Since I was very young I’ve been fascinated by architecture. Architecture has famously been described by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe as frozen music, but I prefer to think of it as sculpture that we inhabit. The people who spend any time in this library are fortunate to inhabit an incredible building designed by the local firm Hillier Architecture.
Our customers are also fortunate to have access to one of the best collections on architecture to be found in any public library. Take some time to peruse the 720s (Dewey geeks will know these are the architecture subject numbers) in the DVDs, the books for adults, or the books for children. You will find a broad range of gorgeous books covering architecture from ancient times to post-postmodern.
I will only mention one item from each section, but I encourage you, if you have any interest in the built-environment, to explore further.
DVD: “National Geographic: Inside Grand Central“
National Geographic takes you deep inside this iconic Beaux Arts landmark to uncover secrets and examine the amazing engineering of this “city within a city.”
Book: “The Future of Architecture, Since 1889” by Jean-Louis Cohen.
Just added to the library’s collection, this is a rich history of (mostly) 20th-century architecture. It traces an arc from industrialization through computerization, and links architecture to developments in art, technology, and urbanism. Encompassing both well known masters and previously neglected but significant architects, this book also reflects the author’s knowledge of architecture across the globe.
Children’s book: “Michael Graves” by Eric Kudalis.
Easy-to-read and well-illustrated, this book profiles the career of the Princeton-based architect whose major commissions include the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin hotels in Orlando, Fla.
Just one more thing: Can you identify the structure pictured above? I will give hints below if no one gets it.