Architectural Floor Plans

A floor plan is imbued with the same attributes that elevate building to an art form: proportion, balance, coherence, structure, matter, and dynamismit becomes a work of art in and of itself. This book is an inquiry into the artistic qualities intrinsic to plan drawings. With all plans shown simmered down to their basic form, devoid of any superfluous lines or colors, the essence of a floor plan is left to speak by itself. Each buildings core is exposed in white against a blue background to convey its spatial essenceits reason of beingin barest minimum. With more than 3,500 plans ranging from humankinds first dwellings to todays rich crop of buildings, this compendium acts as a universal narrative of architectures handwriting. Displayed chronologically, its contents can be digested by the reader in multiple dimensionsbe it architectural, artistic, or technological. Plan drafting, a continuous part of all architects daily practice, is both a communication tool and a necessary skill. Plan reading, likewise, is the first step to making the acquaintance of a building and the decoding of its spirit and its creators intent. With floor plans at the core of building identity, architecture students and teachers will find an invaluable source and tool for research and theory. Architects will revisit and dissect plans of familiar buildings, a sure well of inspirations and ideasbut theyll also discover projects theyve never seen before.