Synopses & Reviews
Robert Mark plumbs the mystery of the great buildings of ancient Rome, the High Gothic era, and the Renaissance, revealing the astonishing depth of knowledge the ancient builders possessed. His findings provide a stronger technological focus for architectural history and a basis for more rational criticism of contemporary design.
Review
"Students of architecture and the history of art, as well as architects, can benefit from this book - one of the most objective historical accounts of structure and form we are likely to find." - Philip Arcidi, Progressive Architecture
Review
"Guided by a sleuth's compulsion, Mark has left no stone unturned to explain how the Pantheon and Hagia Sophia domes really work, how and why the French Gothic cathedrals evolved, the subtlety of the design of St. Paul's Cathedral, and the variety of more or less correctly designed high-rise structures of our time. . . . This book should be carefully read."
- Mario Salvadori, Architecture
About the Author
Robert Mark is Professor of Architecture and Civil Engineering at Princeton University.