How Buildings Learn: What Happens After They're Built
By Stewart Brand
How Buildings Learn is one of my all-time favorite books. Stewart Brand, author of the Whole Earth Catalog, suggests that while buildings are most often seen as whole in space, they should also be considered as whole in time. As he writes, "Whereas 'architecture' may strive to be permanent, a 'building' is always building and rebuilding." Some buildings are designed to adapt well to the forces of change, while seem designed to prevent it. While Brand's focus is on physical buildings, his insights can also be extended to virtual spaces as well. (Bart Marable)
Universal Principles of Design
By William Lidwell, Kritina Holden, Jill Butler
This is one of those rare gems of a book that is both insightful and concise. The authors have collected together 100 principals that designers often spend years learning through trial and error. The principals themselves are not original. The 80/20 rule. Ockham's razor. Rule of thirds. These are concepts that have been identified and used countless times before. But the real value is that this book collects them together into a single volume, and explains each one very concisely. The authors devote just two pages to each principal — one explaining it and the other illustrating it — which is just enough to understand the concept without over-explaning it. (Bart Marable)
