28 books and book covers in architectural theory meeting... · 2019. 6. 13. · this project puts...

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75 History/Theory 28 Books and Book Covers in Architectural Theory REGIN SCHWAEN North Dakota State University This project puts architectural theory into pracce by asking second year architecture students to make a book cover for a contemporary theory book. The idea is to visualize wrien essays and architectural thought by having architecture stu- dents design, plan and build a book cover selected from a list of sixty books. From a pedagogical point of view it was important to create a seminar where each student has the opportunity to explore, express, and conclude by physical means while read- ing and learning. Connecng reason and knowledge with formal expression is the fundamental challenge for this assignment. Reading an architectural theory and making a book cover that reflects on the content of the book engages and inspires archi- tecture students that oſten become a passive listener or obser - vant in theory seminars. The instructor gave only ten lectures throughout the semester. This allows more me for other assign- ments, such as the book cover project, making it possible to fos- ter a deeper exploraon of knowledge and crical thinking for the emerging architect. More than a decade ago I discovered a book cover assignment created by associate professor Margarita McGrath. She devel- oped this idea while teaching a professional pracce seminar at the School of Architecture + Design, Virginia Tech. In the last four years I have slightly altered the pedagogical principles of her concept. The assignment was in part influenced by three books reflecng on a similar didacc approach. In the book ‘The Thinking Hand’ Juhani Pallasmaa has wrien extensively about hapc and tacle properes. Those are the primary pedagogical objecves for the book cover assignment, but the assignment was also influenced by quesoning how to visualize fundamental observaons in science such as the theory of quantum mechan- ics as discussed by Tor Nørretranders in the book ‘Indivisibility’. Furthermore, I was inspired by Marco Frascari referencing Robin Evans and his observaon that “architects do not build, but merely draw” in the book ‘Eleven Exercises in the art of archi- tectural drawing’ with the excellent subtle ‘Slow food for the architect’s imaginaon’. The field of architectural theory is challenged by new emerging technologies and research itself has shiſted. Libraries are physi- cal rooms with knowledge being accessible horizontally. Books are ordered by categories and therefore presented in a cer - tain order. When doing research online, architecture students embrace a world that is vercal. The order of knowledge is by subject and accessible one at a me, presented similar to a deck of cards or to stacked newspapers. There is no taxonomy. This limits research when one seeks to compare knowledge. From a scholarly point of view the online knowledge can be extremely powerful when one knows what subject to seek out, but how does the 2nd year architecture students navigate this approach? It would be interesng to completely redevelop a seminar like architectural theory and embrace the horizontal and vercal approach at the same me. The book cover assignment could be developed towards a more virtual approach if technology could make computers more hapc. We need architects that are integrave thinkers when designing - that embrace knowledge, skills, and craſtsmanship at the same me. NOTES 1. Juhani Pallasmaa, The Thinking Hand, Wiley, 2009. 2. Tor Nørretranders, Indivisibility , Gyldendal, 1985. 3. Marco Frascari, Eleven Exercises, Routledge, 2011.

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Page 1: 28 Books and Book Covers in Architectural Theory Meeting... · 2019. 6. 13. · This project puts architectural theory into practice by asking second year architecture students to

75 History/Theory

28 Books and Book Covers in Architectural Theory

REGIN SCHWAENNorth Dakota State University

This project puts architectural theory into practice by asking second year architecture students to make a book cover for a contemporary theory book. The idea is to visualize written essays and architectural thought by having architecture stu-dents design, plan and build a book cover selected from a list of sixty books. From a pedagogical point of view it was important to create a seminar where each student has the opportunity to explore, express, and conclude by physical means while read-ing and learning. Connecting reason and knowledge with formal expression is the fundamental challenge for this assignment.

Reading an architectural theory and making a book cover that reflects on the content of the book engages and inspires archi-tecture students that often become a passive listener or obser-vant in theory seminars. The instructor gave only ten lectures throughout the semester. This allows more time for other assign-ments, such as the book cover project, making it possible to fos-ter a deeper exploration of knowledge and critical thinking for the emerging architect.

More than a decade ago I discovered a book cover assignment created by associate professor Margarita McGrath. She devel-oped this idea while teaching a professional practice seminar at the School of Architecture + Design, Virginia Tech. In the last four years I have slightly altered the pedagogical principles of her concept. The assignment was in part influenced by three books reflecting on a similar didactic approach. In the book ‘The Thinking Hand’ Juhani Pallasmaa has written extensively about haptic and tactile properties. Those are the primary pedagogical objectives for the book cover assignment, but the assignment was also influenced by questioning how to visualize fundamental observations in science such as the theory of quantum mechan-ics as discussed by Tor Nørretranders in the book ‘Indivisibility’. Furthermore, I was inspired by Marco Frascari referencing Robin Evans and his observation that “architects do not build, but merely draw” in the book ‘Eleven Exercises in the art of archi-tectural drawing’ with the excellent subtitle ‘Slow food for the architect’s imagination’.

The field of architectural theory is challenged by new emerging technologies and research itself has shifted. Libraries are physi-cal rooms with knowledge being accessible horizontally. Books are ordered by categories and therefore presented in a cer-tain order. When doing research online, architecture students embrace a world that is vertical. The order of knowledge is by subject and accessible one at a time, presented similar to a deck of cards or to stacked newspapers. There is no taxonomy. This limits research when one seeks to compare knowledge. From a scholarly point of view the online knowledge can be extremely powerful when one knows what subject to seek out, but how does the 2nd year architecture students navigate this approach? It would be interesting to completely redevelop a seminar like architectural theory and embrace the horizontal and vertical approach at the same time. The book cover assignment could be developed towards a more virtual approach if technology could make computers more haptic. We need architects that are integrative thinkers when designing - that embrace knowledge, skills, and craftsmanship at the same time.

NOTES

1. Juhani Pallasmaa, The Thinking Hand, Wiley, 2009.

2. Tor Nørretranders, Indivisibility, Gyldendal, 1985.

3. Marco Frascari, Eleven Exercises, Routledge, 2011.

Page 2: 28 Books and Book Covers in Architectural Theory Meeting... · 2019. 6. 13. · This project puts architectural theory into practice by asking second year architecture students to

The Ethical Imperative 76

Regin Schwaen, Associate Professor of ArchitectureShane Hawley, Teaching AssistantDepartment of Architecture & Landscape Architecture

of 39 books &book covers in the Klai Hall library NDSU / ALA 11.27.17 / 12.07.17

exhibitionA

ldo Rossi [The A

rchitecture of the City]

Herzog and de M

euron [Natural H

istory]Peter Zum

thor [Thinking Architecture + A

tmospheres]

Gottfried Sem

per [Style in the Technical and Tectonic Arts or, Practical A

esthetics]K

enneth Frampton [M

odern Architecture + Studies in Tectonic C

ulture]Jam

es Corner [Taking M

easures Across the A

merican Landscape]

Daniel Libeskind [Line of Fire + Jew

ish Museum

]O

swald M

athias Ungers [M

orphologie: City M

etaphors]C

hristian Norberg-Schulz [G

enius Loci: Towards a Phenom

enology of Architecture]

�eter Eisenman �H

ouse � � Fin �’�

� T H

��

S�Le C

orbusier [Towards a N

ew A

rchitecture]R

obert Venturi [Com

plexity & C

ontradiction in Architecture + Learning from

Las Vegas]G

iuseppe Terragni [Danteum

by Thomas L. Schum

acher]M

ies van der Rohe [M

ies in Am

erica + Mies in B

erlin]C

arlo Scarpa [The Com

plete Works by Francesco D

al Co and G

iuseppe Mazzariol]

Giovanni B

attista Piranesi [The Com

plete Etchings collected by John Wilton-Ely]

Marcus Vitruvius [The Ten B

ooks of Architecture]

Leon Battista A

lberti [On the A

rt of Building]

Andrea Palladio [The Four B

ooks of Architecture]

Étienne-Louis Boullée [B

oullée and Visionary Architecture by H

elen Rosenau]

Claude-N

icolas Ledoux [Claude-N

icolas Ledoux by Anthony Vidler]

Louis Kahn [Essential Texts by Louis K

ahn edited by Robert Tw

ombly]

Juhani Pallasmaa [The Eyes of the Skin: A

rchitecture & the Senses + The Thinking H

and]R

ay and Charles Eam

es [Powers of 10]

John Hejduk [Education of A

n Architect + Victim

s]M

arco Frascari [Monsters of A

rchitecture + Eleven Exercises in the Art of A

rchitectural Draw

ing]R

em K

oolhaas [Delirious N

ew York + SM

LXL + Elements]

Leon Krier [H

ouses, Palaces, Cities]

Rodrigo Perez de A

rche [Urban Transform

ations and the Architecture of A

dditions]Paul Virilio [B

unker Archaeology]

Michel Serres [Parasite + G

enesis]Italo C

alvino [Invisible Cities]

Jan Gehl [Life betw

een buildings]Jam

es Turrell [The Other H

orizon by Michael R

otondi, Daniel B

irnbaum, &

Paul Virilio]R

obert Smithson [The C

ollected Writings edited by Jack Flam

]G

ordon Matta-C

lark [Works and C

ollected Writings edited by G

loria Moure]

Richard Serra [W

ritings/Interviews]

Adolf Loos [O

rnament and C

rime]

Alberto Pérez-G

ómez [A

rchitecture and the Crisis of M

odern Science]Lebbeus W

oods [Origins]

Peter Cook [A

rchigram + A

rchitecture: Action and Plan]

Witold R

ybczynski [How

architecture works]

Steen Eiler Rasm

ussen [Experiencing Architecture]

Carsten Juel-C

hristiansen [Monum

ent & niche]

Reyner B

anham [Los A

ngeles, The Architecture of Four Ecologies]

Alixandra Hermanso - Macy MillerAmanda Hill - Mary Biegert

Amy Luschen - Bailey CochraneAnna Greenlee Phetsomphou - Samantha Ochs

Anne ArgenzianoBen Gutowski

Blaze Irwin - Troy BrownCooper Johnson - Conner Riley

Devin Crowe - Mitch MeierEthan McCullough - Keegan Hovel

Halima ShittuJenny Nagel - Kai Erickson

Josh TrojanJustin Todd - Beau Nørby

Linda Boateng - Benjamin DjerfAndrew Ulrich - Grant Willert

Augustina TeuberBrandon Hyatt - Chandler Dick

Chance BrochuDouglas Brown - Alex Mason

Grace Sundberg - Nicholas ShircliffKelsey Darwin - George Smith

Matt KohlMcKenna Vetter - Nate WannerMusab Ataelmanan - Oleg Harb

Olivia Whipple - Johnny SidmorePhilip Reim

Sam Goodman - Matt LeakeSamantha Schrader - Karlie Matejcek

Savanna Ridgway - Hajime ShibyuaSean Meyer - Luke Sanders

Sijia LiSophia LaMere - Heather Boeger

Taylor Best - Amber PliscottTaylor Ford - Rozalind Vanden Bosch

Thomas DavyTiara Mathiason - Oliva Reimer

Valentina Contrares - Courtney SkareZak Kuntz

Reg

in S

chw

aen,

Ass

ocia

te P

rofe

ssor

Car

i Rob

erts

, Tea

chin

g A

ssis

tant

Dep

artm

ent o

f Arc

hite

ctur

e &

Lan

dsca

pe A

rchi

tect

ure

of 25

books &

book

cov

ers

in th

e m

ain

libra

ry

ND

SU

cam

pus

10.2

5.16

/ 11

.08.

16

exhi

bitio

n

stud

ents

book

s

Tayl

or S

chlo

emer

+ Z

ach

Mat

teso

n

Ald

o R

ossi

[The

Arc

hite

ctur

e of

the

City

]

Her

zog

and

de M

euro

n [N

atur

al H

isto

ry]

Shan

e H

awle

y +

Mitc

h M

usel

+ N

oor A

bdel

ham

id +

Mic

hael

a Sm

ieja

Pe

ter Z

umth

or [T

hink

ing

Arc

hite

ctur

e +

Atm

osph

eres

]

Got

tfrie

d Se

mpe

r [St

yle

in th

e Te

chni

cal a

nd T

ecto

nic

Art

s or

, Pra

ctic

al A

esth

etic

s]H

elen

Joh

nson

+ S

ydne

y Sc

haef

er +

Bra

d N

elso

n +

Mat

t Huc

kenp

oehl

er

Ken

neth

Fra

mpt

on [M

oder

n A

rchi

tect

ure

+ St

udie

s in

Tec

toni

c C

ultu

re]

Kris

Koh

lgra

f + P

aige

Mat

tfeld

Ja

mes

Cor

ner [

Taki

ng M

easu

res

Acr

oss

the

Am

eric

an L

ands

cape

]A

lyss

a Yo

ung

+ liv

ia M

ack

D

anie

l Lib

eski

nd [L

ine

of F

ire +

Jew

ish

Mus

eum

]

Osw

ald

Mat

hias

Ung

ers

[Mor

phol

ogie

: City

Met

apho

rs]

C

hris

tian

Nor

berg

-Sch

ulz

[Gen

ius

Loci

: Tow

ards

a P

heno

men

olog

y of

Arc

hite

ctur

e]

Rya

n W

ilson

+ D

an M

arso

Le C

orbu

sier

[Tow

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a N

ew A

rchi

tect

ure]

Jare

d K

ram

er +

Jes

sica

Har

ter +

Noa

h Th

omps

on +

Ale

x Li

nz

R

ober

t Ven

turi

[Com

plex

ity &

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trad

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n in

Arc

hite

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Lear

ning

from

Las

Veg

as]

Dan

Bad

illa

+ A

ustin

Lee

Bra

ndrie

t

Giu

sepp

e Te

rrag

ni [D

ante

um b

y Th

omas

L. S

chum

ache

r]Ju

stin

Sch

wat

zend

er +

Jos

h Se

gner

i

Mie

s va

n de

r Roh

e [M

ies

in A

mer

ica

+ M

ies

in B

erlin

]

Car

lo S

carp

a [T

he C

ompl

ete

Wor

ks b

y Fr

ance

sco

Dal

Co

and

Giu

sepp

e M

azza

riol]

G

iova

nni B

attis

ta P

irane

si [T

he C

ompl

ete

Etch

ings

col

lect

ed b

y Jo

hn W

ilton

-Ely

]M

itch

Schu

lzet

enbe

rg +

Ale

x O

rmsb

y

Mar

cus

Vitr

uviu

s [T

he T

en B

ooks

of A

rchi

tect

ure]

Jare

d Za

un

Le

on B

attis

ta A

lber

ti [O

n th

e A

rt o

f Bui

ldin

g]

Jaco

b Sa

unde

rs +

Nic

k Sh

irclif

f

A

ndre

a Pa

lladi

o [T

he F

our B

ooks

of A

rchi

tect

ure]

Ét

ienn

e-Lo

uis

Bou

llée

[Bou

llée

and

Visi

onar

y A

rchi

tect

ure

by H

elen

Ros

enau

]

Cla

ude-

Nic

olas

Led

oux

[Cla

ude-

Nic

olas

Led

oux

by A

ntho

ny V

idle

r]Tr

avis

Bre

n +

Thom

as A

spel

und

Loui

s K

ahn

[Ess

entia

l Tex

ts b

y Lo

uis

Kah

n ed

ited

by R

ober

t Tw

ombl

y]Ty

ler G

efro

h +

Zoe

Ran

dazz

o +

Bai

ley

Bus

chke

+ J

enna

Bor

dwel

l

Juha

ni P

alla

smaa

[The

Eye

s of

the

Skin

: Arc

hite

ctur

e &

the

Sens

es +

The

Thi

nkin

g H

and]

R

ay a

nd C

harle

s Ea

mes

[Pow

ers

of 1

0]Jo

hn D

iGio

rno

+ Iv

an G

onza

laes

Jo

hn H

ejdu

k [E

duca

tion

of A

n A

rchi

tect

+ V

ictim

s]

Mar

co F

rasc

ari [

Mon

ster

s of

Arc

hite

ctur

e +

Elev

en E

xerc

ises

in th

e A

rt o

f Arc

hite

ctur

al D

raw

ing]

Ash

ley

Hie

nen

+ La

ura

Salm

ela

Rem

Koo

lhaa

s [D

eliri

ous

New

Yor

k +

SMLX

L +

Elem

ents

]Ty

ler M

cNut

t + G

rant

Men

den

Leon

Krie

r [H

ouse

s, P

alac

es, C

ities

]

Rod

rigo

Pere

z de

Arc

he [U

rban

Tra

nsfo

rmat

ions

and

the

Arc

hite

ctur

e of

Add

ition

s]

Paul

Viri

lio [B

unke

r Arc

haeo

logy

]

Mic

hel S

erre

s [P

aras

ite +

Gen

esis

]La

ura

Cra

goe

+ H

aley

Hol

zwar

th

Italo

Cal

vino

[Inv

isib

le C

ities

]A

nna

Dan

iels

on +

Kie

ra R

acha

c

Ja

n G

ehl [

Life

bet

wee

n bu

ildin

gs]

Ja

mes

Tur

rell

[The

Oth

er H

oriz

on b

y M

icha

el R

oton

di, D

anie

l Birn

baum

, & P

aul V

irilio

]

Rob

ert S

mith

son

[The

Col

lect

ed W

ritin

gs e

dite

d by

Jac

k Fl

am]

G

ordo

n M

atta

-Cla

rk [W

orks

and

Col

lect

ed W

ritin

gs e

dite

d by

Glo

ria M

oure

]

Ric

hard

Ser

ra [W

ritin

gs/In

terv

iew

s]

Ado

lf Lo

os [O

rnam

ent a

nd C

rime]

A

lber

to P

érez

-Góm

ez [A

rchi

tect

ure

and

the

Cris

is o

f Mod

ern

Scie

nce]

Cas

ey M

cken

zie

+ B

renn

a La

nhar

Lebb

eus

Woo

ds [O

rigin

s]C

hris

tina

Mey

er +

Ver

onic

a K

ings

ton

+ Ja

ck K

oolm

o

Pete

r Coo

k [A

rchi

gram

+ A

rchi

tect

ure:

Act

ion

and

Plan

]Sa

rah

Haz

elet

t + B

en D

alto

n

W

itold

Ryb

czyn

ski [

How

arc

hite

ctur

e w

orks

]

Stee

n Ei

ler R

asm

usse

n [E

xper

ienc

ing

Arc

hite

ctur

e]

Car

sten

Jue

l-Chr

istia

nsen

[Mon

umen

t & n

iche

]

Rey

ner B

anha

m [L

os A

ngel

es, T

he A

rchi

tect

ure

of F

our E

colo

gies

]

stud

ents

bo

oks

Han

nah

Rum

mel

+ W

hitn

ey L

ee +

Jac

ob S

cott

A

ldo

Ros

si [T

he A

rchi

tect

ure

of th

e C

ity]

Her

zog

and

de M

euro

n [N

atur

al H

isto

ry]

Rya

n G

app

+ N

icho

las

Hol

zer +

Vic

toria

Noe

Pete

r Zum

thor

[Thi

nkin

g A

rchi

tect

ure

+ A

tmos

pher

es]

Got

tfrie

d Se

mpe

r [St

yle

in th

e Te

chni

cal a

nd T

ecto

nic

Art

s or

, Pra

ctic

al A

esth

etic

s]C

aris

sa H

illen

+ H

aley

Hei

ntzm

an +

Mitc

hell

Nag

el

Ken

neth

Fra

mpt

on [M

oder

n A

rchi

tect

ure

+ St

udie

s in

Tec

toni

c C

ultu

re]

Am

y M

uelle

r & R

iley

Qua

lley

+ M

arie

Tuc

ker +

Dan

e Vo

nase

k

Jam

es C

orne

r [Ta

king

Mea

sure

s A

cros

s th

e A

mer

ican

Lan

dsca

pe]

Tyle

r Bas

sett

+ A

shle

y K

ilzer

D

anie

l Lib

eski

nd [L

ine

of F

ire +

Jew

ish

Mus

eum

]

O

swal

d M

athi

as U

nger

s [M

orph

olog

ie: C

ity M

etap

hors

]

C

hris

tian

Nor

berg

-Sch

ulz

[Gen

ius

Loci

: Tow

ards

a P

heno

men

olog

y of

Arc

hite

ctur

e]

�e

ter E

isen

man

�Hou

se �

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in �

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T H

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S�

Paig

e Fa

lk +

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ke +

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nor G

rann

+ A

ustin

Sto

kke

Le C

orbu

sier

[Tow

ards

a N

ew A

rchi

tect

ure]

Jose

ph B

akke

+ M

eagh

an H

awle

y +

Zach

ary

Jew

ison

R

ober

t Ven

turi

[Com

plex

ity &

Con

trad

ictio

n in

Arc

hite

ctur

e +

Lear

ning

from

Las

Veg

as]

Giu

sepp

e Te

rrag

ni [D

ante

um b

y Th

omas

L. S

chum

ache

r]

M

ies

van

der R

ohe

[Mie

s in

Am

eric

a +

Mie

s in

Ber

lin]

Car

lo S

carp

a [T

he C

ompl

ete

Wor

ks b

y Fr

ance

sco

Dal

Co

and

Giu

sepp

e M

azza

riol]

Gio

vann

i Bat

tista

Pira

nesi

[The

Com

plet

e Et

chin

gs c

olle

cted

by

John

Wilt

on-E

ly]

Jam

es J

aege

r

Mar

cus

Vitr

uviu

s [T

he T

en B

ooks

of A

rchi

tect

ure]

Leon

Bat

tista

Alb

erti

[On

the

Art

of B

uild

ing]

A

ndre

a Pa

lladi

o [T

he F

our B

ooks

of A

rchi

tect

ure]

Shau

n R

olfe

s

Étie

nne-

Loui

s B

oullé

e [B

oullé

e an

d Vi

sion

ary

Arc

hite

ctur

e by

Hel

en R

osen

au]

Cla

ude-

Nic

olas

Led

oux

[Cla

ude-

Nic

olas

Led

oux

by A

ntho

ny V

idle

r]

Lo

uis

Kah

n [E

ssen

tial T

exts

by

Loui

s K

ahn

edite

d by

Rob

ert T

wom

bly]

Ben

jam

in M

ach

+ R

iley

Qua

lley

+ C

ari R

ober

ts

Ju

hani

Pal

lasm

aa [T

he E

yes

of th

e Sk

in: A

rchi

tect

ure

& th

e Se

nses

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Book: INVISIBLE CITIESItalo calvino

Cover:Grace Sundberg Nicholas Shircliff

Book: DELIRIOUS NEW YORKRem Koolhaas

Cover:Heather BoergerSophia LaMere

Book: S, M, L, XLRem KoolhaasBruce Mau

Cover:Amanda HillMary Biegert

Book: ORNAMENT AND CRIMEAdolph Loos

Cover:Anne Argenziano

Book: ORIGINSLebbeus Woods

Cover:Sam GoodmanMatt Leake

Book: TOWARDS A NEW ARCHITECTURELe Corbusier

Cover:Olivia Whipple Johnny Sidmore

Photographer of selected book covers:Meghan Duda

28Books and Book Covers inArchitectural Theory

History/Theory – The Ethical Imperative  

This project puts architectural theory into practice by asking second year architecture students to make a book cover for a contemporary theory book. The idea is to visu-alize written essays and architectural thought by having architecture students design, plan and build a book cover selected from a list of sixty books. From a pedagogical point of view it was important to create a seminar where each student has the opportunity to explore, express, and conclude by physical means while reading and learning. Connecting reason and knowledge with formal expression is the fundamental challenge for this assignment.

Reading an architectural theory and making a book cover that reflects on the content of the book engages and inspires architecture students that often become a passive listener or observant in theory seminars. The instructor gave only ten lectures throughout the semester. This allows more time for other assignments, such as the book cover project, making it possible to foster a deeper explo-ration of knowledge and critical thinking for the emerging architect.

More than a decade ago I discovered a book cover assign-ment created by associate professor Margarita McGrath. She developed this idea while teaching a professional practice seminar at the School of Architecture + Design, Virginia Tech. In the last four years I have slightly altered the pedagogical principles of her concept. The assignment was in part influenced by three books reflecting on a simi-lar didactic approach. In the book ‘The Thinking Hand’ Juhani Pallasmaa has written extensively about haptic and tactile properties. Those are the primary pedagogical objectives for the book cover assignment, but the assign-ment was also influenced by questioning how to visualize fundamental observations in science such as the theory of quantum mechanics as discussed by Tor Nørretranders in the book ‘Indivisibility’. Furthermore, I was inspired by Marco Frascari referencing Robin Evans and his observa-tion that “architects do not build, but merely draw” in the book ‘Eleven Exercises in the art of architectural drawing’ with the excellent subtitle ‘Slow food for the architect’s imagination’.

The field of architectural theory is challenged by new emerging technologies and research itself has shifted. Libraries are physical rooms with knowledge being acces-sible horizontally. Books are ordered by categories and therefore presented in a certain order. When doing research online, architecture students embrace a world that is vertical. The order of knowledge is by subject and accessible one at a time, presented similar to a deck of cards or to stacked newspapers. There is no taxonomy. This limits research when one seeks to compare knowl-edge. From a scholarly point of view the online knowledge can be extremely powerful when one knows what subject to seek out, but how does the 2nd year architecture students navigate this approach? It would be interesting to completely redevelop a seminar like architectural theory and embrace the horizontal and vertical approach at the same time. The book cover assignment could be devel-oped towards a more virtual approach if technology could make computers more haptic. We need architects that are integrative thinkers when designing - that embrace knowl-edge, skills, and craftsmanship at the same time.

Regin Schwaen, MAA Associate Professor of ArchitectureDepartment of Architecture & Landscape ArchitectureNorth Dakota State University

Extract of texts written by 2nd year architecture students presenting book covers and the content they represent in the 2017 architectural theory seminar:

Amanda Hill and Mary Biegert

S, M, L, XL was created by Rem Koolhaas and Bruce Mau. This six-pound book is filled with organized pieces of work from architecture, art, and different writings. The small, medium, large and extra-large is the way the main chapters of the book are devised. Something of this nature was not a common way to look at these masterpieces, making it stand out amongst the other architecture books. He uses S, M, L, XL as an analogy of how we buy and make clothes to fit each person based on their size, and how that can be applied to architecture. Rem Koolhaas made sure to only include buildings that he found interesting and important. For the cover of our book we wanted to incorporate the title using various shirt tags, to represent this interesting way of organization. Underneath the shirt tags is a collage of comics and works by Rem Koolhaas, allowing for a preview of what is inside the book.

Anne Argenziano

Ornament and Crime is an anthology of thirty-six essays written by Adolph Loos that range in subject from plumb-ing to fashion. Loos supports people doing their own thing, but appreciates the functional. Ornamentation, to him, is a crime. My book cover reflects these opinions that Loos had. It is functional and free of ornament. The first essay I read from the anthology was “Men’s Fashion,” and it gave me the idea of “clothing” the book. I chose to use an artifi-cial leather because it is sturdy and does not ask for embel-lishment. It acts as protection without adding too much bulk or drawing attention.