Combining a fascinating, thought-provoking and - above all - readable text with over 800 photographs, plans, and sections, this exciting new reading of modern architecture is a must for students and architecture enthusiasts alike.

Organized largely as a chronology, chapters necessarily overlap to allow for the discrete examination of key themes including typologies, movements, and biographical studies, as well as the impact of evolving technology and country-specific influences.

Why would Pi stop Dye Ameter walking more than three times round the table? And why would Mr Ameter do what Pi told him? Ben Small is good at English but rubbish at Mathematics. Branded a cheat by the headmaster of Cottomwall Grammar School because of the inconsistencies in his test results Ben feels he has no choice but to run away. Due to the storm he beds down for the night in the science lab of his school where, quite by chance, he meets a talking snake called Adder. Hearing Ben's story Adder asks Ben to come with him to MATHAMAGICAL, the city of Maths to help them solve an English problem and stop a war with the Advancing Alphas. Join Ben and Adder as they journey across the mathematical landscapes in their quest to save the numbers.

It provides accurate scale plans of every floor, together with elevations, sections, and site plans where appropriate, for each house. All have been specially drawn for the purpose and are based on the most up-to-date information and sources. Amplified with full-color views of the houses, a concise text explains the significant architectural features of each building and the influences it shows or generated. Cross-references to other buildings in the book highlight the various connections between these key houses. The introduction discusses the idea of an architectural canon of houses and gives an overview of the development of the house in the twentieth century. The quality and number of the drawings allow the houses to be understood in detail and, together with the authoritative text and images, make this book indispensable for all students of modern architecture. As an added bonus, the book includes a CD-ROM containing digital files of all the drawings.

From sash windows and ceramic tiles to barracks and warehouses, industrialized building has thrived since the nineteenth century in Europe and America. Yet architects have neglected this area of practical construction in favor of historical, theoretical, and artistic analyses, resulting in the emergence of an influential building industry with architects on the far margins. Colin Davies explores in The Prefabricated Home how the relationship between architecture and industrialized building has now become an urgent issue for architects.

The Prefabricated Home outlines the methods and motives of prefabricated buildings and assesses their architectural implications. Davies traces the origins of the branded building phenomenon with examples ranging from the Dymaxion bathroom to IKEA's Bo Klok house. He also analyzes the use of industrialized buildings worldwide--including McDonald's drive-through restaurants and contrasts the aesthetic concerns of architects against the economic ones of industrialized building manufacturers. Ultimately, The Prefabricated Home proposes a partnership of architects and industrialized building that could potentially produce an exciting new type of humane and eco-conscious architecture.

Mathamagical II - Anagramaphobia: at word's end The nouns don't know who they are. The verbs have stopped doing anything. And I can't even begin to describe what's happened to the adjectives Adder's gone missing, the letters are in trouble and Pi hasn't got a clue what's going on. It's been nearly two years since Ben visited the city of Mathamagical. Now he must return to the lands beyond the skirting board though this time his journey will take him to Alphabet City, in the land of the Alphas, to help defeat the evil witch Manarag. With her pet, the Raid Pestgin, Manarag has come to this realm to jumble up all the words and remove all colour from language. Join Ben as he journeys across Diction Land to find his friend and stop all language from suffering extinction.

The Book of Colin is a collection of poetry covering a wide array of subjects that range from the serious matters of hate and love, memories of childhood and the loss of a parent, historical ghost stories to an affection for the number 5. Colin has gathered together all his poetry works into one place as an attempt to provide the reader with an opportunity to glean some form of personal insight or deeper connection to the subject and the feeling. Connecting with the author on a level that may not have been intended, but is certainly there is one of the great joys of the written word. While poetry has primarily been a means of personal expression for Colin through the years, it is his hope that in taking the time to look through this collection, you find a piece that also means something to you. And if he manages to do this, while at the same time making the name 'Colin' cool, he'll be a very happy man indeed

Limited Language is a web-platform, co-founded in 2005 by Colin Davies (University of Wolverhampton) and Monika Parrinder (Royal College of Art, London), for generating writing and discussion about the design process. Over the last four years the site has collected a series of essays and commentary dealing with the key issues which effect and shape visual communication today. limited language: rewriting design, examines the relationship between traditional printed formats (the book) and new digital ones (blogging). Hybrid media forms are already transforming design. How might they be used to rethink design writing? limited language: rewriting design creates an alternative and innovative writing space - the reflection and distance which can be offered only by a book. Each of its sub-sections comprises an article from the website, followed by a reflection/response to the topic by the responses raised on limitedlanguage.org, while rich visual imagery in colour illustrates each article/response.

This is a rare book about design that embraces ideas with as much enthusiasm as objects. It illustrates its premise by showing feedback culture in action. If you find yourself wanting to join in the dialogue with thoughts of your own - and you will - their website is ready and waiting. - Rick Poynor

www.limitedlanguage.org

The architecture of Michael Hopkins' (b.1935) formative years has evolved into something that defies easy stylistic categorization. In buildings such as Glyndebourne Opera House, the Inland Revenue Centre and the New Parliamentary Building, a new individuality has emerged. These works have the uncompromising quality of certain nineteenth-century industrial buildings, yet they have gained acceptance among some of Britain's most ancient institutions.

They are often hybrid creations, juxtaposing strongly contrasting elements, while remaining loyal to a strict code of truth to materials and honesty of expression. Traditional and new forms of construction are combined in unconventional ways, often using innovative prefabrication techniques, but without sacrificing traditional craft virtues. Detailed presentations of 26 buildings and projects analyse the genesis and logic of a unique - and now instantly recognizable - architectural scope.

This book's publication coincided with Hopkins' most important commission to date - the New Parliamentary Building in London - which enjoys an extensive presentation and detailed discussion by Patrick Hodgkinson. An essay by respected architecture critic Charles Jencks examines themes and historical precedent in the buildings, whereas an interview with Michael Hopkins himself gives a personal perspective to the momentous work and office of Michael Hopkins and Partners.