10 principles of architecture

The rules of architecture have been discussed since the Roman architect and engineer Vitruvius coined the trilogy firmitas, utilitas and venustas, most commonly translated as firmness, commodity and delight. Put simply, this means that a building should stand up and endure, that it should serve its function, and give pleasure to the people who use it and the wider community. Great buildings, like great art, contain something that is impossible to define or pin down.
While one cannot guarantee greatness, by following the principles set out in this book, you will avoid the pitfalls to which too many buildings are subject. With clear explanations of each tenet plus over 160 photographs and illustrations from buildings around the world, as well as useful checklists for each chapter, this book shows the reader what goes into making a building work. A useful and illuminating introduction to the subject for students, beginning architects and architectural historians, it is engagingly written by an experienced architectural journalist.