Chosen Books

Invited designers and commentators have chosen these as the books that inspire them and that have shaped their worldview or their ideas about design.
318 books
Thinking Architecture Zumthor, Peter Comments:
Storia dell’Architettura Moderna, vol. 2 Zevi, Bruno
The Making of Classical Edinburgh 1750–1840 Youngson, Alexander John Brown
Japanese Houses Today Yamawaki, Iwao
Bertram Goodhue Wyllie, Romy
Letters to Clients Wright, Frank Lloyd et al.
Ausgeführte Bauten und Entwürfe von Frank Lloyd Wright (Studies and Executed Buildings of Frank Lloyd Wright) Wright, Frank Lloyd
Frank Lloyd Wright: An Autobiography Wright, Frank Lloyd
The Future of Architecture Wright, Frank Lloyd
The Natural House Wright, Frank Lloyd
The Essential Frank Lloyd Wright: Critical Writings on Architecture Wright, Frank Lloyd et al.
From Bauhaus to Our House Wolfe, Tom
Bauhaus: Weimar, Dessau, Berlin, Chicago Wingler, Hans
Modernism: Designing a New World, 1914–1939 Wilk, Christopher
White Walls, Designer Dresses Wigley, Mark
Constant’s New Babylon Wigley, Mark
AIA Guide to New York City (5th ed.) White, Norval et al.
Utzon Weston, Richard
Ai Weiwei’s Blog: Writings, Interviews, and Digital Rants, 2006–2009 Weiwei, Ai
Le Corbusier: A Life Weber, Nicholas Fox
The Turning Point of Building Wachsmann, Konrad
Gerrit Rietveld van Zijl, Ida
Animal Architecture von Frisch, Karl
Imperial Delhi Volwahsen, Andreas
Vitruvius: The Ten Books on Architecture Vitruvius Pollio, et al.
Architecture in the Age of Divided Representation Vesely, Dalibor
Learning from Las Vegas Venturi, Robert et al.
Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture Venturi, Robert
La Maison de Verre: Pierre Chareau’s Modernist Masterwork Vellay, Dominique
The Charlottesville Tapes Various authors; transcript of conference at the University of Virginia, November 12–13, 1982,
At Home by the Sea Vanden Brink, Brian et al.
Architectonic Space van der Laan, Hans
Dialogues Valéry, Paul
The Manhattan Transcripts Tschumi, Bernard
Tropical Modernism Trulove, James Grayson
Venezia Minore Trincanato, Egle R.
Space Calculated in Seconds Treib, Marc
Architecture: From Prehistory to Postmodernity Trachtenberg, Marvin et al.
Sir John Soane: The Architect as Collector, 1753-1837 Thornton, Peter et al.
Design After Modernism: Beyond the Object Thackara, John
Geoffrey Bawa Taylor, Brian Brace
The Sphere and the Labyrinth (La sfera e il labirinto) Tafuri, Manfredo
Theories and History of Architecture (Teoria e storia dell’architettura) Tafuri, Manfredo
Interpreting the Renaissance (Ricerca dell’Rinascimento) Tafuri, Manfredo
Architecture and Utopia Tafuri, Manfredo
Wooden Houses Suzuki, Makoto et al.
Georgian London Summerson, John
The Life and Work of John Nash, Architect Summerson, John
Architecture in Britain 1530–1830 Summerson, John
Heavenly Mansions and Other Essays on Architecture Summerson, John
The Classical Language of Architecture Summerson, John
Jean Prouvé: Complete Works, Volume 1 Sulzer, Peter
Jean Prouvé: Complete Works, Volume 2 Sulzer, Peter
Jean Prouvé: Complete Works, Volume 3 Sulzer, Peter
Kindergarten Chats and Other Writings Sullivan, Louis H.
The Edifice Complex Sudjic, Deyan
New Directions in British Architecture Sudjic, Deyan
Design Like You Give a Damn Sinclair, Cameron et al.
A Field Guide to Landmarks of Modern Architecture in Europe Stimpson, Miriam F.
Paradise Planned Stern, Robert A. M. et al.
New York 1930 Stern, Robert A. M. et al.
Architecture on the Edge of Postmodernism Stern, Robert A. M. et al.
Twenty Minutes in Manhattan Sorkin, Michael
Differences Solà-Morales Rubió, Ingnasi
Snøhetta Works Snøhetta,
Conditions Snøhetta,
The Swedish House Snitt, Ingalill et al.
Uppercase 3 Smithson, Alison Margaret et al.
Without Rhetoric Smithson, Alison Margaret et al.
Prefab Architecture: A Guide to Modular Design and Construction Smith, Ryan E.
La Nueva Villa Getty Silvetti, Jorge et al.
Miami Modern Metropolis Shulman, Allan T.
Style in the Technical and Tectonic Arts; or, Practical Aesthetics Semper, Gottfried
SANAA: Spiel der Gegensätze/The Play of Opposites Sejima, Kazuyo et al.
Kazuyo Sejima + Ryue Nishizawa, Sanaa Works 1995–2003 Sejima, Kazuyo et al.
Frank Lloyd Wright Secrest, Meryle
American Architecture and Urbanism Scully, Vincent
Architecture: The Natural and the Manmade Scully, Vincent
Modern Architecture and Other Essays Scully, Vincent
The Earth, the Temple, and the Gods Scully, Vincent
The Shingle Style and the Stick Style Scully, Vincent
The Shingle Style Today Scully, Vincent
The Architecture of Humanism: A Study in the History of Taste Scott, Geoffrey
Ant Farm Scott, Felicity
Mies van de Rohe: Critical Essays Schulze, Franz
Chicago’s Famous Buildings Schulze, Franz et al.
Mies van der Rohe: A Critical Biography Schulze, Franz
Philip Johnson: Life and Work Schulze, Franz
Fin-de-Siècle Vienna: Politics and Culture Schorske, Carl E.
The Gardens of Russell Page Schinz, Marina et al.
The Country Houses of David Adler Salny, Stephen
Carlo Scarpa Saito, Yutaka
Buckminster Fuller and Isamu Noguchi: Best of Friends Sadao, Shoji et al.
On Adam’s House in Paradise Rykwert, Joseph
The Necessity of Artifice Rykwert, Joseph
Home: A Short History of an Idea Rybczynski, Witold
The Most Beautiful House in the World Rybczynski, Witold
The Stones of Venice Ruskin, John
The Prodigious Builders Rudofsky, Bernard
Architecture Without Architects Rudofsky, Bernard
Behind the Picture Window Rudofsky, Bernard
As I Was Saying Rowe, Colin
The Mathematics of the Ideal Villa and Other Essays Rowe, Colin
A Monograph of the Works of McKim Mead & White 1879–1915 Roth, Leland M.
The Architecture of the City Rossi, Aldo
Autobiografia scientifica (A Scientific Autobiography) Rossi, Aldo
Isambard Kingdom Brunel Rolt, L.T.C.
Esperienza dell’Architettura Rogers, Ernesto
The Functional Tradition in Early Industrial Buildings Richards, J. M.
An Engineer Imagines Rice, Peter
Digital Water Pavilion Ratti, Carlo
Experiencing Architecture Rasmussen, Steen Eiler
Re: CP Price, Cedric et al.
Cedric Price (Works II) [The Square Book] Price, Cedric
David Adler: The Architect and His Work Pratt, Richard
The Rome of Borromini Portoghesi, Paolo
Roma Barocca Portoghesi, Paolo
In Praise of Architecture Ponti, Gio
A Place of My Own Pollan, Michael
Achille Castiglioni Polano, Sergio
Cosmos of Light Plummer, Henry
The Prisons (Le Carceri) Piranesi, Giovanni Battista
Frank Lloyd Wright: Collected Writings, Vol. 1, 1894–1930 Wright, Frank Lloyd et al.
An Outline of European Architecture Pevsner, Nikolaus
Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius Pevsner, Nikolaus
To Engineer Is Human Petroski, Henry
Les Dix Livres d’Architecture de Vitruve, 2nd edition (Vitruvius’s Ten Books on Architecture) Perrault, Claude
Eero Saarinen: Shaping the Future Pelkonen, Eeva-Liisa et al.
What If...?: The Architecture and Design of David Rockwell Pearlman, Chee et al.
Asylum: Inside the Closed World of State Mental Hospitals Payne, Christopher et al.
Minimum Pawson, John
The Strange Death of Architectural Criticism Pawley, Martin et al.
Perspecta 12, The Yale Architectural Journal Papademetriou, Peter
Gothic Architecture and Scholasticism Panofsky, Erwin
The Eyes of the Skin: Architecture and the Senses Pallasmaa, Juhani
The Four Books on Architecture Palladio, Andrea
Traditional Islamic Craft in Moroccan Architecture Paccard, André
Design with Climate Olgyay, Victor
Alexander Girard Oldham, Todd et al.
The Curves of Time Niemeyer, Oscar
The Artless Word: Mies van der Rohe on the Building Art Neumeyer, Fritz
Frei Otto: Complete Works Nerdinger, Winfried
The Bauhaus Reassessed: Sources and Design Theory Naylor, Gillian
Outrage Nairn, Ian
Nairn’s London Nairn, Ian
Nairn’s Paris Nairn, Ian
The English House Muthesius, Hermann
File Under Architecture Muschamp, Herbert
Thinking Drawing/Working Drawing Murcutt, Glenn
Roots of Contemporary American Architecture Mumford, Lewis
From the Ground Up Mumford, Lewis
In the Life of Cities Mostafavi, Mohsen
On Weathering Mostafavi, Mohsen et al.
You Have to Pay for the Public Life Moore, Charles et al.
The City Observed: Los Angeles Moore, Charles
Great Houses of England and Wales Montgomery-Massingberd, Hugh et al.
Miralles/Pinos 1983–1990 Miralles, Enric
Architecture and Politics in Germany: 1918-1945 Lane, Barbara Miller
Classic Style Miller, Judith
The Presence of Mies Mertins, Detlef
Louis Kahn: On the Thoughtful Making of Spaces Merrill, Michael
Architettura addio Mendini, Alessandro
Design with Nature McHarg, Ian
Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things McDonough, William et al.
Morphosis - Combinatory Urbanism: The Complex Behavior of Collective Form Mayne, Thom
Quotidiano sostenibile Manzini, Ezio et al.
Unbuilding Macaulay, David
Pyramid Macaulay, David
Trotzdem, 1900–1930 Loos, Adolf
Your Private Sky: R. Buckminster Fuller Lichtenstein, Claude et al.
Between Zero and Infinity Libeskind, Daniel
Edifices de Rome Moderne Letarouilly, Paul Marie
Planned Assaults Lerup, Lars et al.
The Architecture of Ludwig Wittgenstein Leitner, Bernhard
Object to Be Destroyed: The Work of Gordon Matta-Clark Lee, Pamela M.
L’Architecture Ledoux, Claude-Nicolas
Ronchamp Le Corbusier,
Aircraft Le Corbusier,
Le Modulor Le Corbusier,
Towards a New Architecture (Vers une Architecture) Le Corbusier,
When the Cathedrals Were White Le Corbusier,
Essential Le Corbusier: L’Esprit Nouveau Articles Le Corbusier,
Creation is a Patient Search (L’atelier de la recherche patiente) Le Corbusier,
The Devil in the White City Larson, Erik
Too Much Is Never Enough Lapidus, Morris
Building with Nantucket in Mind Lang, J. Christopher et al.
Joe Colombo Kries, Mateo et al.
The Architecture of Community Krier, Léon
Architecture: Choice or Fate Krier, Léon
A History of Architecture: Settings and Rituals Kostof, Spiro
Town and Revolution Kopp, Anatole
Fundamentals Koolhaas, Rem
Delirious New York Koolhaas, Rem
Harvard Design School Guide to Shopping Koolhaas, Rem et al.
S, M, L, XL Koolhaas, Rem et al.
Saarinen’s Quest: A Memoir Knight, Richard et al.
Charles and Ray Eames Kirkham, Pat
Perfect Acts of Architecture Kipnis, Jeffrey
Brunelleschi’s Dome King, Ross
American Architecture Kimball, Fiske
Module, Proportion, Symmetry, Rhythm (Vision + Value Series) Kepes, Gyorgy
What Is Modern Design? Kaufmann Jr., Edgar
Louis Kahn: Conversations with Students Kahn, Louis I.
Light is the Theme Kahn, Louis I.
Donald Judd: Raume Spaces Judd, Donald et al.
American Buildings and Their Architects, vol. 5: The Impact of European Modernism in the Mid-twentieth Century Jordy, William H.
Mies van der Rohe Johnson, Philip
The Language of Post-Modern Architecture Jencks, Charles
Hans Richter, New Living Janser, Andres et al.
The Necessity for Ruins, and Other Topics Jackson, John Brinckerhoff
Round Buildings, Square Buildings, and Buildings That Wiggle Like a Fish Isaacson, Philip M.
Indian Summer Irving, Robert Grant
Lina Bo Bardi Bardi, Lina Bo
Frank Lloyd Wright Huxtable, Ada Louise
English Country Houses Hussey, Christopher
Against Architecture Hollier, Denis
Pamphlet Architecture 7 Holl, Steven
Libraries Höfer, Candida et al.
The Invention of Tradition Hobsbawm, E. J. et al.
In the Nature of Materials Hitchcock, Henry-Russell
The Architecture of H. H. Richardson and His Times Hitchcock, Henry-Russell
Modern Architecture: Romanticism and Reintegration Hitchcock, Henry-Russell
The International Style Hitchcock, Henry-Russell et al.
Thermal Delight in Architecture Heschong, Lisa
Mask of Medusa Hejduk, John
Education of an Architect Hejduk, John
Eléments et théorie de l’architecture Guadet, Julien
Neoclassicism in the North Groth, Håkan
740 Park: The Story of the World’s Richest Apartment Building Gross, Michael
Arts & Architecture: The Entenza Years Goldstein, Barbara
Why Architecture Matters Goldberger, Paul
Big Jim Girouard, Mark
Many Masks: A Life of Frank Lloyd Wright Gill, Brendan
Mechanization Takes Command Giedion, Sigfried
Space, Time and Architecture Giedion, Sigfried
The Building Erected in Hyde Park for the Great Exhibition 1851 Gibbs-Smith, Charles H.
Churches in Rock Gerster, Georg
Iconic Vision: John Parkinson, Architect of Los Angeles Gee, Stephen
An Architectural Guidebook to Los Angeles Gebhard, David et al.
Mastering Tradition: The Residential Architecture of John Russell Pope Garrison, James B.
Archizoom Associati, 1966–1974 Gargiani, Roberto
Walter Pichler: Zwei Troge, Wasserrinnen Galerie Elisabeth & Klaus Thoman,
Critical Path Fuller, R. Buckminster
Nine Chains to the Moon Fuller, R. Buckminster
Operating Manual for Spaceship Earth Fuller, R. Buckminster
Design Activism Fuad-Luke, Alastair
Shack Chic Fraser, Craig
Modern Architecture, 1851-1945 Frampton, Kenneth et al.
Studies in Tectonic Culture Frampton, Kenneth
The Details of Modern Architecture Ford, Edward R.
A History of Architecture Fletcher, Banister
A History of Architecture on the Comparative Method Fletcher, Banister
Disappearing Architecture Flachbart, Georg
Zone 1/2 Feher, Michael et al.
Translations from Drawing to Building and Other Essays Evans, Robin
The Projective Cast Evans, Robin
House X Eisenman, Peter
Recueil et Parallèle des Edifices de tout genre Anciens et Modernes Durand, Jean-Nicolas-Louis
La Villa Kérylos Vian des Rives, Régis
Trutg dil Flem: Seven Bridges by Jürg Conzett Dechau, Wilfried et al.
The Architecture of Happiness De Botton, Alain
Carlo Scarpa: The Complete Works Dal Co, Francesco et al.
Carlo Scarpa: Theory, Design, Projects Crippa, Maria Antonietta
Ancient Greek Architects at Work: Problems of Structure and Design Coulton, J. J.
Programs and Manifestoes on 20th-Century Architecture Conrads, Ulrich
Essays in Architectural Criticism Colquhoun, Alan
Modern Architecture Colquhoun, Alan
Privacy and Publicity: Modern Architecture as Mass Media Colomina, Beatriz
Changing Ideals in Modern Architecture Collins, Peter
A Hut of One’s Own Cline, Ann
Re-cycle Ciorra, Pippo
Architecture: Form, Space, and Order Ching, Francis D. K.
Community and Privacy Chermayeff, Serge et al.
Emotionally Durable Design Chapman, Jonathan
Diary of the Cavaliere Bernini’s Visit to France Chantelou, Paul Fréart de
The Power Broker Caro, Robert
By Design Caplan, Ralph
Architecture of Truth Cali, François et al.
Architetture nel Segno dei Maestri Buttafava, Claudio et al.
The Architecture of Sir Edwin Lutyens Butler, A.S.G.
Albert Kahn: Architect of Ford Bucci, Federico
Eliot Noyes Bruce, Gordon
Architectural Ornament Brolin, Brent C.
Watermark Brodsky, Joseph
La Prima Architettura Barocca (The First Baroque Architecture) Brandi, Cesare
How Buildings Learn Brand, Stewart
Opus Architecturum Borromini, Francesco et al.
Journeys: How Travelling Fruit, Ideas and Buildings Rearrange our Environment Borasi, Giovanna
Friedrich Kiesler: Architekt, Maler, Bildhauer, 1890–1965 Bogner, Dieter
Le Corbusier: Oeuvre Complète (Complete Works) Boesiger, Willy
Robert Maillart Bill, Max
The Arcades Project Benjamin, Walter
History of Modern Architecture (Storia dell’Architettura Moderna ) Benevolo, Leonardo
For an Architecture of Reality Benedikt, Michael
Horizons Bel Geddes, Norman
Italian Splendor Basehart, Jack et al.
Barragán Guide Barragán, Luis
Megastructure Banham, Reyner
Theory and Design in the First Machine Age Banham, Reyner
Los Angeles: The Architecture of Four Ecologies Banham, Reyner
A Critic Writes: Essays by Reyner Banham Banham, Reyner
The Architecture of the Well-Tempered Environment Banham, Reyner
Informal Balmond, Cecil
Super Constellation Asendorf, Christoph
Walter Gropius e la Bauhaus Argan, Carlo Giulio
The Sense of Unity Ardalan, Nader et al.
Sigurd Lewerentz, 1888-1975 Architectural Association,
Pamphlet Architecture 27, Tooling Aranda, Benjamin et al.
Apartments for the Affluent Alpern, Andrew
Italy: The New Domestic Landscape Ambasz, Emilio
A Pattern Language Alexander, Christopher et al.
Notes on the Synthesis of Form Alexander, Christopher
Carlo Scarpa: Architecture in Details Albertini, Bianca et al.
On the Art of Building in Ten Books Alberti, Leon Battista
What is an Apparatus? and Other Essays Agamben, Giorgio
Eileen Gray Adam, Peter
The Architecture of Michelangelo Ackerman, James S.
Palladio Ackerman, James S.
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