From Library Journal
Recently appointed director of the Netherlands Architecture Institute, Betsky has made his reputation as a curator, lecturer, and author unafraid to challenge conventional thinking in architecture criticism. His Architecture Must Burn and Building Sex: Men, Women, and the Construction of Sexuality sparked debate in the fields of urban planning and gender studies. His latest effort might at first be mistaken for another glossy, photo-packed album of recent work by some of today's most prominent cutting-edge architects. Betsky proposes that the grand theme unifying this deceptively diverse assortment of modernist, mostly high-tech structures is that, well, they're all on land or partially underground. In a labyrinthine deconstructionist critique, Betsky transforms his thesis into a manifesto that he evidently believes ushers in a revolutionary new architectural paradigm. His arguments, however, are considerably weakened by frequent bizarre, unsupported assertions such as "the rediscovery of the cave started in 1930." Devotees of Continental philosophy will find this a diverting exercise in imagining that architecture uncovers "readings" as it scrapes the "text" of the land. Only for academic and research libraries.
David Soltesz, Cuyahoga Cty. P.L., Parma, OH Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Book Description
Since the days of cave dwellers, humans have made use of nature's geological formations, but recent developments in structural engineering make it possible to engage the Earth's surface as a building element in its own right. With an increased awareness of the planet's limited natural resources and with landscape architects'greater influence on contemporary design, architects around the world are building into the earth, merging man-made forms with the contours of the land.
Presenting the most exciting, sensitive, and innovative buildings from the most acclaimed international architectural practices, landscrapers offers a global tour of these spectacular structures. From Zaha Hadid's Landesgartenschau pavilion in Germany to MVRDV's Villa VPRO in the Netherlands, from Future Systems' hill-burrowing house in Wales to Maya Lin's Vietnam Memorial in Washington, more than fifty projects reveal the breadth and depth of this new direction in architecture.
Aaron Betsky begins with an introduction that considers our historical preoccupation with communing with the land through building. He then explores the different ways in which geotecture responds to, interacts with, becomes a part of—and yet remains distinctive within—our natural landscape. A reference section includes useful project and architect information, along with further reading. 300 photographs and illustrations, 200 in color.
