Dwellings: The House Across the World

by Paul Oliver

"Dwellings is an essential record of domestic buildings by indigenous groups that still exist and thrive in the world today, as well as others that are sadly under threat or disappearing. It is also a useful survey for understanding how different communities cope with issues that affect everyone who builds, eg. climate, migration, as well as symbolic or cultural meaning in architecture." Since its first publication in 1987, Dwellings: The House Across the World has been the classic reference to the world's informal domestic architecture. This new book, Dwellings: The Vernacular House World Wide takes into account further scholarship in the field and also acknowledges theoretical developments in the areas of cultural geography, gender studies, sociology and anthropology. Each narrative chapter is highly illustrated with drawing and photographs, largely by the author from his research field trips over many years. For architects and students, and for those involved in historical research, or the field of vernacular architecture, it is an informative document of the ways in which houses are constructed, decorated and inhabited around the world.

Genres: Architecture, Design, Art, Nonfiction, Reference

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

See http://www2.hud.ac.uk/staffprofiles/s...

Reviews

[Dyuthi · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books on vernacular architecture. You probably will never find this stuff just by Googling. Simple language too.

[Silje · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the basic book to start with, when looking at housing forms around the world. A classic reference book, but which needs another layer of analysis for more socio-political aspects and the understanding of transformation over time. The social appropriation of building materials and even stories about cosmic meaning, are never static. A wonder-box for pondering the meaning of housing, when coupled with some critical anthropology, like for example the work of Marcel Vellinga.

[Windry · Rating 3 out of 5]

wajib baca lah untuk semua arsitek ^^ menarik mengetahui makna tempat tinggal yang lebih dalam, dibaurkan dengan berbagai kultur

[Dave · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cool pictures, not fun to read.

[Jeff Eisenberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great book-covers a huge swath of architecture