Historical Dictionary of Architecture: (Historical Dictionaries of Literature and the Arts)

This dictionary provides a historical overview of the major architectural developments and styles, building materials and types, major structures and locations, sites and architects. Historical eras like ancient Egyptian architecture and the Renaissance in Europe and movements such as Art Deco are covered. Materials discussed range from concrete, stone, glass and wood, while types of structures include architectural inventions such as the arch and dome to building types from monasteries and mosques to museums and skyscrapers. Major structures highlighted in this volume include not only great achievements such as Hagia Sophia and the Eiffel Tower, but also important sites such as the Great Zimbabwe and Angkor Wat, found on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. General geographical areas are also covered, such as African and Russian architecture. Noted architects include theorists from the ancient Chinese engineer Yu Hao Roman engineer Vitruvius to many current architects such as Zaha Hadid and Santiago Calatrava, with a focus on architects who have enjoyed lasting fame through history or have won international prizes such as the Pritzker Architecture Prize. This second edition of Historical Dictionary of Architecture contains a chronology, an introduction, and an extensive bibliography. The dictionary section has over 400 cross-referenced entries on architects, famous structures, types of materials, and the different architectural styles. This book is an excellent access point for students, researchers, and anyone wanting to know more about architecture.

Table of Contents:
List of Illustrations Editor’s Foreword Jon Woronoff Preface Chronology Introduction THE DICTIONARY Bibliography About the Author

About the Author :
Allison Lee Palmer isa Associate Professor of Renaissance and Baroque Art History at the University of Oklahoma. Her research focuses on Italian art and architecture from the late Middle Ages onward.

Review :
[The book] draws you in and keeps you there with fascinating material and many cross-references. The architects of many of the structures are also given coverage, and it should not be forgotten that entries on materials are also included, making this an entirely comprehensive volume for the general reader, student and researcher’s reference shelf. It is a quick and easy-to-use reference book, just be careful of getting lost in the fascinating entries, it is very easy to be drawn further and deeper into its multidisciplinary contents.