If you don't know your Baroque from your Rococo, or the difference between Art Nouveau and Art Deco, or where Modernism ends and Postmodernism begins, then don't fear, you're not alone. Understanding Architecture will reveal all.
From the ancient world to the present day, from medieval Cambodian temples to Paris metro stations, from American shotgun shacks to colonial villas, fascist grandeur to the latest ecologically friendly structures, the book expertly guides the reader through the world's different architectural styles.
Arranged chronologically, over two spreads a major building is used to illustrate a particular style - King's College Chapel, Cambridge for Perpendicular Gothic, the Palace of Versailles for Baroque, the Chrysler Building for Art Deco. Each entry is illustrated with both general view photographs and close-ups, accompanied by accessible text explaining the major features of the style. Each chapter also offers a general cultural background to the major architectural movements, putting them into historical context.
From Gothic cathedrals to the Gothic Revival, Swiss chalet style to the Chicago school, stone to brick to concrete, Understanding Architecture is an excellent introduction to architecture and its place in the politics, religion, social values and science of thousands of years of different peoples.