How do we think about architecture historically and theoretically? Forty Ways to Think about Architecture provides an introduction to some of the wide-ranging ways in which architectural history and theory are being approached today. The inspiration for this project is the work of Adrian Forty; Professor of Architectural History at the Bartlett School of Architecture; University College London (UCL); who has been internationally renowned as the UK’s leading academic in the discipline for 40 years. Forty’s many publications; notably Objects of Desire (1986); Words and Buildings (2000) and Concrete and Culture (2012); have been crucial to opening up new approaches to architectural history and theory and have helped to establish entirely new areas of study. His teaching at The Bartlett has enthused a new generation about the exciting possibilities of architectural history and theory as a field. This collection takes in a total of 40 essays covering key subjects; ranging from memory and heritage to everyday life; building materials and city spaces. As well as critical theory; philosophy; literature and experimental design; it refers to more immediate and topical issues in the built environment; such as globalisation; localism; regeneration and ecologies. Concise and engaging entries reflect on architecture from a range of perspectives. Contributors include eminent historians and theorists from elsewhere – such as Jean-Louis Cohen; Briony Fer; Hilde Heynen; Mary McLeod; Griselda Pollock; Penny Sparke and Anthony Vidler – as well as Forty’s colleagues from the Bartlett School of Architecture including Iain Borden; Murray Fraser; Peter Hall; Barbara Penner; Jane Rendell and Andrew Saint. Forty Ways to Think about Architecture also features contributions from distinguished architects; such as Tony Fretton; Jeremy Till and Sarah Wigglesworth; and well-known critics and architectural writers; such as Tom Dyckhoff; William Menking and Thomas Weaver. Many of the contributors are former students of Adrian Forty. Through these diverse essays; readers are encouraged to think about how architectural history and theory relates to their own research and design practices; thus using the work of Adrian Forty as a catalyst for fresh and innovative thinking about architecture as a subject.
#3707101 in eBooks 2015-03-26 2015-05-12File Name: B00XKGG172
Review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Classic Wong Kar-waiBy Patrick Mc CoyIm glad that the British Film Institute finally got around to commissioning a book about Wong Kar-wai; one of my favorite contemporary directors. In The Mood For Love (2015) is written by Tony Rayns; a champion of Asian film making-so he has personal ties with Wong and adds some great insight into the making of this great film. It is the story of two people brought together because their spouses are cheating on them-Tony Leung and Maggie Cheung. The first section; "Valse triste" is an overview of the film and the title comes from the soundtrack;it means sad waltz. This "sad waltz" was composed by Shigeru Umebayashi; "Yumejis Theme (from Seijun Suzukis film Yumeiji; 1991) that is the main musical motif in the film. Wong is particularly good at selecting and syncing the appropriate music with the scenes from his films. I have the soundtrack to this films and several others. It is followed by a scene by scene breakdown of the films complete with musical cues; and Maggie Cheungs wardrobe changes throughout the film. In the second section; "Secret Origins;" gives the context of how and when the film was made. In the third section; "Oblique Strategies;" Rayns discusses Wongs visual style and how he is different form other contemporary directors. Noting that "the mix of visual discontinuities and strong; repetitive music..evokes the style of music videos..." There is further discussion of Wongs film grammar and how it is often interpreted as "art cinema." In the "Miscellany" section that ends the book; Rayns adds some uncollected observations and information about the production that didnt fit within the context of the other sections. It is another well-written; informative and well-research BFI publication about one of my favorite films of the 2000s.
