New Stone Architecture

Boston: McGraw-Hill, 2003. First ed., first printing; full number line. Hardcover. Fine in fine jacket with fain edge-wear to jacket. See photos./fine. Medium folio in photo-illus grey jacket; 240 pages: illustrations (chiefly color) ; 26 cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. A handsomely realized book. "In the light of recent developments in contemporary design, it is surprising to note that Pevsner's and Benevolo's histories of modern architecture contain almost no examples of buildings in stone: the use of this natural material somehow contradicted the popular image of early modernism. But in a remarkable watershed of modernist tenets, the contemporary architect has become obsessed with a variety of new materials, and above all stone." "The limits and predictability of the modernist palette have long been recognized, and contemporary architects are now looking to the ancient values of stone to give new expression to their ideas. Above all it is the permanence of stone that is increasingly used to express a sense of civic stability, or ground the otherwise fluid forms of contemporary architecture. Here the uniformity of the see-through wall and the monotonous rhythm of the clad frame are juxtaposed against the qualities of weight, opacity and the variety of patination offered by natural stone." "With the globalization of markets stone from all over the world is now readily available and can offer infinite variations of tonality, degrees of opacity, surface finish and constructional possibilities. The advent of digital technology and the development of cladding techniques have meant that methods once impossible are now common practice. Wafer-thin stone can now be bonded to any material and stone can appear in any configuration. It is this duality which gives stone its unique appeal: on the one hand it can be worked to the precise technologies of contemporary construction and on the other hand it retains a power to speak of ancient traditions. It is not surprising that there are few contemporary architects who have not explored the unique potential of stone.". "New Stone Architecture explores the special role of this material in a timely reassessment of the ideas which underpin today's renaissance of stone architecture. The introduction uncovers the expressive possibilities of stone, describes the new technologies which make the new stone forms possible and offers an interpretation based on the author's technical and theoretical understanding of material themes. This is followed by thirty-three case studies from around the world. Architects featured include Michael Hopkins, Kengo Kuma, Rafael Moneo, Renzo Piano, Antoine Predock, Eduardo Souto de Moura and O. M. Ungers. Book jacket."--BOOK JACKET. // Contents: Introduction: the power of stone -- 1. Building in stone -- Introduction -- Case studies -- Christian Brynildsen and Jan Olav Jensen -- Peake, Short and Partners -- Ian Ritchie Architects -- Ian Ritchie Architects -- Eric Parry Architects -- OM Ungers -- Mario Botta -- Edouard François and Associates -- Marc Mimram -- Michael Hopkins -- Wandel Hoefer Lorch + Hirsch -- 2. Petrified landscapes -- Introduction -- Case studies -- Eduardo Souto de Moura -- Antoine Predock -- Jensen & Skodvin Architects -- Juan Navarro Baldeweg -- Renzo Piano Building Workshop -- Kengo Kuma -- César Ruíz-Larrea Cangas and Associates -- Gouwy, Grima, Rames -- Eduardo Souto de Moura -- Zvi Hecker and Rafi Segal -- Alvar Siza -- Renzo Piano Building Workshop -- 3. Urban stones -- Introduction -- Case studies -- Rafael Moneo -- Madridejos and Sancho -- C Martinez, E Pemjean, R Pemjean -- Raffaele Cavadini -- Antoine Predock -- Eric Parry Architects -- Richard Meier -- Berthold H. Penkhues -- Ortner and Ortner -- Tony Fretton Architects. // Architecture, Modern -- 20th century. Architecture, Modern. Construction en pierre. Architecture -- 20e siècle. Architecture, Modern. Building, Stone. Time: 1900-1999.