‘How to Architect’ Book Explains the ABC’s of Architecture

Doug Patt explains architecture to those not so creatively inclined as well as to those looking to reignite their inspiration.

1 MIN READ

“A” is for asymmetry, “B” is for building codes, and thank goodness, “E” is for ego in architect Doug Patt’s How to Architect. Based on the Pennsylvanian’s popular How to Architect website, blog, and YouTube page, Patt’s book is a primer for those interested in architecture, who are starting architecture school, and that relative who asks, “So what is it that you do anyway?” The book is organized around the alphabet, which may make it seem elementary to established architects, but by getting down to the basics, Patt, AIA, reminds readers why they got into field in the first place. “H” is for human, for example, articulating the importance of making “buildings that clothe us also reflect us”—a concept that is always relevant, but especially now as architecture pushes for buildings that tread lightly on the earth and as the interest in pro bono work grows. • $12.95; The MIT Press, February 2012

About the Author

Lindsey M. Roberts

Lindsey M. Roberts is a freelance writer outside of Seattle, specializing in interiors and design, and a former assistant managing editor at ARCHITECT. Her work has appeared in National Geographic, Gray, Preservation, and The Washington Post, for which she writes a monthly column about products for the home.

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