These two titles published by Park Books of Switzerland provide very different approaches to modern art and architecture. (The second piece is my attempt to emulate the book’s style and format.)
Pisarik, Sonja and Gudrun Hausegger (Eds.) – Architecture in Austria in the 20th and 21st Centuries. Zürich: Park Books, 2016. £55.00.. 978-3-03860-011-4
Fantastically illustrated, chronologically arranged, updated reference book on architecture in Austria of the 20th and 21st centuries, based on the permanent exhibition of the same title at the Architekturzentrum Wien, Vienna. Each example of architecture is preceded by a chronological list of thumbnail sketches, and is accompanied by images, details of the architecture, architect and dates and sometimes plans: for example, Ernst Anon Plischke’s Liesing Employment Office 1930-31. The section on housing from 1850 to today contains classics such as Josef Hoffmann’s 1909-1911 Villa Ast (p.305), Adolf Loos’s Moller House 1927-28 (p.312) and The Little Black Dress Single Family House, 2010-2011 by x architekten (p.374). Completing the publication are thirty-two pages of biographies of the architects, both deceased and current. The price is excellent value for a reference work on this subject.
Dietz, Dieter et al (Ed) – All about space. Vol 1. The Invention of Space. Zurich, Park Books, 2016.£30.00 (38 euros). 978-3-03860-003-9
In complete contrast is this work on art and space. Black cover like the squares of Malevich and Rothko.
Divided into seven sections with titles such as Disclosure of space; Tracing the spacemaker; Any kind of space it takes and the Dissolution of space
Look at Section. 2 – dip in and out – to see is to understand.
Imprint and contents at back of book
Finishes with DISCONNECTING…
Penny Dade