History of Architectural Theory

by Hanno-Walter Kruft

Book Overview

As the first comprehensive encyclopedic survey of Western architectural theory from Vitruvius to the present, this book is an essential resource for architects, students, teachers, historians, and theorists. Using only original sources, Kruft has undertaken the monumental task of researching, organizing, and analyzing the significant statements put forth by architectural theorists over the last two thousand years. The result is a text that is authoritative and complete, easy to read without being reductive.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1568980108
• ISBN13: 9781568980102
• Release Date: January 1996
• Publisher: Princeton Architectural Press
• Length: 706 Pages
• Weight: 3.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.9" x 6.1" x 9.2"
• Age Range: 13 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 8 to Postsecondary

Customer Reviews

The Only Survey of Its Kind

Though outdated in significant ways -- with the entire second half essentially eclipsed by Harry Mallgrave's stunningly comprehensive history of modern architectural theory (Cambridge, 2005) -- this is still worth owning and reading for the material from Vitruvius to Perrault. The enormous bibliography is, due to its cumbersome organization, rather daunting and not nearly as useful as it should be. Maddening as it is, it is still an essential volume for anyone even remotely interested in the rationale behind the stylistic appearances of our built environment.