Best Books for Architecture Students

Experiencing Architecture – Steen Eiler Rasmussen

This is a quite classic theory book and should be started in the first years of architecture school. It is also a book that can be re-read to take a look at what theory, concepts and experiences should be remembered for years to come. Rasmussen’s Experiencing Architecture, which describes the experiential aspects of architecture, consists of 10 chapters. The book, in which the author describes all the experiential aspects of architecture, is one of the main resources for architecture students.

S,M,L,XL – Rem Koolhas

S,M,L,XL is not only a book, it is a dictionary, a chronology, a comic, plans, diagrams, photographs, poetry, dialogues, history lessons and the work of Rem Koolhaas’s office since 1972 with 1.344 pages. Also two more authors are listed on the cover of the book, which was published in 1995: OMA designer Bruce Mau. The works of OMA, Rem Koolhaas’s firm, is organized into chapters: yes, small, medium, large, and extra-large. The texts are interspersed between visual sections in the book.

Architects’ Data – Ernst Neufert

Neufert’s Architects’ Data is an essential reference for architects who practice in countries that is using metric system.

The book is known as Neufert or Data is full of huge amounts of data that every architect needs to plan a building. Neufert has categorized the book by building function and can assist in determining space needs for every building type from places of schools to hotels. The chapter of housings are especially detailed, providing space and measurements needs for various furniture, down to the proper layout of setting.

Invisible Cities – Italo Calvino

Invisible Cities, written by Italo Calvino who is a storyteller of the modern world, is a very good book recommendation for architecture students. In the book, which consists of a series of imaginary travel notes presented by Marco Polo to the Tatar emperor Kublai Khan. Calvino described the cities, each of which was named a woman, and connected these cities with the conversations of Marco Polo and Khan. Calvino’s mastery of words gives different meanings to Invisible Cities. It takes the reader on different journeys every time.

101 Things I Learned in Architecture School – Matthew Fredick

This is a book that architecture students must keep in their backpacks with its precious lectures. These 101 concise lessons in design, drawing, and presentation from the basics to complexities subjects is an architecture education guide.

The author of the book is an architect and instructor who remembers well the difficulties of his own student days. 101 Things I Learned in Architecture School gives very precious lectures in its unique way for navigating the design studio and other classes in the architecture faculty.

Architecture Student Guide Series – Tifa

Architecture students need resources to learn architectural design from basic to advanced levels, as well as readings on architectural theory. The e-book series I recommend contains very useful information for introduction to architectural design, from site analysis to architectural presentation techniques. The author of the book, architect and instructor Tifa, explains architectural design in very easy and fun way for students. You can find his books on the website.

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