World Architecture. A cross-cultural history

Spiro Kostof’s groundbreaking work, A History of Architecture: Settings and Rituals, helped to reshape the study of architectural history. His book extended beyond the discussion of great monuments to find connections with ordinary dwellings, urbanism, and different cultures from around the world. World Architecture: A Cross-Cultural History is an entirely new, student-friendly text by Richard Ingersoll. Building on Kostof’s global vision and social context, Ingersoll integrates extensive coverage of world and contemporary architecture in order to provide the most comprehensive survey in the field. Presented chronologically, each chapter now focuses on three unique architectural cultures, which gives instructors the flexibility to choose which traditions are the most relevant to their courses. The text also provides students with numerous pedagogical tools, including timelines, comparative maps, a glossary, and text boxes devoted to social factors and specific issues in technology and philosophy. The result is a comprehensive method for understanding and appreciating the history, cultural significance, and beauty of architecture from around the world.

Richard Ingersoll, Spiro Kostof
WORLD ARCHITECTURE
A cross-cultural history
Oxford University Press
978 pages, paperback, illustrated