Yes Is More by BIG started me on a reading binge for architecture books, but The Function of Form is one book I will always keep by my side. One part reference, one part structures guide, and one part picture book, the Function of Form provides an insightful view into structure and spaces they create.
The book is separated into sections based on structural types. For each type, such as frames or domes, Moussavi works from the most basic form of the type, to variations, to complex forms aggregated out of the basic type. From type, to variation, to complexity, this book provides a process that flows naturally not only for someone flipping through the book, but also for someone using it as a reference for a project.
Every page and its opposing page form a comprehensive description of a specific type of structure, how it aggregates, what it's effects are, and what it potentially looks like. The left hand side hosts a large rendered image while the right hand side is jam packed with diagrams and text. The diagrams explain how the structure works, and how it is aggregated into a more complex form. Sometimes, the structure type will reference a real world building, which is a pleasant surprise.
This book presents its value to me time after time. The first time I went through the book, it was like taking a whole other semester of structures . Its simple presentation of structural aggregation is invaluable for an architecture student like me. The few times I went through the book from there on, I was always able to find something that pops out and interest me enough to read through it again in detail. The images and diagrams have a tendency to stick in your head, so after flipping through it a few times, it becomes a great book to keep by your side as a quick reference. Unless some crazy superstructure gets invented and completely replaces everything we know about building, (Seems kind of unlikely) this book is something I will keep around for years to come.
No comments:
Post a Comment