Round Buildings, Square Buildings, and Buildings that Wiggle Like a Fish

Book excerpt: What do we see when we look at a building? From the classical Parthenon in Greece to the simple fisherman's shacks in New England to the post-modernist Pompidou Center in France, Philip Isaacson explores what gives buildings their character. From the materials, form, color, ornamentation, placement in the landscape and the way the light strikes them, there are so many elements that contribute to shaping architecture into art. This is a perfect introduction to the complexities and wonders of architecture for children and adults. "This wonderful book will change the way you see buildings forever." –New York Newsday "The photographs are marvelous and the text clear and interesting."—The New Yorker "Isaacson's book could be the beginning of a lifelong love of architecture."—The Chicago Tribune A Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book: Nonfiction, a Notable 1988 Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies, and winner of the Scientific American Young Readers Award