<p>What are some good books for a high school senior interested in architecture?</p>
<p>Here’s some:
De Botton, The Architecture of Happiness
Brand, How Buildings Learn: What Happens After They’re Built
Salvadori, Why Buildings Stand Up: The Strength of Architecture<br>
Levy, Salvadori & Woest, Why Buildings Fall Down: How Structures Fail
Wolfe, From Bauhaus to Our House
Jacobs, The Death and Life of Great American Cities</p>
<p>The first book I would seek is one with gives a historical overview so terms like Gothic, Romanesque, Mannerist, etc. have some meaning to you. My suggestion as a reference book here would be; </p>
<p>“A History of Architecture on the Comparative Method” by Bannister Fletcher</p>
<p>This book has been out forever (I have a 17th edition dated 1963), and is an encyclopedia with beautiful ink drawings of plans, elevations and sections of famous buildings throughout history. The new ones are pricey, go root through second hand bookstores and find an old one. I still use this as a reference book.</p>
<p>Next I would try to get a better understanding of the modern movement in the 20th century. William Curtis is probably one of the most readable authors on this subject;</p>
<p>“Modern Architecture Since 1900” by William J. R. Curtis </p>
<p>I always hear people saying to go learn to sketch so you have something to put into your portfolio. This small book by Paul Lasseau is probably the most practical guide to sketching I have seen. It is focused on pen and ink sketching, but if you do the step by step exercises he gives you will vastly improve your sketching.</p>
<p>“Freehand Sketching: An Introduction” by Paul Lasseau</p>
<p>Finally I think getting a subscription to Architectural Record would be a good way to keep in touch with the profession.</p>
<p>rick</p>
<p>This is one of my favorites; it’s a detailed day by day account of the building of a house from the point of view of the clients (the family who will live in it), the architect who designed it and the construction crew who actually did the building. The interaction among the three is fascinating and illuminating to a would-be architect.</p>
<p>House by Tracy Kidder
<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/House-Tracy-Kidder/dp/0618001913/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1325840753&sr=1-1[/url]”>http://www.amazon.com/House-Tracy-Kidder/dp/0618001913/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1325840753&sr=1-1</a></p>
<p>I would also suggest reading contemporaneous architectural criticism. The New York Time, The Wall Street Journal and The New Yorker, regularly review new buildings.</p>
<p>Read a book specifically on architectural practice, to understand how the profession works and how architectural offices function. Reading architectural history is interesting, but gives you little context on the profession itself. In HS, considering an architectural major/profession, you need to familiarize w/the experience of being an architect.</p>
<p>Recommend MIT Press’ “Architecture; Story of Practice” by Dana Cuff, UoTexas Press’ “American Architects and the Mechanics of Fame” by Roxanne Williamson. Go online and read Archinect web-site for current info on profession. Read online the architecture magazines’ professional journal websites. Note the Architectural Record lost support of AIA, and the new magazine choice is Hanley Wood’s Architect.</p>
<p>i’m also a high school senior, and i’m really interested in architecture. there’s this great book by dr. lee w waldrep; becoming an architect. you can also follow architecture pages on twitter, to get like the latest info about architecture.</p>