BELLAS ARTES

Acclaimed as the “father of skyscrapers,” the quintessentially American icon Frank Lloyd Wright (1867–1959) was an architect of aspiration. He believed in giving cultivated American life its fitting architectural equivalent and applied his idealism to structures across the continent, from suburban homes to churches, offices, skyscrapers, and the celebrated Guggenheim Museum. Wright’s work is distinguished by its harmony with humanity and its environment, a philosophy he called organic architecture, and which found its paradigm at Fallingwater, a house in rural Pennsylvania, cited by the American Institute of Architects as “the best all-time work of American architecture.” Wright also made a particular mark with his use of industrial materials, and by the simple L or T plan of his Prairie House which became a model for rural architecture across America. Wright was also often involved in many of the interior elements of his buildings, such as the furniture and stained glass, paying particular attention to the balance between individual needs and community activity. Exploring Wright’s aspirations to augment American society through architecture, this book offers a concise introduction to his at once technological and Romantic response to the practical challenges of middle-class Americans.

This visually striking compendium illustrates the architectural and historical evolution of over 60 iconic synagogues worldwide. Beginning with the foremost archaeological sites in the Holy Land, it extends to the Jewish sanctuaries of Europe, North Africa, Russia, the Caucasus, Israel, and the New World, from the most ancient to the most innovative creations around the globe. Masterpieces such as Frank Lloyd Wright’s Beth Sholom Synagogue in Pennsylvania, the Grand Synagogue in Paris, New York’s Temple Emanu-El, and Dresden’s Neue Synagogue are all featured in magnificent detail. In a series of compelling essays, prominent scholars Lidia Chakovskaya, Steven Fine, Max Fineblum, Mohammad Gharipour, Samuel D. Gruber, Sergey R. Kravtsov, Michael Levin, and Edward van Voolen explore the diverse architectural styles that reflect the synagogue’s rich, complex, and often tragic history. Noted Judaic studies authority Aaron Hughes provides the introduction, highlighting the synagogue’s history and liturgical furnishings from silver menorahs and textiles to carved wooden cabinets and lanterns of eternal light. This gorgeously illustrated volume will appeal to those with an appreciation for art and architecture as well as lovers of Jewish history.

Una verdadera enciclopedia de espacios modernos. De las geometrías de colores de Gio Ponti al fluido futurista de Zaha Hadid, este exhaustivo compendio incluye casi 300 entradas que abarcan arquitectos, estilos, movimientos y tendencias que han creado estructuras desde el siglo XIX al siglo XXI. Con casi 300 entradas, Arquitectura Moderna A-Z ofrece una inestimable visión general de las figuras clave en la creación del espacio moderno. Presenta a los arquitectos pioneros de los siglos XIX y XX con un retrato, una breve biografía y una descripción de sus obras más importantes. Como si de un viaje a medida para conocer la arquitectura de todo el mundo se tratase, descubrirá los rascacielos de Manhattan, una sala de conciertos japonesa, el Palacio Güell de Antoni Gaudí en Barcelonao el centro de ocio y deporte de Lina Bo Bardi en una antigua fábrica en São Paulo. Se adentrará en las geometrías de colores de Gio Ponti, en el fluido futurismo de Zaha Hadid, los luminosos interiores de SANAA y la mezcla única de tradición escocesa y elegante japonismo de Charles Rennie Mackintosh. Las entradas por orden alfabético del libro también abarcan grupos, movimientos y estilos para ubicar en el tiempo y en el espacio a estos arquitectos clave dentro de tendencias arquitectónicas más generales como el estilo internacional, la Bauhaus y De Stijl, entre muchos otros. Con ilustraciones que incluyen algunas de las mejores fotografías arquitectónicas de la era moderna, esta es una completa obra de consulta para profesionales, estudiantes o apasionados de la arquitectura. “Un libro de lo más sugerente, una oportuna llamada de atención para los que piensan que la arquitectura moderna está limitada a la dureza y la fealdad.”