Home: A Short History of an Idea

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Viking, New York, 2001, 1986 English

Nonfiction, Architecture

ISBN: 9780670811472

Rybczynski explores the idea of a comfortable home, going as far back at the 17th century. In this exploration he finds theories and advances that have factored into the privacy, intimacy, and efficiency of a home.

On 3 book lists

Bruce Hannah

On Bruce Hannah’s Book List

Why should we be comfortable? Witold Rybczynski explores the origins of this and other ideas that have consequences beyond just our domestic well-being. His concerns expanded from trying to save the world one toilet flush at a time to looking at the design ideas that might affect all of us long before the catch-phrase “green design” took hold. Again, required reading, if you really want to be a designer.

Witold Rybczynski

On list of Books by Witold Rybczynski

Temple St. Clair

On Temple St. Clair’s Book List

I read this while my husband and I were renovating a ramshackle building that we bought in Manhattan’s East Village. It’s a fascinating study of the concept of “home.” Some of the functionality of our home—the kitchen, for example—is based on Rybczynski’s theories: our kitchen is like a workshop with all its tools exposed instead of a gleaming sterile environment that looks like it’s never used.

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