Nature and the Idea of a Man-Made World

Name: Nature and the Idea of a Man-Made World
Author: Norman Crowe
ISBN: 0262032228

by Norman Crowe (1995)

Read Free Sample Buy on Amazon Audible Free Trial

About this book

Over the course of this century, nature has increasingly been relegated to the province of environmentalists while cities and towns have been turned over to developers and planners. Norman Crowe seeks to overcome this division into the respective realms of specialists by recognizing the independence of both the natural and the man-made through an understanding of the often hidden roots of the world we contrive for ourselves. Crowe argues that we have lost a vital balance by neglecting our traditional motives for building in the first place. He argues for a symbiotic theory of man's making and nature's activity that views the built environment as a form of nature, one that nourishes the generative power as well as other enduring qualities of nature. . In this sweeping view of architecture and urbanism across cultural boundaries, Crowe evaluates the connections between the natural and man-made in our towns and cities, farms and gardens, architecture and works of civil engineering. He draws on the lessons to be learned from the buildings and cities of the past in restoring critical traditional values that have been lost to modernism, which tends to see the built world almost exclusively through the abstractions of post-Enlightenment science.

Setting / LocationGlobal

Story EraModern Era

Protagonist / CoreNature and the Idea of a Man-Made World Lead Character

Themes & Moods

Art & Photography Nature Environmental aspects Environmental aspects of Architecture Effect of human beings on Architecture Modern Era

Readers who enjoyed this also loved

Main street to Miracle Mile

Chester H. Liebs

First published in 1985, Chester Liebs' Main Street to Miracle Mile established the twentieth-century roadside landscape as a subject for serious study. Liebs traces the transformation of commercial development as it has moved from centralized main streets, out along the street car lines, to form the "miracle miles" and shopping malls of today. He also explores the evolution of roadside buildings, from supermarkets and motels to automobile showrooms and drive-in theaters. Both an historical survey and invaluable guide for reading highway landscapes, this classic work--which has inspired numerous studies, museum exhibits, and preservation efforts--is now back in print with new commentary by the author.

The ecology of architecture

Laura C. Zeiher

Environmentally Conscious Design has become a major interest of architects, designers, planners, public officials, and industry leaders around the world. Unlike other books on the subject that focus on only one or another aspect of ecological design, The Ecology of Architecture answers the question, How do we design and build ecologically sound and affordable structures today that will perform well tomorrow? Written by an experienced practitioner in the field, the book details all facets of green building by providing comparative energy performance solutions, recycling alternatives, cost considerations, materials analyses, information on legislation, as well as examples of practical applications.

Before you build

Robert Roskind

House construction or house purchase, for most people, is the largest single expenditure made in a lifetime. This book provides the essential tool owner-builders have needed as a comprehensive guidebook and housebuilding checklist based on the experience of the recognised leaders in the field of "hands on" education in the country -- The Owner Builder Center in Berkeley, California.

Urban eco chic

Oliver Heath

'Urban Eco Chic' shows how we can all recycle materials, use sustainable products and become increasingly energy-efficient in our own homes, without compromising our sense of style.