how to read buildings a crash course in architectural styles

How do you identify a building's architectural style?

Every building contains clues embedded in its design that identify not only its architectural style but also the story of who designed it, who it was built for, and why. Organized by architectural element (roofs, doors, windows, columns, domes, towers, arches, etc.), the book is ro

What is the best book to learn architecture?

"How to Read Buildings: A Crash Course in Architectural Styles" - written by Carol Davidson Cragoe and published in 2008 by Rizzoli International Publications. This compact book is chock full of sepia-tinted images and brief descriptions of any architectural term you could imagine.

What is the story of a building?

Every building contains clues embedded in its design that identify not only its architectural style but also the story of who designed it, who it was built for, and why.

What book changed your perception of the buildings around you?

The book changes your perception of the buildings around you: you start to see so many important details, hard work and artistic taste of the architects. "How to Read Buildings: A Crash Course in Architectural Styles" - written by Carol Davidson Cragoe and published in 2008 by Rizzoli International Publications.

What architecture stood out the most to me?

Roman architecture, palladian stood out the most to me. A lot of new definitions, terms in this discipline, to outsiders. The Author mentions to find out similarities in styles, and then read buildings. An excellent introduction to Architectural Styles.

Is the Corbelled Arch book good?

This is a quite good book if what you wish to do is study features of architectural styles. Since what I had hoped to learn were the names for certain decorative features, it got me only so far. While I didn't learn to distinguish, say, a corbelled arch from a Roman one, the book is still a competent guide to basic styles of architecture extant in the Western world.

Author Carol Davidson Cragoe

This practical primer is a handbook for decoding a building’s style, history, and evolution. Every building contains clues embedded in its design that identify not only its architectural style but also the story of who designed it, who it was built for, and why.

About The Author

Dr. Carol Davidson Cragoe is a graduate of Smith College and holds a Master’s in art history from New York University. She was Architectural Editor for the Victoria County History series and more recently for English Heritage.

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What people are saying - Write a review

I got this book, to understand structures, buildings. The book is laid out from Building types and goes into details of towers, chimneys, and ornaments. Roman architecture, palladian stood out the ... Read full review

About the author (2008)

Dr. Carol Davidson Cragoe is a graduate of Smith College and holds a Master’s in art history from New York University. She was Architectural Editor for the Victoria County History series and more recently for English Heritage.