Architecture, Animal, Human : The Asymmetrical Condition

Book Description

The issues of the organic/inorganic, animate/inanimate and natural/technological are of paramount importance in the field of architecture both in current discussions about digital architecture and in classical debates from Vitruvius onwards. This book investigates the complex relationship of architecture to biological life, providing theoretical and historical underpinnings for a variety of contemporary debates in and around architecture. With discussion focussed on the Renaissance, the eighteenth-century and the late twentieth-century, this book will have a broad appeal to those with interest within and beyond architecture.

Customer Reviews:

"the question of life in architecture...".......2007-01-07

"It is somewhat easier to theorize life as a technology..., than to theorize technology as alive..." -Ingraham

This book is a beautiful work of architectural theory which seeks to open the discipline up to some uncomfortable yet necessary questions that surround its recent interest in animation, in all it forms and senses. I can promise that it will do the same for the reader. I would recommend it without reservation.

Catherine Ingraham's book Architecture, Animal, Human: The Asymmetrical Condition, is about "the question of life in architecture". The book focuses on several thick historical and contemporary moments where these two terms become so intimately bound up in one another that they seem able, in a way, to exchange material. Familiar categorical boundaries between human and animal, technology and biology, organism and milieu, are opened up to possibilities that seem to demand something beyond a metaphorical relationship, and begin to at least suggest, if not reveal, a way into a more directly operative or affective exchange that would push beyond the symbolic, toward a radical integration of the two terms.

Tracing a lineage from Bernini to modern day genetic engineering and tissue grafting, Ingraham uses several issues that have been central to recent architectural debates, including humanism, modernism, architectural representation, digital tools and architectures, and computational and biological theories, as a scaffolding for her interests.
Here however, Ingraham's asymmetry demands that we reinvestigate these issues which are once again laid bare as the raw and problematic, but incredibly pregnant thematics that they are.

The asymmetry of the book's title is clear in Ingraham's definitions of architecture and life. In the book, Ingraham defines architecture as "the exact artistic and technical discipline for which human biological and psychological life are a necessary precondition...", and moreover a practice that, "must always be, at some level, indifferent to the life within it." Life is defined as "that which privileges itself above all else, and seeks continuously to expand its field of expression." The distance between a life which privileges itself, and an architecture which must remain indifferent to that life constitutes the asymmetry of the book's title.

To trace the breadth and depth of this book would be a book in and of itself, so here I will only reveal one nugget that seems to me incredibly provocative and novel, and which permeates the book in many ways. It is a problem that Ingraham refers to as a "mimetic crisis" that develops as "architecture begins to mistake itself as an organism and life for a technology." I won't say any more except to say that the book is full of this kind of clear, precise statement of what is in truth a hugely complex and difficult terrain. Ingraham succeeds at developing these moments of clarity without sacrificing the complexity from which they emerge.

Architecture and biology.(Architecture, Animal, Human: The Asymmetrical Condition)(Book review): An article from: Architectural Science Review

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Architecture and biology.(Architecture, Animal, Human: The Asymmetrical Condition)(Book review): An article from: Architectural Science Review
Gale Reference Team
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000M9CA2A
Release Date: 2006-12-29

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Architectural Science Review, published by Thomson Gale on December 1, 2006. The length of the article is 438 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Architecture and biology.(Architecture, Animal, Human: The Asymmetrical Condition)(Book review)
Author: Gale Reference Team
Publication: Architectural Science Review (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 49 Issue: 4 Page: 422(2)

Article Type: Book review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Customer Reviews:

Tree of Life.......2000-07-08

Unless, you are already familiar with celtic artwork, really familiar, I definitely would not recommend this book. This is definitely not for beginners. Directions are not very detailed. If you can figure out how to do the examples, though, it creates some very beautiful designs.

Customer Reviews:

Wonderful!.......2004-03-23

This is a beautiful, beautiful book. The photographs are amazing and honest and the book is attractively put together (though I did not read the text.. was too taken in by the photographs). I bought this originally for myself, but when I showed it to my grandparents (who were farmers themselves during this era) they fell in love with it and I had to give it to them. I'm back to buy another copy for myself. Highly, highly recommended!

Poignant Nostalgia.......2003-01-06

It helps to have been on an Iowa farm, I realize, but I found this book amazingly evocative. The pictures do it--the text is not by a person with an Iowa farm background, and, I am sorry to say, it shows. For instance on page 79 she talks of tying bales by hand. Maybe some people did such but I never heard of it--if one had no baler the hay was put up loose into a haymow, though I suppose there may have been balers which did not tie the bales even as in the far distant past there were binders which did not tie the bundles. Her discussion on threshing overlooks entirely a great tradition in I think most threshing rings: the afternoon lunch and often also the morning lunch. Minced ham sandwiches or hot dogs never tasted so good! But you cannot quarrel with what the pictures actually show, whether they correspond with one's own experience or not we know thay are authentic and effectively recall a time now gone. Do yourself a favor and get this book. You will savor it.

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An angel sent by the almighty in the Union's hour of need...

Superman: A Nation Divided
Roger Stern , and Eduardo Barreto
Manufacturer: DC Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1563894416

Customer Reviews:

An angel sent by the almighty in the Union's hour of need..........2002-06-25

Imagine if Superman's rocket had landed in Kansas a century earlier. Imagine the young Atticus Kent being raised to despise slavery and slaveholders. Imagine discovering for the first time that you are invunerable when a rebel cannon ball slams into your gut- and it just makes you mad....
This is my favorite Superman graphic novel of recent years. There is just something right about combining an icon like Superman with Lincoln, Grant, Sherman, Frederick Douglas- it works. Plus there is the surprise ending that sets up what should be an excellent sequel set in the wild west....

Book Description

Intelligent BI for the New Economy is a no nonsense, quick read. It contains succinct steps to successfully turn data into profit with a solid Business Intelligence strategy. The author is passionate about what she does and what Business Intelligence (BI) can do for companies. Companies either succeed or fail in their BI initiatives, and this book provides a roadmap for implementing solid Business Intelligence strategies and ways to mitigate risk.

Book Description

A comprehensive guide to protecting--and increasing-- home investment value

The latest in the hugely popular Tips and Traps series, Tips and Traps for New Home Owners contains all the information you need to move in, financially operate, and successfully maintain your first home.

From financial record keeping and obtaining insurance to surviving the move-in and ensuring home value, real estate expert Robert Irwin provides practical, real-world advice that:

Shows ways to maximize investment expenditures, including minimizing taxes, timing refinancing, and more
Outlines ways to avoid home ownership pratfalls, from a thorough premove checklist to an annual maintenance schedule
Offers expert guidance in home improvement and modernizing for every part of the house
Explains how to evaluate a home's current value and future price

Download Description

A comprehensive guide to protecting--and increasing-- home investment value

From financial record keeping and obtaining insurance to surviving the move-in and ensuring home value, real estate expert Robert Irwin provides practical, real-world advice that:

Shows ways to maximize investment expenditures, including minimizing taxes, timing refinancing, and more
Outlines ways to avoid home ownership pratfalls, from a thorough premove checklist to an annual maintenance schedule
Offers expert guidance in home improvement and modernizing for every part of the house
Explains how to evaluate a homes current value and future price

Book Description

Filled with fascinating case histories, as well as specific exercises and guidelines to determine when professional help is needed, this groundbreaking and compassionate book is for every man and woman who wants a fuller understanding of men's sexual problems

Customer Reviews:

Great.......2006-06-01

A suggestive title that says that this title is aimed at the ladies. After reading it i realized that men cant find a lot of information that they need in this book, but also an insight into how women view sexual disorders. Great, but if you want something aimed at you, the man, look for "Natural Penis Enlargement: New Methods of Avoiding and Curing Impotence, Premature Ejaculation, and Erectile Dysfunction Safely and Inexpensively. New ... No Pumps, No Pills and No Gadgets! Vol. 2" by Platinum Millennium, great reference book for all men with issues

I was one of Eva's patients..........2001-07-05

I had the opportunity to work with Eva and her staff in the beginning of 1999 at her New York office. The practices described in this book are consistent with the exercises given by Dr. Margolies in her practice.

I came to see Eva for problems with sexual inexperience, premature ejaculation, and lack of sensation focus. Since I did not have a romantic partner at the time, I opted to do these exercises with her surrogates.

When I went to see Eva, I had not conquered a lot of anxiety and self-esteem issues. These issues came up during therapy, but had to be sidetracked, so that I could accomplish the exercises. If it weren't for the caring staff, I wouldn't have opened up and made as much progress as I did. However, after therapy, I was not ready emotionally to put my new skills into use. I lapsed into old patterns.

It is very important for the man and his partner, about to perform these exercises, to understand that without prerequisite work on possible general anxiety and abuse issues, these exercises have the potential to backfire and worsen conditions. The partner also needs to make sure none of the issues in "Chapter 11: When He's Not Getting Better" do not exist before beginning the exercises. I know that if I did these exercises with people who had issues, I would not have progressed at all.

The only issue I have is that, in her practice, Eva tends to rely on this book as a bible. For example, I couldn't convince her that I went to a massage parlour for intercourse, and not for a hand job (p.13 First Edition). I hope that she updates her views in new editions, when she encounters people who refute her beliefs in the book.

Overall, I think that this book is valuable. After having worked on underlying issues, I now feel ready to put these skills in motion when I hit the dating scene at age 25.

Very insightful and useful for inhibition problems.......1999-11-07

This book is an excellent source if you are plagued by inhibited male orgasm. It's the first source I've found which links shyness, social anxieties, late male virginity and mastubatory history to the problem. I'm a male suffering from the problem and the material is to the point an very insightful for the problem. Other sources discuss the treatment but don't give it meaning. The passages which are relevant to me were not harshly negative towards men. I found only one remark mildly distressing, namely advising women not to get into a relationship with a man who has orgasmic inhibitory problems unless properly treated (p.119 "Should you write him off?"). It seems to me that a compassionate working on the problem with an interested new partner is taken out of the picture or at least not encouraged. I'm willing to overlook that for the many added insights.

Insightful and Informative.......1999-07-06

As a woman in a long-term relationship, I found this book to be very helpful. Some of the problems that you may not have realized are very common and treatable, but were not comfortable discussing with friends are discussed in a conversational and common-sense fashion. It was a comfort to read of other women in relationships who were having similar problems. In that respect the book was helpful. I was able to understand some problems from the male viewpoint. I did not find the author's tone condescending or patronizing, but conversational. (However, if I were a man I might feel differently. My husband refused to look at it.) However, while helpful in addressing and explaining certain problems and possible reasons, I cannot imagine my husband (or any man that I know) to be willing to try any of the exercises. Read this book if you are encountering sexual problems and want to understand where they're coming from. That doesn't necessarily mean you will have a magical solution, but you might feel better, as I did, to know you're not alone in experiencing them and that it is not necessarily your fault.

I found the book lacking and somewhat hostile towards men........1999-04-01

I'm not sure what Eva Margolies' credentials are, as they are not listed in the book (may/94). But I found her analysis light-weight, amateurish, and full of her own male stereotypes.

I was particularly offended at the suggestion that women should "disengage" from a relationship with a man that she believes has a sexual addiction because treating it might be a "lengthy and difficult" process. If this is her best advice perhaps no one need buy her book.

Many of the "cases" she reports sound to me to be contrived for the book and she never fails slip in her own judgements about the characters and their failings or their motivations.

Most of the men in the book are presented as either idiots who do not have any idea how their bodies work or downright obnoxious jerks who care more about their own problems than their partners.

As a man reading this book (for a female friend) I found her tone condescending and even hostile at times. I'm sure that some of the generic techniques and information presented in the book will be helpful to some people, however I'd suggest getting them from a better book.

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Detailed look at Jagdwaffe colours and markings.

Jagdwaffe: Attack in the West-May 1940 -Luftwaffe Colours Volume One Section 4 (Luftwaffe Colours)
Eric Mombeek
Manufacturer: Classic Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Aviation | Military | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0952686783

Book Description

A comprehensive study of the camouflage and markings of the Luftwaffe fighter force. A great reference for modelers, this book is also a must-read for anyone interested in the history of the Luftwaffe.

Customer Reviews:

Detailed look at Jagdwaffe colours and markings........2003-04-22

I have recently acquired the Luftwaffe Colours Collectors Compendium Volume 1 that incorporates:
Birth of the Luftwaffe Fighter Force
Spanish Civil War
Blitzkrieg and Sitzkrieg
Attack in the West.

This series is a detailed study of the colours, camouflage and markings of the Luftwaffe's fighter force that many serious modellers will find extremely useful. Although the narrative is somewhat brief, the series follows the birth, development, tactics and wartime committment of the Jagdwaffe. The amount of research that must have been conducted and accumulated is impressive and is reflected in the many photographs and colour profiles of the machines used or experimented by the the Jagdwaffe. Included are some first-hand accounts by various pilots who flew the famous fighter aircraft of the Luftwaffe. This along with the many illustrations and photographs brings to life the Luftwaffe's fighter arm. This is a wonderful pictorial history and series of the Jagdwaffe.

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Honolulu Prepares For Japan's Attack - Oahu Civilian Disaster Preparedness Programs - May 15, 1940 To December 8, 1941
Rodney T. West
Manufacturer: Published by Author.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000W69FCG

Average customer rating:
Honolulu Prepares for Japan's Attack: Establisment and Results of The Oahu Civilian Disaster Preparedness Programs, May 15, 1940 to Dec 7, 1941.
Rodney West
Manufacturer: Honolulu Civilian Disaster Preperations Program
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000V1GG92

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Honolulu prepares for Japan's attack: The Oahu civilian disaster preparedness programs, May 1, 1940 to December 7, 1941
Rodney T West
Manufacturer: The Author,]
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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ASIN: B0006S4QEW

Customer Reviews:

Celtic Chieftains.......2007-04-07

As the name of the book would suggest, the kings and clans of the Celts, ancient, medieval, and modern, are the primary focus of this book. It first examines the origins and definitions of the Celts, before moving on to a history of both the Ancient Gauls and Galatians, and the more recent Celtic civilizations of the British Isles. It also devotes chapters to famous Celtic rulers like Vercingetorix, Vortigern, Boudica, Cartimandua, King Arthur, and a variety of Irish heroes. Also has a useful appendix on the major Scottish clans.

A tribute to the Celtic spirit.......2001-10-10

I found this to be an excellently researched book. I always enjoy John King's work on subjects Celtic. I find it ironic that someone who is a self-styled "iron age archeologist" to be so ignorant of their subject. No one is exactly sure when or where the Celtic people came from. The earliest evidence goes back as far as 1200 BC. Most begin counting the Celts as a people and a distinct culture from the Hallstatt era where we have evidence of trade in salt from 1000 BC. One could even go so far as to say that Celtic culture still exists. If you asked those fighting for Scottish or Irish independence and their own Parliaments they would give you a good argument for it. The Celts could hardly be said to have gone unnoticed for centuries. From the medieval period on the British did their damnedest to practice wholesale genocide and oppression of the Celtic people of the former countries of Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Cornwall and the Islands.

Yes, the Celtic people adapted to those who invaded their homelands from the Romans to the Saxons to the Christian missionaries. However, they usually left just as big an imprint on those who conquered. The Christian monks of the Medieval period have recorded for eternity the beliefs and myths of the Celtic people. The tales of King Arthur and many modern folktales have Celtic roots.

For an iron age culture the Celtic people have had enormous impact on us, their descendants, even to this day. Mr. King's book is a tribute to the undying spirit of the Celtic people. It is a must read for those interested in the beliefs and practices of the Celts and their legacy to us. They have shaped our modern ideas and ideals more than we might realize.

Lacking in archaeology and cultural perspective.......2001-05-24

Books like this merely perpetuate the popular misconception of the Celts as a timless society that kept the same culture and traditions throughout 1,500 years of contact and conquest by foreign cultures.

The mythologies of Chuchulain and Arthur have very little to do with the pre-Roman Iron Age Europeans. King has done the same thing as many other authors who are pandering to an interest in all things 'Celtic': he created a false link between many different societies that only serves to conceal the reality of the Celts.

This is far more useful to someone studying the Dark Ages, Early Christian Ireland, and the early Middle Ages than to the investigation of the Celts (who lived from approximately 500 BC to the Roman invasions - they did not just get moved into increasingly marginal areas and thrive unnoticed for centuries!!).

As an Iron Age archaeologist, I find the misinformation that's rehashed in popular books on the Celts to be appalling in their lack of true historical and anthropological perspective. 'Kingdoms of the Celts' has done nothing to dispell this trend.

Kingdoms of the Celts by John King.......2000-05-11

The most comprehensive history of the Celts I've seen yet. Even as a college major in Medieval History, I found much about the amazing Celts that I had never heard before. Well documented and scholarly without being a bore. Fascinating reading for anyone who thinks he knows the Celts.

On the Trail of Merlin: A Guide to the Celtic Mystery Tradition

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On the Trail of Merlin: A Guide to the Celtic Mystery Tradition
Ean Begg , and Deike Rich
Manufacturer: Thorsons Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0850309395

KINGDOMS OF THE CELTS: A HISTORY AND A GUIDE

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KINGDOMS OF THE CELTS: A HISTORY AND A GUIDE
John King
Manufacturer: Blandford
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000NXFHDO

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Too much

flawless guide to New England's feathered friends

Smithsonian Handbooks: Birds of New England (Smithsonian Handbooks)
DK Publishing , and III, Fred J. Alsop
Manufacturer: DK ADULT
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Book Description

The most comprehensive series of field guides to North American birds ever. This impressive collection highlights birds from all regions of the United States including localized areas such as the Mid-Atlantic, the Pacific Northwest and New England. Whether birding in the foothills of New England, the prairies of the Midwest, or the beaches of Florida, Smithsonian Handbooks are the most comprehensive field guides to North American birds on the market. Looking for the Great Blue Heron or the Piping Plover while visiting the Great Lakes? Desperate to find the rare Long Billed Curlew or the Marbled Godwit during a hike in the Cascade Mountains? There's no need to look any further! Created in association with the Smithsonian Institution, these amazing guides are an absolute staple for any birder or amateur ornithologist. Each local species receives its own profile, along with descriptions of habitats and annotated photographs that highlight specific characteristics and other points of interest. Take bird watching to new heights!

Customer Reviews:

Too much.......2006-11-04

It's probably my own fault but this book is a bit over my head. I just wanted a book to identify birds I might see in my area of NH or New England and this book has lots of birds I am sure I will never come close to seeing! If you are a serious birder and are on the lookout for rare birds stopping by during migration you would like this book, but many of them don't live in New England at all. I guess thats why the title has the word "of" underlined. Now I know. Descriptions are thorough and each bird gets it's own entire page full of information and the birds description sometimes helps more than the picture as some of the pictures are just not that good. There is a little box on each page that lists "similar birds" which helps in identification, but I just wish the pictures were more clear.

flawless guide to New England's feathered friends.......2003-08-08

There are approximately 920 species of birds known to visit North America, and 302 of them are documented visitors to New England. All 302 are covered here, as well as 179 occasional species. This compact yet comprehensive book begins with 28 pages of introduction, including instructions on using the book, identifying birds and field technique.

Profiles are one page per species, and the quantity and quality of the information on each page is spectacular. Each entry contains the family and species name; the length,wingspan and weight of a typical specimen; plumage, habitat and migration information; and descriptive paragraphs about the species' song, behavior, breeding, nesting, population and conservation as well as a distribution map (with migratory information); and pictorial depictions of the species' flight pattern and nest identification. Also included is a scaled silhouette and at least one color photograph. (More pictures are included if the male/female/adolescents/seasonal plumage differ in appearance.) There are blank spaces to note the date, time and location of a sighting. After these 302 entries, smaller entries describe each of 179 bird species that are considered vagrant or casual visitors to the region, and contain the name, a color picture, a distribution map and the average length of that specimen. Entries are organized taxonomically, beginning with birds that do NOT perch and sing, and continuing with those that DO. The book concludes with a glossary (though nowhere does it define 'altricial' -- meaning born helpless, a word used frequently in the entries), a good index, and acknowledgments, including picture credits.

I'm an old reference librarian, and I have a shelf full of flawed naturalist guides, so I'm not easily impressed -- but this guide is spectacular. If you have any interest in the birds of New England, this should be the first guide you get.

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