York Review of Books, Wall Street Journal, and her various books. In these selections, Huxtable examines the 20th century's most important architectural masters and projects.

The story of the skyscraper began more than 3,000 years ago.

Conceived in the Gilded Age, the Ferry Building opened in 1898 as San Francisco's portal to the world—the terminus of the transcontinental railway and a showcase of civic ambition. In silent films and World's Fair postcards, nothing said "San Francisco" more than its soaring clock tower. But as acclaimed architectural critic John King recounts, the rise of the automobile and double-deck freeways severed the city from its beloved structure. King's narrative spans the rise and fall and rebirth of the Ferry Building, introducing colorful figures who fought to preserve its character.

What does it take to make a strong bridge? Gather some supplies and try it out for yourself! Discover tips and ideas on how to build the best bridge around!

Have you ever wondered how skyscrapers are built? It takes many workers to design and build a skyscraper. Learn about the architects, engineers, and contractors that turn an idea into a building!

Fiona MacCarthy challenges the image of Gropius as a doctrinaire architectural rationalist, bringing out the visionary philosophy and courage that carried him through a politically hostile age. Pilloried by Tom Wolfe as inventor of the monolithic high-rise, Gropius is better remembered as inventor of a form of art education that influenced schools worldwide. He viewed argument as intrinsic to creativity. Unusually for one in his position, Gropius encouraged women's artistic endeavors and sought equal romantic partners.

During the real estate crash of the late 2000s, Christopher Brown purchased an empty lot in an industrial section of Austin, Texas. The property—a brownfield site bisected with an abandoned petroleum pipeline and littered with concrete debris and landfill trash—was an unlikely site for a home. Along with his son, Brown had explored similar empty lots around Austin, so-called “ruined” spaces once used for agriculture and industry awaiting their redevelopment as Austin became a 21st century boom town.

A visionary carpenter shares meditations on work, creativity, and design, revealing powerful lessons on building a meaningful life through his experience constructing some of New York’s most iconic spaces.

We are living through a global catastrophe. Buildings affect how we feel, moment by moment, day by day. They have the power to lift us up and make us feel awestruck, playful, safe, and inspired, just as they can make us feel alienated and sad. But many of the places where we live, work, learn, and heal have become monotonous and disposable. We’re surrounded by cheap, boring buildings that make people stressed, sick, and unhappy. In short, much of our world has been crafted in a way that is hostile to human experience.

What does it take to make a marble run? Gather some supplies and try it out for yourself! Discover tips and ideas on how to build the best marble run around!

Tips from the Top is a collection of advice from more than sixty architects who have earned the respect of their peers and are willing to share their knowledge on building a successful and meaningful career in architecture. This book compiles more than sixty tips from a broad range of successful architects and design professionals from around the world. Organized by theme in seven broad categories—Beginnings, Inspiration, Values, Engagement, Process, Personal Development, and Determination—this book of advice offers thoughtful and thought-provoking guidance.

In this companion volume to The Discoverers, Pulitzer Prize-winning historian Daniel J. Boorstin brings to life more than three thousand years of human artistic achievement, examining painting, sculpture, architecture, theology, philosophy, history, poetry, drama, literature, dance, music, and film.

Most houses have two or three bathrooms. Not a castle or palace! A palace in the country of Brunei has 257 bathrooms! Take a peek inside real royal homes.

For engineers and architects, mistakes are part of the creative process. Learn why the Leaning Tower of Pisa leans, how the reflections from the Walt Disney Concert Hall caused a heat ray, and what engineers and architects did to solve these types of problems.

This book is a must-read. When Léon Denis decided to write a general study about the Arts, with emphasis on music, who would have thought he could contact two preeminent artists now living in the spiritual world? The resulting lessons provide an invaluable insight on how music is composed and executed in the afterlife spheres. Not only that, but also how architecture, painting, sculpture and literature on Earth reflect their spiritual counterparts, making for a truly unique and informative book that captures the reader’s attention right from the start. It culminates in a series of ...

Have you ever seen the Eiffel Tower? Gustave Eiffel’s tower is one of the most recognized landmarks in the world, but it wasn’t an easy path to turn his idea into a reality. Listeners will love learning the story behind the name as they follow along with Gustave’s beginnings as a bridge designer and the engineer behind the Statue of Liberty, the criticism and personal attacks by the media he faced while building the tower, and his eventual world-renowned success.

Immerse yourself in the captivating world of "Small Scale Metropolises," where the grandeur of cities meets the precision of miniaturization. Dive into the enchanting universe where every tiny brick tells a story, and intricate skylines fit within the palm of your hand. Explore the magic of miniature metropolises, and learn how to transform your visionary concepts into tangible cityscapes. From the rustling leaves of miniature trees to bustling streets alive with Lilliputian cars and people, this book guides you through each exquisite detail of crafting your own urban masterpiece. Begin ...

Born to a Jewish family in Estonia in 1901 and brought to America in 1906, the architect Louis Kahn grew up in poverty in Philadelphia; by the time of his death in 1974, he was widely recognized as one of the greatest architects of his era. Yet this enormous reputation was based on only a handful of masterpieces, all built during the last 15 years of his life.

The renowned and highly influential architect, furniture-maker, interior designer and photographer Eileen Gray was born in Ireland and remained throughout her life an Irishwoman at heart. An elusive figure, her interior world has never before been observed as closely as in this ground-breaking study of her work, philosophy and inner circle of fellow artists. Jennifer Goff expertly blends art history and biography to create a stunning ensemble, offering a clear beacon of light into truly understanding Gray – the woman and the professional. Gray was a self-taught polymath and her work was ...