The Story Of Architecture

An inviting exploration of architecture across cultures and centuries by one of the field's eminent authors Rybczynski's expansive account traces the influence of social, technological, and economic shifts on architecture across centuries. --New York Times Book Review The finest architectural writer in our language. --Mark Alan Hewitt, New Criterion In this sweeping history, from the Stone Age to the present day, Witold Rybczynski shows how architectural ideals have been affected by technological, economic, and social changes--and by changes in taste. The host of examples ranges from places of worship such as Hagia Sophia and Brunelleschi's Duomo to living spaces such as the Katsura Imperial Villa and the Alhambra, national icons such as the Lincoln Memorial and the Sydney Opera House, and skyscrapers such as the Seagram Building and Beijing's CCTV headquarters. Rybczynski's narrative emphasizes the ways that buildings across time and space are united by the human desire for...