This book looks at specific instances in the Renaissance; Enlightenment and our own time when architectural ideas and ideas of biological life come into close proximity with each other. These convergences are fascinating and complex; offering new insights into architecture and its role. Establishing architecture as a product of the ascendancy of the position of human life; the author shows here that while architecture is dependent on life forces for its existence; at the same time it must be; at some level; indifferent to the life within it. Life; for its part; privileges itself above all else; and seeks to continuously expand its field of expression. This; then; is the asymmetrical condition; and to understand it is to gain important new theoretical perspectives into the nature of architecture.
#2966221 in eBooks 2006-02-02 2006-02-02File Name: B000OT8E4G
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. An excellent history of a forgotten and underappreciated eraBy J. T. GotsickI wasnt a big fan of many of the bands in this history; even though it covers all my teenage years; and I was definitely into music then. But I loved many bands that came before and after them; so I thought it would be good to know about the bridges between. The book is very well written and thorough; and written from a UK and European perspective that differs from my own of the time. I thoroughly enjoyed it; and it filled in some gaps in my knowledge; and prompted me to go back and relisten to some old favorites; maybe even make a new one or two.4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. The definitive history of postpunkBy Erik KetzanSimon Reynolds; who previously wrote the definitive early history of electronica; Generation Ecstasy; is simply one the best music historians and critics alive; an exhaustive researcher with encyclopedic musical; literary and historical knowledge who possesses; thankfully; a solid sense of humor.A major problem with the postpunk movement; though; and Reynolds superhuman efforts in researching and chronicling it; is that an enormous percentage of the music has not survived the test of time. Too much of it was modernism in its best and worst senses: extreme experimentalism and a rejection of past norms (tunes; for example) by young musicians and non-musicians of admirable ambition but questionable talent and inspiration. Many postpunk songs were slapped together in a day by young guys who had picked up guitars; drums and synths for the first time a week before. I often suspect that Reynolds put more effort into researching and describing certain obscure songs than the bands originally spent in writing and recording them.That said; there are many diamonds in the rough to be found by exploring the bands and songs mentioned in this book. I made many musical discoveries through Rip It Up; something thats become extremely easy thanks to the Internet. The ability to dial up 60- or 90-second samples on or iTunes of all of the songs Reynolds describes is half the fun.Reynolds accomplishes what he sets out to do: write the definitive history of post-punk; convincingly define what it was (in short; a period of modernism); and explain its important role in music history; namely as the bridge between punk and the British "New Pop" of the early 80s and a movement that planted the or some seeds of goth; hip hop (via Art of Noises "Beat Box" and Malcolm McLarens surprising post-Pistols career); rave; and a host of contemporary bands. He argues; successfully; that postpunk was extremely influential even where the original music hasnt stood the test of time.Many of the reviewers here exhort you to buy the longer UK edition of Rip it Up. My advice: dont... unless youre already into postpunk. The US edition is long enough for the general reader at 388 pages.In the final chapter; Reynolds sets the stage for his next book; Retromania: Pop Cultures Addiction to Its Own Past; which presumably begins where New Pop entered its decline; around 1984-85; when the dominant paradigm of music shifted from forward thinking (futurist) to backward looking (retro).5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Condensed version of UK classicBy Brett LloydApparently; the US version is ~200 pages less than the UK version (which was the first copy I read). Though it seems rather blasphemous to excise chapters/portions about Einsturzende Neubauten; SST Records; Magazine; and (reducing) The Buzzcocks; I think it could also be argued that it streamlined the narrative (how punk influenced post-punk which was then co-opted into the mainstream); even if reading about those other acts/labels was interesting. The UK version was definitely enjoyable; but I felt it was a little bloated (i.e. following up the formation of PiL with... some guy who has a cult following; even by the standards of others in this book) My only real complaint is that I wouldve switched the last two chapters around. (Frankie Goes to Hollywood and the Goth/Neo-psychedelia chapters; respectively)I was a bit annoyed that SST were barely mentioned in the UK version; and excised entirely from the US version; but in retrospect it makes more sense as they didnt really fit into the above narrative (at least in the years covered. "Michael Azerrads "Our Band Could Be Your Life" covers them; among others; more succinctly). So in all; its definitely a great book; even if it does leave out otherwise interesting acts.