A History of Building Types

Nikolaus Pevsner

• Publisher: Princeton University Press
• Year: 2023
• Print ISBN:
  9780691018294
  9780691099040
• eBook ISBN:
  9780691252759
• Topic: Architecture
• Subtopic: Architecture General

An essential guide to vital and often overlooked features of the architectural and social inheritance of the West

This book provides vital insights into the ways in which architecture reflects the character of society. Drawing on his immense erudition and keenly discerning eye, Nikolaus Pevsner describes twenty types of buildings ranging from the most monumental to the least, and from the ideal to the most utilitarian. He covers both European and American architecture, with examples chosen largely from the nineteenth century, the crucial period for diversification. Included are national monuments, libraries, theaters, hospitals, prisons, factories, hotels, and many other public buildings. Incisive and authoritative, A History of Building Types traces the evolution of each type in response to social and architectural change, and discusses differing attitudes toward function, materials, and style.

Please note: All images in this ebook are presented in black and white and have been reduced.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Foreword
• Introduction
• 1 National monuments and monuments to genius
• 2 Government buildings from the late twelfth to the late seventeenth centuries
• 3 Government buildings from the eighteenth century: Houses of parliament
• 4 Government buildings from the eighteenth century: Ministries and public offices
• 5 Government buildings from the eighteenth century: Town halls and law courts
• 6 Theatres
• 7 Libraries
• 8 Museums
• 9 Hospitals
• 10 Prisons
• 11 Hotels
• 12 Exchanges and banks
• 13 Warehouses and office buildings
• 14 Railway stations
• 15 Market halls, conservatories and exhibition buildings
• 16 Shops, stores and department stores
• 17 Factories
• Conclusion
• Bibliographies and notes
• List and sources of illustrations
• Index