Peter Cook

David Greene

Martin Pawley

Michael Webb

Reyner Banham

Michael Sorkin

Ron Herron

Warren Chalk

Dennis Crompton

Archigram comprised Warren Chalk (1927-88), Peter Cook (1936-), Dennis Crompton (1935-), David Greene (1937-), Ron Herron (1930-94), and Michael Webb (1937-). Together, in the 1960s and early 1970s, they envisioned the future of architecture in ways that enthralled a generation. In an era defined by the space race, they developed a 'high-tech', lightweight, infra-structural approach that stretched far beyond known technologies or contemporary realities. They devised autonomous dwellings and focused on survival technology; they experimented with megastructures and modular construction systems; they explored mobility through the environment, and the use of portable living capsules: all through the medium of an incredible series of drawings and models. Archigram's influence has been profound and enduring. They gave the High-tech movement its impetus; they inspired architects such as Renzo Piano and Norman Foster; and they laid the ground for the design of buildings such as the Pompidou Centre. This book catalogues Archigram's activities over fourteen years, together with commentaries by the architects and critics writing then and now. Edited and designed by Archigram member Dennis Crompton, it has been 40 years in the making. AUTHORS: Warren Chalk, Peter Cook, Dennis Crompton, Ron Herron, David Greene and Michael Webb are the founder members of Archigram. Their theoretical work began in the 1960s as a cry against "the crap then going up in London". Although they never constructed a building together, their influence over a generation of architects continues to be felt today. The group was awarded the RIBA Gold Medal in 2002. Reyner Banham was one of the leading architectural commentators in the decades when Archigram was active, and the author of Megastucture (1976), which featured their work. Martin Pawley documented the architectural scene in London from the 1970s onwards from the perspective of a restless insider. His writing about Archigram is incisive and colourful. Michael Sorkin is an architect and urbanist whose practice spans design, planning, criticism, and teaching. His books include Exquisite Corpse: Writing on Buildings (1991). SELLING POINTS: * Comprehensive documentation of Archigram's iconic works * Generous landscape format allows drawings to be reproduced at a large scale * Contributions from all Archigram members, and essays by critics writing then and now 500 colour, 50 b/w images

The Book

Archigram

In his famously controversial style - Martin Pawley reviews a selection of books on the architecture of the 20th century. Books that we should have read, and indeed would have read - if only we'd had the time. Pawley digests and critiques them for us with an agility that has kept the readers of his newspaper and magazine columns provoked and amused for several decades. He provides us with both ammunition and armour - encouraging us to fight off the soporific PR-led commentary of today and to rekindle the passion of the architectural debate. Martin Pawley is an award-winning writer. He has written many books on architecture for UK and US based publishers and writes a regular column for national and international architectural magazines. Throughout his career he has reviewed books for The Guardian, The Observer, The London Review of Books, The Architects' Journal, Design Book Review, Blueprint, Architectural Design, Building, World Architecture, Architecture Review, Designer and The RIBA Journal many of which are published here. Gain knowledge on all the major books on 20th century architecture, by reading just one Hear the opinions of Pawley, and learn about the debates, on the development of architectural theory in the 20th century.

A Reader's Guide

20th Century Architecture

Norman Foster

Surveys Foster's career, with insightful essays on industrial architecture, deep-plan buildings, and urbanism.

A Global Architecture

"Richard Buckminster Fuller is best known as the first pioneer of lightweight prefabricated housing and the inventor of the geodesic dome. The book combines a biography with a critical evaluation of his best work". - back cover.

Buckminster Fuller

Richard Buckminster Fuller

That many of Buckminster Fuller's schemes remained dreams overlooks his importance as a teacher and thinker about architecture and urbanism, and his concern with the environment and the role of technology in improving the quality of life, mark him out as a man before his time.

Le Corbusier

David Jenkins

The Strange Death of Architectural Criticism is a collection of 100 essays and articles by Martin Pawley, one of the most important and entertaining voices in post-war architectural criticism. Pawley studied architecture at the Oxford School of Architecture, the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Beaux Arts in Paris and the Architectural Association in London, before embarking on a distinguished career as a writer, teacher, critic and broadcaster. A former editor of Building Design, Pawley was later architecture critic of The Guardian and The Observer and has contributed to The Architects' Journal, RIBA Journal and Blueprint amongst other publications. Spanning Pawley's 40 year career, The Strange Death of Architectural Criticism is a celebration of his remarkable body of work. Beginning with his AA diploma thesis "The Time House", the book includes writings on contemporary design, iconic buildings and some of the most important issues facing modern architecture as well as interviews with architects including Norman Foster, Buckminster Fuller, Leon Krier and Zaha Hadid. By turns poignant, coruscating, controversial and humorous - but always original and insightful - this book is a reminder of how exhilarating architectural writing at its best can be.

Martin Pawley

Books

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