Architecture Principia, 1st edition

For courses in design studios and introductory history/theory courses that examine the fundamental principles of architecture.

Architecture Principia: Architectural Principles of Material Form provides a comprehensive look at the foundational themes of architecture. Simultaneously fundamental and advanced, the text employs comparative precedents, case studies from across the history of architecture, consistent and clear graphic language, and a parallel visual and textual presentation of each architectural principle. Written by designers, for designers, the text is intended to serve as an analytical handbook of the concepts behind these diverse, formal principles as viewed through the history of architecture.

Each chapter begins with an introductory essay that outlines the primary principles, conceptual evolution, and associated subthemes.

• Each essay introduces students to a specific, critical theme fundamental to architecture. 

A two-page spread follows each introductory essay.

• The spread illustrates and unpacks the themes through a comparative sequence of analytical case studies.
• Each spread is divided into four columns. The first column is dedicated to an overarching textual description followed by three chronologically organized case studies with specific descriptions of the formal application.
• Sequentially organized case studies traversing the complete span of architectural history, help students focus on the lineage of architectural thinking. 

A descriptive band running across the top each page establishes a classification system.

• The catalog system allows the book to be used as an effective reference tool.
• It serves as a way-finding system that marks specifically where students are within the text.
• It provides the contextual issues surrounding the case studies being presented.
• The classification system uses five categories to help students study effectively—principle, organization, geometry, reading, and scale. 

The text provides graphical analysis using over 900 drawings and diagrams.

• Students have visual information that is abundant and graphically clear.
• The visual presentation consistently uses one graphical language to compare each of the case studies.