Reading Architecture testimonials
Browse the testimonials and recommendations submitted by students, architects, RIBA staff, and members of the public that remind us about the crucial role books play in the architecture journey and profession.
Architect's Pocket Book by Baden-Powell
A must read is an Architect's Pocket Book by Baden-Powell. It’s less descriptive than other books, but it's a useful tool that I've had at my side all the way through architecture school.
It introduces how you can look at space ergonomically, including things such as space requirements for doorsets, measurements for piping, bedroom dimensions and looking at how someone might react to a space if they're sitting down or at a table. It's just a really interesting book and a really good tool to have by your side to reference, whether if you're wanting to get into architecture or are already studying at university.
Cath Wheater, Architectural Assistant at Watson & Batty.
Le Corbusier, edited by Willy Boesiger
One of my favourite books is Le Corbusier, edited by Willy Boesiger. I bought this book in the United States for $2.00 when I was a student and spent my summers in America. It has really stood the test of time and has travelled to many countries with me. I love it because it's got all of Le Corbusier's drawings and writings in it, and you can just delve into it when you’re working on a project and looking for inspiration. Looking at all his sketches can trigger an idea for your design, and I frequently refer back to this book.
Olive White, Senior Lecturer in Architecture at University of Wolverhampton.
Tony Hunt’s Structures Notebook by Tony Hunt
The book I’d like to recommend to first year architecture students is Tony Hunt’s Structures Notebook. The book introduces the subject of structures and explains structural principles and behaviour with freehand sketches and diagrams. What I like about the book is the clarity of the concise text, essential information and engaging illustrations, as an introduction to understanding and designing structures.
Sarah Jefferson, RIBA Chartered Member.
Bridges by David Ross
This book is about arch bridges to suspension bridges to viaducts. It covers 190 bridges including very old ones and new ones. This book contains some of the best bridges in the world including the Millau bridge in France which is one of my favourite ones. It contains lots of information about each bridge and a picture of every bridge. It is a good book for anyone who wants to see and learn about the bridges.
Samuel, age 9, Bradford.
Concretopia: A Journey Around
the Rebuilding of Postwar Britain by John Grindrod
I am fascinated by architecture and how it has shaped our landscape. This book is a fabulous insight into the concrete and Brutalist architecture many cities have, stemming from how Britain needed to rebuild itself after WW2. As a form of architecture, Brutalism divides opinion. Many see it as ugly and impractical in nature, but this book will challenge this (whilst being honest) and show the logic and thinking behind its design. I particularly love the interviews threaded throughout - an easy to read and informative book on a fascinating topic.
John, University of Huddersfield.
The City of Tomorrow and its Planning by Le Corbusier
In this book, Le Corbusier turns from designing houses to planning cities. He identifies the problems of European cities; that they evolved from unplanned chaos of medieval cities featuring poor quality design and housing together with inefficient connectivity, based on the "pack-donkey’s way." Within this book, Le Corbusier sets out technical solutions to the problems he identifies and new visions for urban reconstruction based on the notion that modern cities must function on order.
Whilst today many recognise the problems that arose from Le Corbusier’s grand schemes and the fractured communities they created, this remains a visionary book that makes an interesting read for anyone interested in the fusion of architecture and town planning, providing great insight into Le Corbusier’s perspectives, and one I enjoyed studying at university.
Rebecca, Bradford.
Gordon Matta-Clark by Phaidon Press
One of my favourite books that made me first start thinking about architecture was actually by an artist called Gordon Matta Clark. This was an artist that I studied at A level, and I was really drawn to his work. He looked at reinventing houses and cutting them up and developing the space into something new, changing perspective just by cutting different shaped holes into different buildings. I really enjoyed that level of creativity and it's just something that's always stayed with me as I've evolved into the architecture.
Cath Wheater, Architectural Assistant at Watson & Batty.
Architecture, Form, Order and Space by Francis D.K. Ching
This is a book I used at university a lot. It's a brilliant introduction on how to do different drawing styles and represent architecture through these artistic formats. It explains different drawing styles such as plans and perspective, 3D spaces and shapes and is written in a really clear and easy to understand way, very important when putting in late nights!
Onajiti Asari, Part 3 Student.
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
My pick is a work of fiction, and not strictly architectural, but ‘Piranesi’ by Susanna Clarke is a sumptuous evocation of a world of endless halls filled with statues, inspired (as the name would suggest) by the work of the 18th century architectural engraver, Giovanni Battista Piranesi. It’s a reminder of how historic architectural images can inspire the contemporary imagination.
See RIBA Collections ‘Villa of Maecenas’, Tivoli, in an engraving by Giovanni Battista Piranesi, from Vedute di Roma published in 1767.
India Whiteley, Project Officer for Revealing the Collections, RIBA.
Building Reuse: Sustainability, Preservation, and the Value of Design by Kathryn Rogers Merlino
How we design in a way that is responsible for our environment is very important to me. This book argues that we should be looking to reuse buildings, rather than always building new, and it has so many inspiring ways buildings have been creatively reused in the Pacific Northwest. Everyone should read this so that they start questioning their own practices and way of thinking, making the profession greener but still artistic.
Isabel Sanchez, Part 2 Architectural Assistant.
Children and Gardens by Gertrude Jekyll
Gertrude Jekyll, who is said to have designed gardens with an architect's eye, seemed like a right hoot! A few years back I found an unsung treasure of the RIBA Library’s collection in the reference section and it's one of the few architectural books I have in my personal collection now. Her book Children and Gardens is a delight of photographs with titles such as ‘Hedgehog out for an evening prowl’, drawings showing a ‘snap dragon pod dressed as an old woman’ and plans of different configurations of sleeping kittens. The book was aimed at interesting the young in the growing things and it certainly does. She confesses, with gentle wit, to climbing over five-barred gates and jumping in ditches when no-one is looking even though she knows from the number of years she has lived is ‘quite an old woman’. I maintain that it’s the best book in my own mini library and the British Architectural Library.
Elizabeth Adams, Informal Learning Co-ordinator at RIBA.
Robert Moses: The Master Builder of New York City by Pierre Christin and Olivier Balez
This is a great architecture graphic novel about one of the most important planners of New York City. It shows the architect, but also the person behind the designs. A really interesting read.
Tomas.
How to get involved
Send us an email
Email our learning team a 50 to 150 word review by which includes the following:
- the book title and author
- a picture of you and your chosen book (optional)
- your name and profession or connection to architecture
- what the book is about
- how it has helped you (for example, did it inspire you to be an architect, did it nurture an interest in a particular topic, did it give you the skills to finish an assignment, did it enhance your knowledge of a specific architecture technique?)
- what you like about the book and why you think others should read it
Record a video
Film yourself talking about your chosen book, covering the same topics mentioned above and email it to our learning team. The video should be no longer than 15 seconds.
Contact us if you have any questions or would like more information about the Reading Architecture project.
