Modern Architecture Volume 1

A part of the series History of World Architecture originally published by Electa in Italian in 1971-7 under a general editorship of Pier Luigi Nervi, it was translated to English and published by Abrams in 1971-80 in b & w only, but at 10 x 11 1/4 inches. Subsequently, the series was reedited, shrunk to 8 5/8 x 9 1/2 inches, and published by Electa / Rizzoli in 1985-9 with a few color photos added including each front cover. In the early 2000's, the series was reissued by Phaidon unchanged except for the front cover photo. It is a pictorial "Alfa Romeo" of history of architecture books. Almost every page contains one or - usually - more than one illustration as photo, plan, section, elevation, axonometric view, etc. of the highest quality. The text is written by one of the best expert in the field. It is based on the best examples of topical architecture covering the most significant ones. While relatively concise, it still is comprehensive and complete enough even for students of architecture. (The Abrams' edition has just one volume with 673 b/w illustrations including photographs, diagrams, maps and sketches, and the Electa / Rizzoli edition is divided into two volumes with additional 24 color illustration each.) PUBLISHER'S SYNOPSIS: Modern Architecture / 1 and 2 [combined in the Abrams' edition] document the incredible diversity and change that have taken place in architectural and urban design during the past one hundred years. The informative text by Manfredo Tafuri and Francesco Dal Co offers an in-depth analysis of societal forces shaping the landscape of modern architecture throughout Europe and the United States. Volume one covers issues ranging from urbanism and town planning at the turn of the century through the work of design groups such as the Deutsche Werkbund and individuals such as Le Corbusier and Frank Lloyd Wright to nationalistic and totalitarian architecture in Italy and Germany prior to and during the Second World War. Volume two traces concepts of urbanism and building theories after World War II through the 1970s, following the work of architects such as Mies van der Rohe and Alvar Aalto as well as the younger generation of practitioners of international reputation and influence.