Design for Life: The Architecture of Sim Van Der Ryn

by Sim Van der Ryn

Book Overview

Design for Life: The Architecture of Sim Van der Ryn surveys the work and principles of Sim Van der Ryn, a world leader in the field of sustainable architecture. Sharing his years of experience as a... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1586855301
• ISBN13: 9781586855307
• Release Date: August 2005
• Publisher: Gibbs Smith Publishers
• Length: 183 Pages
• Weight: 2.95 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 10.2" x 10.2"

Customer Reviews

How Buildings Need to be Built

The small town I live in is going through a boom period. There are new housing developments all over and in all price ranges. And the houses really suck. From little boxes at the low price end to McMansions at the high end, there is absolutely no originality, no thought of energy or water conservation. (I live in a desert climate, all of these houses have thick lucious grass lawns that have to be watered every day.) I'm thinking of a new house, smaller, since the kids are gone, but with some special features for my hobbies. It is really refreshing to see a book like this one that takes into account what can be done. The book is sort of a cross between an autobiography and an idea book. The autobiographical emphasis is on how events in his life shaped the ideas he has transposed into buildings. I don't aee any of the buildings described in the book as being exactly what I want, but I see lots of parts of various buildings that when combined together come pretty close. All in all, I found more of what I wanted in this book than in any other idea book I've seen.

Glimpse into the Heart of a Green Crusader

Anyone who has a true desire to understand the essence of green building and sustainable architecture simply must have Sim Van der Ryn's new book "Design for Life." It is a poetic response to a market hungry to understand authentic ecological design and sensitive building practices. "Design for Life" is a treasury that catalogs the life, architecture, and philosophy of Sim Van der Ryn, a pioneering ecological architect. This book is a delightful piece of writing by Sim Van der Ryn and is to be experienced, not just read. Sim Van der Ryn buries this jewel in the text on page 127: "The heart of ecological design is not efficiency or sustainability. It is the embodiment of the animating spirit, the soul of the living world as embodied in each of us waiting to be reborn and expressed in what we design." "Design for Life" chronicles Sim's childhood inspirations after World War II, the trials and successes at Berkeley in the 1960's, his experiments in sustainable home construction and self-supporting communities, and his environmentally responsive style of architecture. Woven throughout the 175 pages are poignant stories, watercolors illustrating thought processes, and 200 rich color photos. Sim is the real deal, he is an architect even a builder could love. He lived it, breathed it; designed it, built it, improved it, and analyzed it. His stories convey a deep sense of reverence for building structures with meaning. The book will float you down a lazy river through a kaleidoscope of experiences that leave you in awe of the pioneering efforts of one individual with vision and a dedication to be true to himself. He did not intentionally create the new genre of green architecture. A universal intelligence flowed through Sim and his architecture was the fruits. Sim Van der Ryn is best known for a spectacular rammed earth guitar house and the ever-impressive Real Goods corporate headquarters. He also co-authored a landmark book with Peter Calthorpe in 1986, "Sustainable Communities," a book that was early to recognize the intelligence of planned villages.