Kenneth Frampton's long-awaited follow-up to his classic A Critical History of Modern Architecture is certain to influence any future debate on the evolution of modern architecture.Studies in Tectonic Culture is nothing less than a rethinking of the entire modern architectural tradition. The notion of tectonics as employed by Frampton -- the focus on architecture as a constructional craft -- constitutes a direct challenge to current mainstream thinking on the artistic limits of postmodernism, and suggests a convincing alternative. Indeed, Frampton argues, modern architecture is invariably as much about structure and construction as it is about space and abstract form.Composed of ten essays and an epilogue that trace the history of contemporary form as an evolving poetic of structure and construction, the book's analytical framework rests on Frampton's close readings of key French and German, and English sources from the eighteenth century to the present. He clarifies the various turns that structural engineering and tectonic imagination have taken in the work of such architects as Perret, Wright, Kahn, Scarpa, and Mies, and shows how both constructional form and material character were integral to an evolving architectural expression of their work. Frampton also demonstrates that the way in which these elements are articulated from one work to the next provides a basis upon which to evaluate the works as a whole. This is especially evident in his consideration of the work of Perret, Mies, and Kahn and the continuities in their thought and attitudes that linked them to the past.Frampton considers the conscious cultivation of the tectonic tradition in architecture as an essential element in the future development of architectural form, casting a critical new light on the entire issue of modernity and on the place of much work that has passed as "avant-garde."A copublication of the Graham Foundation for Advanced Studies and The MIT Press.
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"Kenneth Frampton's book approaches a very importantissue for understanding the way in which architects proceed: the continuity between form and construction. But to establish this continuity doesn't simply mean to accept pure constructive determinism, and Frampton's book helps us to comprehend that beside whatever technical discovery there is always the architect's effort to produce form. Using the work of outstanding contemporary architects such as Utzon and Scarpa, Frampton is able to show how architectural talent is manifested in continuous form invention." Rafael Moneo , Professor of Architecture, Harvard University "Kenneth Frampton's book approaches a very important issue for understanding the way in which architects proceed: the continuity between form and construction. But to establish this continuity doesn't simply mean to accept pure constructive determinism, and Frampton's book helps us to comprehend that beside whatever technical discovery there is always the architect's effort to produce form. Using the work of outstanding contemporary architects such as Utzon and Scarpa, Frampton is able to show how architectural talent is manifested in continuous form invention." Rafael Moneo, Professor of Architecture, Harvard University
About the Author
Kenneth Frampton is Ware Professor of Architecture at Columbia University.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
It's no secret that many buildings today are both technologically advanced and tectonically primitive, that despite their long-span, multi-zone, taut-skin gizmos they still look shoddy. If, as a non-architect, you suppose there is some kind of planned obsolescence that is designed into buildings as with cars, you are mistaken. Paradoxically, this is only the appearance of shoddyness--our structures could last longer than the pyramids, they only look as if they might fall down. Kenneth Frampton wrote this book in 1995 to explain the discrepancy to architects. His subtitle is The Poetics of Construction, and that is what his book is about. If you wonder: what poetics? you might think of W.H. Auden's remark, 'when civilization is becoming monotonously the same all the world over...in poetry, at least, there cannot be an "International Style."' Frampton talks about a poetic formal dimension that transcends technology and materials. The tectonic culture of the title is the mastery of the craft of building, and it is easier understood when you can see the drawings and photographs that accompany the text. Frampton is himself a master of (amongst other things) making his point with architectural images you haven't seen before.
Frampton has spent many years studying the tectonic culture of the great practitioners of modernism. Like a Sherlock Holmes of architectural history, he sees the significance of the smallest detail and how it can fit into the larger scheme. He puts this talent to great use in the six chapters where he analyses buildings by Wright, Mies, Auguste Perret, Louis Kahn, Utzon and Scarpa. The work of others is also considered: Foster, Herman Hertzberger, engineers like Boot's-of-Nottingham designer Owen Williams and Pier Luigi Nervi, H.P. Berlage, Aalto, late le Corbusier, there are many more.
He ends with Renzo Piano. He sees Piano's Building Workshop as an exemplary way to practise architecture, and though recently completed projects like the NY Times building are missing (this came out in '95, remember) there's no reason to think Frampton's changed his mind. Nevertheless the book could do with an update, there are omissions that I don't think are intended. I don't miss Frank Gehry, whose work doesn't appear here. His influence is spacial, and though he uses materials well, his own interest is not, I think, tectonic. Incidently Frampton--remembering, probably, that when architects move on there is a tendency to throw out the baby with the bath water--notes that the tectonic culture must be considered as well as other things, like space, and not instead of them.
Jeremy Hawker
Frampton has spent many years studying the tectonic culture of the great practitioners of modernism. Like a Sherlock Holmes of architectural history, he sees the significance of the smallest detail and how it can fit into the larger scheme. He puts this talent to great use in the six chapters where he analyses buildings by Wright, Mies, Auguste Perret, Louis Kahn, Utzon and Scarpa. The work of others is also considered: Foster, Herman Hertzberger, engineers like Boot's-of-Nottingham designer Owen Williams and Pier Luigi Nervi, H.P. Berlage, Aalto, late le Corbusier, there are many more.
He ends with Renzo Piano. He sees Piano's Building Workshop as an exemplary way to practise architecture, and though recently completed projects like the NY Times building are missing (this came out in '95, remember) there's no reason to think Frampton's changed his mind. Nevertheless the book could do with an update, there are omissions that I don't think are intended. I don't miss Frank Gehry, whose work doesn't appear here. His influence is spacial, and though he uses materials well, his own interest is not, I think, tectonic. Incidently Frampton--remembering, probably, that when architects move on there is a tendency to throw out the baby with the bath water--notes that the tectonic culture must be considered as well as other things, like space, and not instead of them.
Jeremy Hawker
By Cardano
Format:Paperback
This large and copiuosly illustrated volume represents a rethinking of the moren architectural tradition and is indespensable in understanding why modern buildings look the way they do. It argues that modern architecture is as much about structure and construction as it is about space and form. The author considers the concious cultivation of the tectonic tradition in architecture as an essential element in the future development of architectural form. In ten chapters it covers:
1) Reflections on the scope of the tectonic
2) Greco-Gothic and Neo-Gothic
3) The tectonic...in the german enlightenment, 1750-1870
4) Frank Lloyd Wright
5) August Perret and Classical Rationalism
6) Mies van der Rohe
7) Louis Khan
8) Jorn Utzon
9) Carlo Scarpa
10) The tectonic Trajectory
The chapters on Mies, Khan, Utzon and Scarpa are particularly rewarding.
1) Reflections on the scope of the tectonic
2) Greco-Gothic and Neo-Gothic
3) The tectonic...in the german enlightenment, 1750-1870
4) Frank Lloyd Wright
5) August Perret and Classical Rationalism
6) Mies van der Rohe
7) Louis Khan
8) Jorn Utzon
9) Carlo Scarpa
10) The tectonic Trajectory
The chapters on Mies, Khan, Utzon and Scarpa are particularly rewarding.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.4 out of 5 stars
5 reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Concrete Poetry
26 Nov 2007
By Jeremy Hawker
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
Anyone who designs buildings will benefit from reading this book.
It's no secret that many buildings today are at the same time technologically advanced and tectonically primitive, that despite their long-span, multi-zone, taut-skin gizmos they still look shoddy. If, as a non-architect, you suppose there is some kind of planned obsolescence that is designed into buildings as with cars, you are mistaken. Paradoxically, this is only the appearance of shoddyness--our structures could last longer than the pyramids, they only look as if they might fall down.
The insightful and subtle critic and theorist Kenneth Frampton wrote this in 1995 to explain the discrepancy to architects. His subtitle is The Poetics of Construction, and that is what his book is about. If you wonder: what poetics? you might think of W.H. Auden's remark, 'when civilization is becoming monotonously the same all the world over...in poetry, at least, there cannot be an "International Style."'
Frampton talks about a poetic formal dimension that transcends technology and materials. The tectonic culture of the title is the mastery of the craft of building, and it is easier understood when you can see the drawings and photographs that accompany the text. Frampton is himself a master in, amongst other things, making his point with architectural images you haven't seen before.
Frampton has spent many years studying the tectonic culture of the great practitioners of modernism. Like a Sherlock Holmes of architectural history, he sees the significance of the smallest detail and how it can fit into the larger scheme. He puts this talent to great use in the six chapters where he analyses buildings by Wright, Mies, Auguste Perret, Louis Kahn, Utzon and Scarpa. The work of others is also considered: Foster, Herman Hertzberger, engineers like Boot's-of-Nottingham's designer Owen Williams and Pier Luigi Nervi, H.P. Berlage, Aalto, late le Corbusier, there are many more.
He ends with Renzo Piano. He sees Piano's Building Workshop as an exemplary way to practise architecture, and though recently completed projects like the NY Times Building are missing (this came out twelve years ago, remember) there's no reason to think Frampton's changed his mind. Nevertheless the book could do with an update. Koolhaas, Gehry, and many other stars whose far reaching influence is spacial rather than about master craftsmanship in building, don't appear here; but what about Japan (there's only one reference to Ando and none to Ban)? Incidently, Frampton--remembering, probably, that when architects move on there is a tendency to throw out the baby with the bath water--notes that tectonic culture must be considered in addition to other things, like space, and not instead of them.
Jeremy Hawker
It's no secret that many buildings today are at the same time technologically advanced and tectonically primitive, that despite their long-span, multi-zone, taut-skin gizmos they still look shoddy. If, as a non-architect, you suppose there is some kind of planned obsolescence that is designed into buildings as with cars, you are mistaken. Paradoxically, this is only the appearance of shoddyness--our structures could last longer than the pyramids, they only look as if they might fall down.
The insightful and subtle critic and theorist Kenneth Frampton wrote this in 1995 to explain the discrepancy to architects. His subtitle is The Poetics of Construction, and that is what his book is about. If you wonder: what poetics? you might think of W.H. Auden's remark, 'when civilization is becoming monotonously the same all the world over...in poetry, at least, there cannot be an "International Style."'
Frampton talks about a poetic formal dimension that transcends technology and materials. The tectonic culture of the title is the mastery of the craft of building, and it is easier understood when you can see the drawings and photographs that accompany the text. Frampton is himself a master in, amongst other things, making his point with architectural images you haven't seen before.
Frampton has spent many years studying the tectonic culture of the great practitioners of modernism. Like a Sherlock Holmes of architectural history, he sees the significance of the smallest detail and how it can fit into the larger scheme. He puts this talent to great use in the six chapters where he analyses buildings by Wright, Mies, Auguste Perret, Louis Kahn, Utzon and Scarpa. The work of others is also considered: Foster, Herman Hertzberger, engineers like Boot's-of-Nottingham's designer Owen Williams and Pier Luigi Nervi, H.P. Berlage, Aalto, late le Corbusier, there are many more.
He ends with Renzo Piano. He sees Piano's Building Workshop as an exemplary way to practise architecture, and though recently completed projects like the NY Times Building are missing (this came out twelve years ago, remember) there's no reason to think Frampton's changed his mind. Nevertheless the book could do with an update. Koolhaas, Gehry, and many other stars whose far reaching influence is spacial rather than about master craftsmanship in building, don't appear here; but what about Japan (there's only one reference to Ando and none to Ban)? Incidently, Frampton--remembering, probably, that when architects move on there is a tendency to throw out the baby with the bath water--notes that tectonic culture must be considered in addition to other things, like space, and not instead of them.
Jeremy Hawker
7 of 10 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
work and think
2 Oct 2005
By Tak Cheng Sze
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
It might be arguable whether Kenneth Frampton is an excellent architectural theorist, but he is definitely one of the most critical analysists and knowlegeable historians.
Frampton, in this book, opens a new window for us to look at and to think about architecture. He first defined the term 'tectonics' culture with the theory of Semper. Then he critically analyses the tectonic quality of some of the modernist masters' buildings (Mies, Kahn, Wright, Utzon etc).
People might argue that studies architecture only by their tectonic quality reveals only partially of the architect's intent and this is why I think Frampton misunderstood Mies' intent. However, one could not disagree with Frampton's critical architectural analytical skill.
One of the biggest problems of contemporary architecture theorists is lacking of professional knowledges and architectural analytical skills. This makes architecture theory as an over generalized conceptual debate. As a result, it ultimately delineates the 'professionalism' of architect: one either work or think. 'Studies in Tectonic culture' built a new bridge to save our professionalism from 'no-brainers'.
Frampton, in this book, opens a new window for us to look at and to think about architecture. He first defined the term 'tectonics' culture with the theory of Semper. Then he critically analyses the tectonic quality of some of the modernist masters' buildings (Mies, Kahn, Wright, Utzon etc).
People might argue that studies architecture only by their tectonic quality reveals only partially of the architect's intent and this is why I think Frampton misunderstood Mies' intent. However, one could not disagree with Frampton's critical architectural analytical skill.
One of the biggest problems of contemporary architecture theorists is lacking of professional knowledges and architectural analytical skills. This makes architecture theory as an over generalized conceptual debate. As a result, it ultimately delineates the 'professionalism' of architect: one either work or think. 'Studies in Tectonic culture' built a new bridge to save our professionalism from 'no-brainers'.
4.0 out of 5 stars
A dense and informative read.
25 Nov 2012
By manbear
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This book is a very dense one and slightly pretentious. You have to wade through the super flowery language, but there is real and insightful information in this book.
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4.4 out of 5 stars
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