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A world history of architecture

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The Roman architect and engineer Vitruvius declared firmitas, utilitas, and venustas - firmness, commodity, and delight - to be the three essential attributes of architecture.

These qualities are brilliantly explored in this book, which uniquely comprises both a detailed survey of Western architecture, including Pre-Columbian America, and an introduction to architecture from the Middle East, India, Russia, China, and Japan.

The text encourages readers to examine closely the pragmatic, innovative, and aesthetic attributes of buildings, and to imagine how these would have been praised or criticized by contemporary observers.

Artistic, economic, environmental, political, social, and technological contexts are discussed so as to determine the extent to which buildings met the needs of clients, society at large, and future generations.

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Product Details
Laurence King
1856693538 / 9781856693530
Hardback
720.9
30/09/2003
England
English
xvi, 592 p. : ill. (some col.)
30 cm
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