The Ethical Architect: The Dilemma of Contemporary Practice

By Tom Spector

Book Overview

Many believe that the moral mission of architecture has been in serious decline for the last 25 years. In this important new book, Tom Spector points out the dilemmas of architectural practice and offers a theoretical and practical basis for an examination and transformation of the quandaries the profession now faces. What makes a good building or a good architect? Are there limits to an architect's ethical or legal responsibilities in a building process where architecture plays an increasingly smaller role? Is preservation a moral imperative? What happens when building codes and ethical responsibilities are in conflict? In The Ethical Architect, Spector investigates the moral underpinnings and implications of leading architectural theories, subjecting them to the analytical techniques of moral philosophy. His conclusions provide a road map to help architects make the right decision in the difficult tradeoffs that confront designers on a daily basis: Spector estimates that more than 100,000 decisions go into the design of an average sized building. The Ethical Architect is a work of theory but refers to real buildings and real-world problems. It is Spector's call-to-arms for his profession and a must-read for practicing architects and students alike.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1568982852
• ISBN13: 9781568982854
• Release Date: August 2001
• Publisher: Princeton Architectural Press
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 1.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.0" x 9.0"
• Age Range: 13 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 8 to Postsecondary

Customer Reviews

Questions, that every architect should deal with

A very serious aproach to the core of the most basic questions about the architectural profession. A book that openes many questions that architects should ask themselves more than we do today if we want to gain back credibility which our profession lost somewhere in the recent past. This will be a hard job to do and this book is a good start for everyone.