Architecture: The Definitive Visual History (DK Definitive Cultural Histories) Hardcover – 2 Nov. 2023

Superb book in all respects, text and visuals.

An extraordinary overview of human construction and habitation from pre-agrarian times to the present day. A very large number of colour illustrations are accompanied by detailed analyses and explanations.Truly one of the most magical books I have ever seen.

I am not exaggerating writing the title of this review - this book is really amazing! The book covers various historical periods in architecture starting from prehistoric times to modern days. And the images are amazing! There are so many visual elements in this book, I could enjoy just gazing at them without even reading!The text is easy to digest, it does not have too complex language and sophisticated terminology. There are longer paragraphs but also small explanatory points near pictures.The book is divided into small parts, a few pages per style/historic period/concept/location/etc. Therefore, the book is excellent for casual reading as well. I put this book on a coffee table and keep picking it up for a page or two every few days. I am really enjoying my time with it.Definitely 5/5 stars for this book - it is well illustrated, easy to read, and educational, but not hard to digest. Great writing, great editing, and even great quality of paper and imagery quality. It is a great book.

This book on Architecture is comprehensive and really takes the reader on a very detailed history lesson and a tour around the world discussing a broad spectrum of the subject. It is without doubt diffinitive touching on every aspect of architecture. I like how it focused on every architectural period and examining the materials, society and technology. It's accompanied with incredible photography and clear illustrations.I've found myself immersed in this book. It really makes me want to travel to see some of these places around the world. I found particularly interesting the Islamic influences on Architecture in Iberian Europe and also the Christian churches in Ethopia. There's so much to see in this book.In terms of physical quality, it's outstanding. Very clear, high definition and bright photography and smooth, clean and flawlessly printed pages. The cover and spine is durable and stunning. I'm so glad to have this book on my book shelf.

This book is written in a clear, enjoyable style that is easy to follow. It offers intriguing "snapshots" of architectural wonders from around the world, delving into their history and the stories behind them.The font size and layout are comfortable and the text is laid out in manageable chunks, making it easy to absorb information without losing one's place on the page.I particularly like that I can pick up the book and open it to any page to discover something new and interesting to explore or ponder.It is the kind of book I find myself reaching for time and time again, simply for the joy of reading and discovering new insights.The content is substantial and good-quality without feeling overwhelming. The illustrations are beautifully designed, adding to the book's overall appeal and making it a pleasure to peruse.Overall, this book is a fantastic resource for finding inspiration and practical advice for developing your own passion for architecture.

I trained as an architect, and though it's not really a path I have practiced on the day to day afterwards (story of my life), it's been a passion since I can remember.And when I saw this on Vine I just couldn't resist.Though a coffee table book really geared towards non professionals, it does present the field well, it's nicely structured and organised, the photos are well set up (and they managed to get useful ones, not just insta worthy), and the added graphics do point out the key elements.It's very pleasurable to wade through it, and I'd highly recommend it for people who want to discover more about the basics of world architecture

If you are a fan of architecture, learning about the past and appreciation of some wonderful buildings this is quite literally a mini library. The book itself goes from 300CE skipping through 1000 years of historical architectural in the first few chapters and then slowing down from the 1700's to present for the rest of the chapters.DK is one of those that I have grown up and used many times and always found them to be very informative. There are little nuggets of details that really work for this book.The pages, text and the graphics are done really well. The book is by no means a small one and quite weighty, it's bound very well in the hardback version.It's not going to have every single piece of architecture but does really well on content and coverage.Price was around £25 at the time. It's given RRP is listed at £35 (back of the book).

What a wonderful coffee table book this makes. It's well written, beautifully designed and illustrated. It is the sort of book that you can't keep your hands off of. It's a large imposing tome of a book, but it's very accessible.I found it interesting from first page to last page and a very compelling read. Beautiful.