How to Read House Form and Culture by Amos Rapoport: A Guide for Students and Practitioners
House Form and Culture Amos Rapoport Pdf Download
If you are interested in learning more about how human beings shape and are shaped by their built environment, you might want to read House Form and Culture, a classic book by Amos Rapoport. In this article, we will give you an overview of what this book is about, why it is important and relevant, what are its main themes and arguments, who is the author and his background, how is the book structured and organized, what are its main contributions and implications, how was it received and criticized, and how you can download it as a pdf file.
House Form And Culture Amos Rapoport Pdf Download
The Author and His Background
Amos Rapoport is a distinguished professor emeritus of architecture at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. He is also an honorary professor at several universities around the world, such as Australia, China, India, Iran, Japan, Mexico, Turkey, and UK. He has published over 20 books and over 300 articles on topics related to environmental psychology, cross-cultural design, vernacular architecture, human ecology, cultural geography, urban anthropology, behavioral science, housing theory, environmental design research, etc. He is widely regarded as one of the pioneers and leaders in these fields.
Rapoport was born in Warsaw, Poland in 1929. He moved to Israel with his family in 1934. He studied architecture at Technion-Israel Institute of Technology in Haifa. He then worked as an architect in Israel for several years before moving to Australia in 1954. There he obtained his master's degree in town planning from Melbourne University. He also taught at Sydney University for a while before moving to England in 1958. There he obtained his PhD in social anthropology from University College London. He also taught at Birmingham University for a while before moving to USA in 1964. There he joined the faculty of University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee as a professor of architecture. He retired from there in 1994 but continued to be active as a researcher, consultant, lecturer, editor, etc.
Rapoport developed his interest and expertise in house form and culture through his extensive travels, observations, fieldwork, comparisons, analyses, synthesis, etc. He visited over 80 countries across six continents. He studied various types of houses from different cultures, climates, regions, periods, etc. He tried to understand how people design their houses according to their needs, values, beliefs, traditions, lifestyles, etc. He also tried to understand how houses reflect and affect the culture, society, environment, etc. of the people who live in them. He wrote several books and articles on these topics, such as House Form and Culture (1969), The Meaning of the Built Environment (1982), Culture, Architecture, and Design (2005), etc.
The Content and Structure of the Book
House Form and Culture is one of Rapoport's most influential and widely cited books. It was first published in 1969 by Prentice-Hall as part of the Foundations of Cultural Geography Series. It has been reprinted several times since then. It has also been translated into many languages, such as Spanish, French, Italian, German, Portuguese, Turkish, Arabic, Persian, Chinese, Japanese, etc.
The book is divided into six chapters and a conclusion. The chapters are as follows:
Chapter 1: Differentiation and the Nature of the Evidence. This chapter introduces the main theme and purpose of the book, which is to explore the relationship between house form and culture. It also discusses the sources and methods of data collection and analysis used in the book.
Chapter 2: The Determinants of House Form. This chapter identifies and examines the four main factors that influence house form: climate, materials, technology, and culture. It also discusses how these factors interact and vary in different contexts and cases.
Chapter 3: The Elements of House Form. This chapter describes and analyzes the basic components and characteristics of house form, such as plan, shape, size, height, orientation, layout, organization, decoration, etc. It also discusses how these elements relate to the functions and meanings of houses.
Chapter 4: The Forms of House Form. This chapter classifies and compares the various types and styles of house form found around the world. It also discusses how these forms reflect and express the cultural values and preferences of the people who create and use them.
Chapter 5: The Process of House Form Change. This chapter explores the dynamics and mechanisms of house form change over time and space. It also discusses how house form change relates to social change, cultural change, environmental change, etc.
Chapter 6: The Meaning of House Form. This chapter summarizes and synthesizes the main findings and insights from the previous chapters. It also discusses how house form can be understood as a symbol and a system of communication that conveys information about the identity, status, role, behavior, etc. of the people who live in them.
The book also includes a conclusion that reviews the main arguments and contributions of the book. It also suggests some directions for further research and application on house form and culture.
The Main Contributions and Implications of the Book
House Form and Culture is a seminal work that has made significant contributions to the fields of architecture, anthropology, geography, sociology, psychology, history, etc. It has also had practical implications for design education, policy making, planning practice, etc. Some of the main contributions and implications of the book are:
It provides a comprehensive and comparative framework for understanding house form as a product and a producer of culture. It shows how house form is not only determined by physical factors but also by cultural factors that shape human needs, values, beliefs, traditions, lifestyles etc. It also shows how house form is not only a passive reflection but also an active expression of culture that influences human behavior attitudes relationships etc.
It challenges and enriches the existing knowledge on house form and culture by introducing new concepts terms methods etc. that have become widely adopted and adapted by scholars and practitioners. Some of these concepts are: criticality symbolism schemata choice etc.
It applies and illustrates its theoretical framework to various contexts and cases around the world. It provides rich examples and evidence from different cultures climates regions periods etc. that demonstrate the diversity and complexity of house form and culture. It also provides some generalizations and patterns that reveal the similarities and differences among house forms and cultures.
It stimulates and inspires further research and practice on house form and culture. It raises new questions and issues that invite more investigation and experimentation. It also provides some guidelines and recommendations that suggest more appropriate and responsive design solutions for different contexts The Reception and Criticism of the Book
House Form and Culture has been widely read and cited by scholars and practitioners from various disciplines and domains. It has received positive reviews and feedback from many experts and authorities in the fields of architecture, anthropology, geography, sociology, psychology, history, etc. It has also been used as a textbook and a reference for many courses and programs on environmental design, cultural studies, human ecology, urban anthropology, behavioral science, housing theory, etc.
However, the book has also faced some criticism and challenges from some critics and rivals who have questioned or contested some of its assumptions, arguments, methods, evidence, etc. Some of the main criticisms and challenges are:
It is too deterministic and reductionist in its approach to house form and culture. It tends to oversimplify and generalize the complex and dynamic relationship between house form and culture. It ignores or neglects some of the other factors and forces that affect house form and culture, such as politics, economics, power, ideology, conflict, resistance, etc.
It is too ethnocentric and biased in its perspective on house form and culture. It tends to favor and privilege some cultures over others in its analysis and evaluation of house form and culture. It ignores or neglects some of the diversity and variability within and among cultures in their house forms and meanings. It also imposes some of its own values and judgments on other cultures in their house forms and practices.
It is too outdated and irrelevant in its context and scope of house form and culture. It was written in the 1960s when the world was very different from today in terms of technology, globalization, urbanization, migration, etc. It focuses mainly on primitive and peasant houses that are no longer representative or prevalent in most parts of the world. It also fails to address some of the new challenges and opportunities that have emerged in the field of house form and culture since then.
Conclusion
In conclusion, House Form and Culture is a landmark book that has made a lasting impact on the field of architecture and beyond. It provides a comprehensive and comparative framework for understanding house form as a product and a producer of culture. It challenges and enriches the existing knowledge on house form and culture by introducing new concepts terms methods etc. It applies and illustrates its theoretical framework to various contexts and cases around the world. It stimulates and inspires further research and practice on house form and culture. It also faces some criticism and challenges from some critics and rivals who have questioned or contested some of its assumptions arguments methods evidence etc.
If you want to learn more about this book and its author you can visit their websites or read their other publications. You can also download the book as a pdf file from a reliable source such as Scribd. However we recommend that you buy the book from a reputable bookstore or online retailer if you can afford it. This way you can support the author and enjoy the book in its original format.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions and answers about the book:
Q: What is the main thesis or argument of the book?
A: The main thesis or argument of the book is that house form is not only determined by physical factors but also by cultural factors that shape human needs values beliefs traditions lifestyles etc. It also argues that house form is not only a passive reflection but also an active expression of culture that influences human behavior attitudes relationships etc.
Q: What are some of the key concepts or terms used in the book?
A: Some of the key concepts or terms used in the book are: criticality symbolism schemata choice etc. Criticality refers to the degree to which a factor affects house form. Symbolism refers to the meaning or message conveyed by house form. Schemata refers to the mental models or patterns that guide house design. Choice refers to the range of options or alternatives available for house design.
Q: What are some of the examples or cases used in the book?
A: Some of the examples or cases used in the book are: Eskimo igloos African huts Japanese houses Italian villages etc. These examples or cases illustrate the diversity and complexity of house form and culture across different cultures climates regions periods etc.
Q: What are some of the strengths or weaknesses of the book?
A: Some of the strengths or weaknesses of the book are: It is comprehensive and comparative in its approach to house form and culture. It is original and innovative in its concepts and methods for house form and culture. It is rich and detailed in its examples and evidence for house form and culture. However it is also deterministic and reductionist in its analysis and evaluation of house form and culture. It is also ethnocentric and biased in its perspective and preference for house form and culture. It is also outdated and irrelevant in its context and scope for house form and culture.
Q: How can I apply or use the book for my own research or practice?
A: You can apply or use the book for your own research or practice by using its framework concepts methods etc. to analyze and evaluate different types of houses from different cultures climates regions periods etc. You can also use its findings insights guidelines recommendations etc. to design and create more appropriate and responsive houses for different contexts and needs.
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