Understanding Architecture: Its Elements, History, and Meaning

Book was definitely NOT 🚫 in good condition. In fact, it had a torn out page, pages excessive highlighting throughout, bent up edges and covers. Description misleading. I’m returning it because of the condition.

Extremely fast shipping, and product was packaged perfectly. Would definitely do business with again.

This book is one of the seminal readings for architectural history, and the reason is that the contents are well-thought-out, well-researched, and interestingly written. That said, shouldn't such a book, one you'll keep a good long time as a reference, come with a binding that doesn't fall apart on the first open? Sumeria and Mesopotamia are ready to leap out of the spine. It's a real travesty and the publisher should be embarassed. I'd have returned it if I didn't need it for a class. As for the contents, I'd say that Roth is a great scholar and writer. He's also done or reworked many of the very solid illustrations in the book, and the book is a good read as well as a good reference. You can pick up the thread anywhere and don't necessarily have to read in chronological order. Worth buying a copy (that doesn't fall apart in your hands.)

As Marion Dean Ross Professor of Architectural History at the University of Oregon at Eugene, Leland M. Roth summarized his research and experience in "Understanding Architecture: Its Elements, History, And Meaning." Having done extensive graduate studies in architecture, landscape architecture and urban planning, I always find the history and meaning of architecture, gardens and places fascinating. "Understanding Architecture: Its Elements, History, And Meaning" is a feast for people like me. It is separated into 2 parts. Part I covers elements of architecture including "Commoditie" (Function), "Firmeness" (Structure), "Delight" (Space, Acoustic and Aesthetic), architecture as part of natural environment, architecture, memory and economics. Part II covers history and meaning of Western architecture from the dawn of the civilization to present, including "from caves to cities," the architecture of Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt, Greek architecture, Roman architecture, Early Christian and Byzantine architecture, Medieval architecture, Renaissance architecture, Baroque and Rococo architecture, the origin and development and versions of Modernism, and various schools of Postmodernism. "Understanding Architecture: Its Elements, History, And Meaning" has 652 pages and many line drawings and good interior black-and-white photos. It is a valuable survey of Western architecture from the dawn of the civilization to present. Gang Chen, AIA, LEED AP BD+C, Author of "Architectural Practice Simplified," "LEED GA Exam Guide," "Planting Design Illustrated," and other books on various LEED exams, architecture, and landscape architecture

Excellent text of architectural history, with good information and explanations of each style in cronological order and lots of sections on examples and masters of each epoch. Lots of pictures of plans and sections! I only wish I had had it for the assignments I had to do last semester! I do wish it had more color fotos instead of black and white. Like all architecture books, it's a little too expensive, but reasonable for the comparatives I found localy. Excellent book, Highly recommended for architecture students and enthusiasts alike.

I'm a college instructor for beginning level Architecture Appreciation, and the Leland Roth book is an excellent choice to use for such a class. It is concise, informative and for the students, easy to read. Also, for their purposes, because the book is mostly black and white, it is rather cost efficient in an age of over-priced rip-off textbooks. The only problem with the book is that it can really stand to be updated. There is no chapter about Decontructivism or anything that followed, and the book ends with Mario Botta in 1993, which these days is antiquity already. Roth must know that his book is a gold standard for such a class. Knowing this, it is imperative that he revise it soon. it's too good of a product to stop 12 years ago.