Blueprint for Design

“I can not live without books” -Thomas Jefferson

Pictured here is “Time-Savers Standards for Building types-2^nd Edition”, Joseph De Chiara & John Callender  (1980), a 1280 page tome that is an excellent time capsule of late 70’s design thought in architecture. I found it in a used bookstore. First, I was ecstatic they had it, then I saw it was priced at five bucks! Then it hit me – this is here because some architect is selling his books to make rent. I bought it anyway. And I’ve been there too this year, selling books and videos to get grocery money.

I think that is sign of the times, architects parting with their books. It’s hard to do. Architects love their books; the monograph of the firm or designer that we aspire to be like. The books on theory, design manifestos and ideas, esoteric and academic they inspire us to look outside the box. Our books of design standards – details, advice, and lessons learned we incorporate into the construction plans.  Finally, there are the vital but dry codebooks, laboratory tested design books, and other engineering manuals.

I bought the book anyway. Why? First, I had over Five bucks in my pocket. Second – I believe I’m going to need it. Will I really need it? No. But I just can’t pass up a book full of plans, program and space organization information and other knowledge. It is horribly out of date, the cover has the twin towers on it, space planning predates the ADA, and has no mention of environmental design.  Despite that, it is still knowledge. Importantly it gives me insight buildings of that period.

So 30 years from now, children yet to be born who will be in their architecture career, will they have collections of books? What do you think?