Architectural Alphabet.
New York: George Braziller, 1975. First American edition. Cloth over Boards. Quarto, pp. 111, illustrated with b/w architectural drawings. Very Good in Very Good DJ. Item #21891
When Steingruber's book was originally published more than 200 years ago, it was intended for "those learned in architecture and curious readers." Anyone in either of these categories today will be delighted with this splendid edition of a classic work. Steingruber based his designs and ground plans on the letters of the alphabet, and he felt such designs could serve many purposes. He also contended that the quirks and curves of the letters would compel the architect to divide up the interiors more imaginatively. Each letter of the alphabet is used as the basis for a baroque structure. Thirty designs cover 25 letters, with I serving for both I and J, and there are alternative schemes for the letters A, M, Q, R, and X. An extensive appendix to the original edition includes the notes Steingruber wrote to accompany each design. A particular triumph of imagination and ingenuity.
Price: $55.00