More than a touch

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William N. Morgan

During more than a thousand years before Europeans arrived in 1540, the native peoples of what is now the southwestern United States and northern Mexico developed an architecture of rich diversity and beauty that harmonized well with the sweeping landscapes of mountains and deserts in which they lived. Vestiges of thousands of these dwellings and villages still remain, in locations ranging from Colorado in the north to Chihuahua in the south and from Nevada in the west to eastern New Mexico - a geographical area of some 300,000 square miles. This study presents the most comprehensive architectural survey of the region currently available. Professionally rendered drawings comparatively analyze 132 sites by means of standardized 100-foot grids with uniform orientations. Reconstructed plans with shadows representing vertical heights suggest the original appearances of many structures that are now in ruins or no longer exist, while concise texts place them in context. Organized in five chronological sections, the book examines architectural evolution from humble pit houses to sophisticated, multistory pueblos. The sections explore concurrent Mogollon, Hohokam, and Anasazi developments, as well as those in the Salado, Sinagua, Virgin River, Kayenta, and other areas, and compare their architecture to contemporary developments in parts of eastern North America and Mesoamerica. The book concludes with a discussion of changes in Native American architecture in response to European influences. Written for a general audience, the book holds obvious appeal for all students of native Southwestern cultures, as well as for everyone interested in origins in architecture. In particular, it should encourage younger Native American architects to value their rich cultural heritage and to respond as creatively to the challenges of the future as their ancestors did to those of the past.

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Michael Pawlyn

"Aimed at architects, urban designers and product designers, this text looks to the natural world to seek clues as to how we can achieve radical increases in resource efficiency. It contains inspiring case studies predicting future trends."--Publisher's description.

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Paul Lukez

"Both a work of theory and a practical tool for suburban community planning, Suburban Transformations introduces the Adaptive Design Process, a method that allows for the organic transformation of communities from suburbs and edge cities that lack a sense of place into communities with their own distinct identity and unique character. In order to stimulate the authentic and fluid evolution of a sustainable community, this process draws important information from a site's history, building upon it by projecting into the future with a series of transformations of buildings, programs, and infrastructure, to create a more habitable and memorable environment. Five case studies provide fully expressed examples of the process, beginning with a sophisticated system of mapping and culminating in computer projections of likely future outcomes, giving the designer the ability to envision changes in the community fabric and adding that knowledge to the designer's kit of place-making tools."--BOOK JACKET.

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Stephen Emmitt, Matthijs Prins, Ad den Otter

Architectural Management represents the state of the art of research and practice in the field and includes contributions from leading international figures. The book looks back at over a decade of research into architectural management, considers the present challenges and opportunities, and looks to the future. You'll find a review of earlier work and developments as well as a focus on new research areas. The book is divided into six sections representing topical themes, each section contains two research-based chapters and one practical case study. Case studies are from six European countri.