Hiking Books

Monday, January 31, 2011

Robert A. M. Stern: Houses and Gardens Reviews

Robert A. M. Stern: Houses and Gardens

Architecture should be an affirmation of placeâ€"that is, the physical product of a truly environmentally responsive approach. To work with the place and its traditions is not to be trapped in a dull set of conventions. The tension between timeless ways and the all-too-timely circumstances that call a new building into being should lead to a vital architecture. The tension between the past and the presence of the past should foster an architecture more culturally resonant than one that is either is all about the past or all about the present. â€"Robert A. M. Stern

Robert A. M. Stern is dedicated to the synthesis of tradition and innovation. In more than thirty-five years of practice, he has produced a wide range of building types with a variety of stylistic influences, all inspired by the great legacy of American architecture. His firm, Robert A. M. Stern Architects, was first recognized for its distinguished houses, and residential design remains the cornerstone of the practice. This beautifully illustrated monographâ€"a companion to the best-selling Robert A. M. Stern: Housesâ€"presents twenty-six of the firm's most memorable houses.

Located in diverse settings across North Americaâ€"from a valley in Colorado with sweeping views of the Aspen mountains, to a bluff overlooking Long Island Sound, to an island off the coast of British Columbiaâ€"these remarkable houses reveal the architect's emphasis on the importance of context and his dedication to exploring the nature of place. Each house invokes the vernacular architectural heritage particular to its region, while gracefully reflecting its unique natural surroundings. Whether they are shingle style "cottages" by the sea, colonial Georgian country estates, or elegant Regency designs, Stern's houses are unique both for their timelessness and their ability to evoke a conversation with the pastâ€"a dialogue he believes lies at the heart of architecture.

List Price: $ 85.00

Price: $ 53.52

A Japanese Touch for Your Garden: Revised and Expanded Edition

A Japanese Touch for Your Garden is a concise introduction to the practical aspects of making a Japanese garden. Whether it's a spacious suburban lot, an office courtyard, or a tiny, inner-city backyard, here are hundreds of creative but time-honored ways to make maximum use of the available space.
Readers will learn how to lay stones and pathways and how to create intriguing sand patterns like the ones in Zen temple gardens. They will learn about Japanese lanterns, miniature pagodas, water basins, gates, and walls, and will be shown--step-by-step--how to make a bamboo lattice fence. Notes on the care of bamboo, moss, and grass are provided as are names of native North American plants and trees that can be substituted for conventional Japanese varieties. Schematic layout plans, detailed how-to explanations, and over 150 color photographs of Japanese gardens, old and new, offer ideas for endless variations. In this revised edition, all the photographs have been replaced with new ones, and the number of color pages has doubled, making the book much more attractive.
Thoroughly up-to-date in its approach and based on the principle that a garden must satisfy the gardener, not a set of inflexible guidelines, this book encourages readers to choose freely from the wide range of traditional Japanese design elements that suit individual needs and tastes. Whether one lives in the country, city, or somewhere in between, he or she will discover numerous ways to transform--simply, inexpensively, and with ones own two hands--that back porch, corridor, or yard into an intimate, tranquil oasis, that will reward all the planning and work with a rich and ever-changing beauty.Thoroughly up-to-date in its approach and based on the principle that a garden must satisfy the gardener, not a set of inflexible guidelines, A Japanese Touch for Your Garden encourages readers to choose freely from the wide range of traditional Japanese design elements that suit individual needs and tastes. Whether you live in the country, city, or somewhere in between, you'll discover numerous ways to transform that back porch, corridor, or yard into an intimate, tranquil oasis that will reward all the planning and work with a rich and ever-changing beauty. You'll find inspiration and practical advice to help you to transform your outdoor space or interior courtyard. (Click the links below to learn more)