Architecture Essentials: Understanding the history, forms, and principles of the built environment

By William Kergroach

Architecture is not only about buildings; it is about how societies shape space, organize life, and express their values over time.

Architecture Essentials provides a clear, structured, and comprehensive introduction to the history, principles, and contemporary challenges of architecture. Designed as a foundational reference, this book offers readers the essential tools needed to understand, read, and analyze the built environment, without requiring technical training or professional background.

The book follows a coherent and progressive structure. It first explores the major periods of architectural history, from the earliest human shelters to the transformations brought by modernity and the challenges of the twenty-first century. Architectural forms are placed within their historical, cultural, and technical contexts, allowing readers to understand not only how buildings look, but why they were conceived in specific ways.

The second part focuses on the fundamental principles of architecture, examining the relationships between form, function, materials, structure, light, and use. These chapters provide a conceptual framework that can be applied to any building, regardless of style or period, helping readers develop a deeper understanding of how architectural spaces are organized and experienced.

The final part introduces a method for reading and analyzing architecture, before addressing major contemporary movements and the social, urban, and environmental issues facing architecture today. Architecture is presented as a living discipline, closely connected to ways of living, urban development, and collective responsibility.

Written in a clear, rigorous, and accessible style, Architecture Essentials is intended for students, educators, and curious readers seeking a solid intellectual foundation in architecture. It is a book meant to be read, consulted, and revisited over time, offering a durable framework for understanding the built world that surrounds us.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0GJ2LNW78
• ISBN13: 9798245000145
• Release Date: January 2026
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 74 Pages
• Weight: 0.18 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.1" x 5.0" x 8.0"