Feng Shui: A Practical Guide for Architects and Designers

I bought this book after attending a workshop on feng shui given by a Chinese master who incorporated a tremendous amount of astrology into the application of feng shui principles to building design and personal accessories. This book uses feng shui more like environmental psychology and shows why certain configurations are more harmonious than others -- i.e. produce a less anxious emotional state for the inhabitant. I like the illustrations and examples and it makes sense for American designers. I am trained as an architect and think it would be tremendously useful in practice.

Feng Shui is full of common-sense ideas that sometimes get lost in the more "mystical" aspects in the popular imagination. As the title says, this book is meant for architects and interior designers; it's not for beginners. But if you have some proficiency with Feng Shui and want to learn more about its practical applications as well as the theory behind it, you will find those things here. Intelligent, straightforward, useful.

There are many Feng Shui books on the market. I own quite a few myself. That is for sure. This one belongs to the better ones. I like it a lot. It helped me to become aware of different spaces I visit and it expanded my understanding of this complex subject. It is useful even if you work only with your home. I'd recommend it warmly. Only one thing irritates me: the way they print the W in the figures. Wall looks something like KJal. But hey, it's a minor issue. I can definitely live with it.

Without trying to make the reader an expert at Feng Shui this book clearly explains important principles of good design from placement of doors to colors and placement of art. A fascinating read at a basic level, it does not delving into the complexities of Feng Shui but make the basic ideas easy to understand and apply. The book includes an interesting section on how furniture placement creates effective doorways and passageways in the room and makes the house more inviting or hinders access. The authors examine various applications including residential and office environments. Feng Shui: A Practical Guide for Architects and Designers is easily one of the most approachable and immediately usable books on Feng Shui that I have read and one of the few that I can actually call an enjoyable read.

Feng Shui expert Vincent M. Smith works with architect Barbara Lyons Stewart to produce the first book written for design pros interested in practical applications of Feng Shui. Here are basic principles tailored not for the new age consumer but for the practicing architect who wants to build them and hard-wire them into structures. From learning which designs reduce stress and increase productivity to using feng shui concepts for selecting initial building sites for homes or businesses, FENG SHUI: A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR ARCHITECTS AND DESIGNERS is not to be missed. Diane C. Donovan California Bookwatch