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Rob Krier
Architectural Composition
344 pp. with 500 illus., 24 of which in colour, 240 x 250 mm,
hard-cover, English
ISBN 978-3-936681-39-0
Euro 69.00, sfr 109.00, £ 59.00, US $ 98.00, $A 119.00

Rob Krier is a unique voice in today’s architectural discourse

through his commitment to developing a relevant and pragmatic
theory of architecture based on his own experience and observa-
tions of architectural practice and opposed to the easy, abstract
theorising so common in contemporary architectural writing.
Together with his brother Leon, he has perfected a form of pre- Distributors
sentation in which the potency of his thinking finds its perfect coun-
terpoint in detailed drawings and sketches which argue his case Brockhaus Commission
visually through the power of example. Following the success of his Kreidlerstraße 9
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lems of our cities from a historical, theoretical and practical stand- Germany
point, Krier now applies his particular, highly influential mode of di- tel. +49-7154-1327-33
dactic criticism to contemporary architecture in continuing search fax +49-7154-1327-13
for fundamental architectural truths. menges@brocom.de
Architectural Composition is both a theoretical and visual analysis
which clearly illustrates the creative process which informs Krier’s Buchzentrum AG
vision and praxis. The culmination of a lifetime’s thought and experi- Industriestraße Ost 10
ence by one of Europe’s most important architectural theorists, it is CH-4614 Hägendorf
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ence for both students and practising architects. The book, pub- fax +41-062 209 26 27
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has been supported by funds from the Fond zur Förderung der wis-
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ried out at Krier’s former Institut für Gestaltungslehre at the Techni- White Cross Mills
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Rob Krier is a unique voice in today’s architectural discourse through
ROB KRIER Rob Krier is a unique voice in today’s ar-

ROB KRIER ARCHITECTURAL COMPOSITION

chitectural discourse through his commit-
his commitment to developing a relevant and pragmatic theory of ment to developing a relevant and pragmat-
ic theory of architecture based on his own
architecture based on his own experience and observations of archi- experience and observations of architectur-
tectural practice and opposed to the easy, abstract theorising so com-
mon in contemporary architectural writing.
Together with his brother Leon, he has perfected a form of presen-
ARCHITECTURAL al practice and opposed to the easy, abstract
theorising so common in contemporary ar-
chitectural writing.
Together with his brother Leon, he has

COMPOSITION
perfected a form of presentation in which
tation in which the potency of his thinking finds its perfect counter- the potency of his thinking finds its perfect
counterpoint in detailed drawings and
point in detailed drawings and sketches which argue his case visually sketches which argue his case visually
through the power of example. Following the success of his widely through the power of example. Following
the success of his widely acclaimend Urban
acclaimend Urban Space, a work which looked at the problems of our Space, a work which looked at the problems
of our cities from a historical, theoretical
cities from a historical, theoretical and practical standpoint, Krier and practical standpoint, Krier now applies
now applies his particular, highly influential mode of didactic criti- his particular, highly influential mode of
didactic criticism to contemporary archi-
cism to contemporary architecture in continuing search for funda- tecture in continuing search for fundamen-
tal architectural truths.
mental architectural truths. Architectural Composition is both a theo-
Architectural Composition is both a theoretical and visual analysis retical and visual analysis which clearly
illustrates the creative process which in-
which clearly illustrates the creative process which informs Krier’s forms Krier’s vision and praxis. The culmi-
nation of a lifetime’s thought and experi-
vision and praxis. The culmination of a lifetime’s thought and experi- ence by one of Europe’s most important ar-
ence by one of Europe’s most important architectural theorists, it is chitectural theorists, it is without doubt a
major achievement and is a standard work
without doubt a major achievement and is a standard work of refer- of reference for both students and practis-
ence for both students and practising architects. ing architects.
Rob Krier is an architect and influential
theorist for architecture and urban plan-
ning. Born and raised in Luxembourg, he
moved to Vienna after having studied in
Munich and worked for Oswald Mathias
Ungers and Frei Otto. After teaching posts
in Stuttgart and Lausanne, he was a profes-
sor at Vienna Technical University from
1976 to 1998 and, in 1986, held a guest pro-
fessorship at Yale University in New Ha-
ven, USA. Krier has developed urban-de-
sign concepts for Stuttgart, Vienna, Berlin,
Amiens, Montpellier, Leeds, Gothenburg,
Lodz, Amsterdam, Den Haag and many

MENGES
other cities. Projects with which he was first
able to translate his vision of a spatial con-
cept, such as Rauchstrasse in Berlin, Brei-
tenfurterstrasse in Vienna or Ritterstrasse
069.00 Euro ISBN 978-3-936681-39-0 with Schinkelplatz in Berlin, repeatedly
109.00 sfr 59800 found their place in international publica-

EDITION AXEL MENGES

059.00 £
098.00 US$ tions.
119.00 $A 9 783936 681390
 ROB KRIER

ARCHITECTURAL
COMPOSITION

EDITION AXEL MENGES

I would like to thank my publishers, Dorothea
Duwe and Axel Menges, for reprinting this
book, published for the first time in 1988 by
Academy Editions in London. My work on
this book has been supported by funds from
the Fond zur Förderung der wissenschaft-
lichen Forschung der Republik Österreich,
and it was carried out at my former Institut für
Gestaltungslehre at the Technische Univer-
sität Wien. My collaborators were Margarethe
Cufer, Johann Kräftner, Robert Newald, Ute
Schauer, Dietmar Steiner and Renate Stirk.
The text was translated into English by Ro-
mana Schneider and Gabrielle Vorreiter.

For students of architecture,

patrons, politicians and speculators

© 2010
Edition Axel Menges, Stuttgart/London
ISBN 978-3-936681-39-0

All rights reserved, especially those of

translation into other languages.

Printing and binding:

Everbest Printing Company, Ltd., China
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