Ancient Greek architects at work: Problems of structure and design

by J.J. Coulton

A study of the problems of structure and design, this book relates the architect to the society in which he worked; it shows him as a designer, structural engineer and director of works; it identifies the problems that architects encountered and suggests solutions.

Genres: Architecture, History

196 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1977

Reviews

[Amit Cohen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was looking for a reasonably dry book to really dive into the details of Greek architecture. This maybe was a little too dry. I found it difficult to stay engaged but appreciated that there is someone calculating how the angle of the curve at the top of a column evolved over time.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book hits the sweet spot between imagination and data. Coulton has applied in-depth research to his hypotheses of how Greek builders did their work. By addressing specific building challenges in turn, the author offers reasonable explanations for the daily workings of Greek architects and their teams. Coulton often descends into the weeds to prove a point, but the overall book is an exciting approach to looking at Greek buildings.