Materials: Architecture in Detail

by Oscar Riera Ojeda

This new series examines the role of details in contemporary architecture through the work of many emerging and established practitioners whose designs speak sensitively and energetically at the small scale. The collection presents these details in photographs, accompanied by working drawings, sketches, an introductory essay, and captions that explain how the elements were conceived and built. The details presented are often beautiful telltales of a designer's thoughts, scaled to our eye, made physical to the touch of our hand. These crafted moments remind us that architecture can be a subtle and powerful force—played out in some cases by evoking historical motifs, in others by radical experimentation with new materials. But more than a simple catalogue of ideas, these details are ultimately shown as individual expressions of discovery, gestures of delight or severity, of beauty and clarity. They are meaningful indications of the architect's presence—more than all else, willful signs that the true craft of design is alive and well. Materials examines a wide spectrum of architectural palettes, from traditional materials used in innovative ways to the testing of new substances that alter the meaning of historic forms. The images demonstrate the use of single materials throughout a space as well as the joining of multiple components in one place. These details exemplify projects in which patterns, textures, color, and surface qualities contribute ingeniously to the character of the architecture around them.

Genres: Architecture

192 pages, Hardcover

First published April 1, 2003

Reviews

[Maria Popescu]

Yes, I did read a coffee table book from cover to cover. To be honest, that is not neccessarily an accurate description of this book. It contains many detail technical drawings which I am not sure are understood by everyone. Some I didn’t understand and I’m studying architecture... What I’m trying to say is that it is perhaps a beautiful book for professionals as well as students. It is an album of examples of uses of different materials. There is barely any writing in it, which was pretty great for me as it is a big book and that made it a very fast read. The materials speak for themselves. The chosen buildings/projects and the photographs provide much inspiration. That is the word I would use to best sum up the experience of this book.