How Buildings Learn by Stewart Brand

How Buildings Learn

What Happens After They're Built

Stewart Brand

Penguin Publishing Group · Print & ebook · October 1, 1995

A captivating exploration of the ever-evolving world of architecture and the untold stories buildings tell.

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Who it’s for
Readers interested in architecture and building design evolution
Themes
architecture evolution, human impact on buildings, design and function
Pacing
Reflective

About this book

A captivating exploration of the ever-evolving world of architecture and the untold stories buildings tell. When a building is finished being built, that isn’t the end of its story. More than any other human artifacts, buildings improve with time—if they’re allowed to. Buildings adapt by being constantly refined and reshaped by their occupants, and in that way, architects can become artists of time rather than simply artists of space.

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From the connected farmhouses of New England to I.M. Pei’s Media Lab, from the evolution of bungalows to the invention of Santa Fe Style, from Low Road military surplus buildings to a High Road English classic like Chatsworth—this is a far-ranging survey of unexplored essential territory. Discover how structures become living organisms, shaped by the people who inhabit them, and learn how architects can harness the power of time to create enduring works of art through the interconnected worlds of design, function, and human ingenuity.

Who it’s for

  • Readers interested in architecture and building design evolution
  • Those curious about how buildings adapt over time through human interaction

Where it sits

Architecture49%
History of Architecture47%
Urban & Land Use Planning36%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • Why Buildings Look That Way
  • History of Architecture
  • Historic Preservation
Authors
Stewart Brand
Publisher
Penguin Publishing Group
Published
October 1, 1995
Format
Print & ebook
Theme
architecture evolution · human impact on buildings · design and function
Reading lane
Why Buildings Look That Way