Materials

The selection, preparation and application of materials in architecture represent key points in the design process. A vast array of ad hoc solutions make it possible to confer targeted functions and substantial qualities to structures, surfaces, shells and spaces, and contribute to the definition of the project identity. This book publishes some of the most important projects recognised especially for the specificity of their use of materials. Glass, terracotta, concrete and wood are just a few of the elements that classify their projects. The architectural works demonstrate how the various materials can be interpreted differently from time to time to become truly innovative, while still maintaining their unique characteristics. Ancient and contemporary materials, tradition and innovation follow upon one another throughout the volume, in a sort of atlas of materials. A gallery of photographic images accompanied by drawings and descriptive texts provides full illustration of the buildings, alternating between details and general views, from the basic elements to the complete work as a whole.

Joseph Giovannini has served as the architecture critic for New York magazine and the Los Angeles Herald Examiner, and was for a long time a staff writer on design and architecture for The New Yorker, Architectural Record, Architectural Digest, Art in America, Art Forum, Architecture Magazine, Architect Magazine, Industrial Design Magazine and Interior Design. A prominent figure in American architecture, he has been an activist critic with a record of discovering emerging talent for major mainstream publications and professional journals. He coined the term Deconstructivism during articles he wrote announcing the movement. Giovannini has written literally thousands of articles for periodicals, and he has also authored numerous essays for books and monographs. As a critic, he has won awards, grants and honors.