Book Of The Month: Elements of Architecture

Big books usually scare us. Seeing thousands and thousands of pages makes us wonder if we can finish reading that book out of pure dedication, but Rem Koolhaas’ “Elements of Architecture” proves otherwise.?

This 2,600-page work is a clear example of how architectural books can be visually and contextually diverse, informative and interesting at the same time. "Elements of Architecture" provides encyclopedic information about the principal details without which no type of construction would be complete - floor, ceiling, roof, door, wall, staircase, toilet, window, facade, balcony, corridor, fireplace, escalator, elevator, ramp.

As we flip through the impressive pages of “Elements of Architecture”, we see the sheer beauty, complexity, and chain of thought of architecture as a discipline. The amazing design of the book, the abundance of colors, the photos, the drawings and the concepts that are found here make us want to read and look at even more.

"Elements of Architecture" by Dutch architect and theorist Rem Koolhaas was created in collaboration with the Harvard School of Design. The book was first published in 2014 as part of the exhibition at Venice Architecture Biennale, and in 2018, the publishing house Taschen curated its revised edition.

Florian Kobler, a managing editor at Taschen believes that “the nice thing about the book is that you can read it as a layman. You don’t have to be into architecture to enjoy it.” He pinpoints a chapter on toilets as a prime example of how “Elements of Architecture” goes beyond pure architectural theory and becomes something with a broader sociological significance and interest. “You can read that chapter,” Florian says, “and learn about how men and women are built differently and what means for the construction of a toilet. Sociologically, it explains why the women’s queue is always longer!”

We think this book will be interesting to all those who want to decompose the whole, evaluate small details and see them from a fresh perspective. " Elements of Architecture" is more than just a book about architecture - this work is a source of inspiration, pure interest and dizzying impressions for those who understand that architecture is everywhere, even in the small elements that sometimes remain out of sight.

You can buy the book on the?link.?