| | The
New Modern House,
by Will Jones.
Given the importance of residential
architecture, not just for the owners but the architects
themselves - usually their first design statement and for
many, like Glenn Murcutt, their lifelong passion - it's
no wonder that so many books are published on house design.Will
Jones collects a diverse mix of designs in this contemporary
collection of international houses. The book is divided
into five chapter (Conditions, Materials, Environment, Budget,
Aesthetics), that reflect the dominant themes of the houses
included, though these themes apply to almost all single-family
architecture to some extent. But this arbitrary division
does not hurt the book, rather it illustrates the various
ways that houses deal with site, construction, budget, a
variety furthered by the inclusion of young, up-and-coming
architects. Most of the designs included are built and occupied,
though some are projects and most of these are British,
pointing to the author's background, writing for the RIBA
Journal and the Financial Times. The British
lean to the whole book contributes to the eclectic nature
of the designs, from simple boxes and Classically-adorned
houses to egg-shaped domiciles and ground-hugging experiments
in living in the not-too-distant future. While the text
doesn't critically frame the subject in any particular way
that points to a clear evolution in residential architecture,
the presentation of projects gives the reader much to think
about.
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