Widely used in architectural circles in the heat of discussion, the recurrent use of particular words and terms has evolved a language of design jargon. Commonly found in architectural literature and journalism, in critical design debate and especially in student project reviews, archispeak can seem insular and perplexing to others and - particularly to the new architectural student - often incomprehensible.
Writing for those whose vernacular has expanded beyond commonplace terms such as "flying buttress" and "modern brutalism," educator and architect Porter and his contributors expose the truths behind jargon that glazes over even the most dedicated of architecture groupies. Along with definitions for a wide variety of theoretical terms, here we find that "CAD monkey" is indeed pejorative, that "palimpsest" is not necessarily taboo, that you probably won't find a "simulacrum" in a solarium, and that buildings can be as "didactic" as some professors. Operating on the principle of "synaesthesia," the volume includes explanatory illustrations and photographs and is pocket-sized, if one has pockets that double as "servant space." Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
