Modern houses An introduction to modern houses and their architects

This delightful tour of modern houses around the world begins with Gerrit Rietveld's 1924 avant-garde Schröder House in Utrecht in the Netherlands. It continues chronologically through the twentieth century and into the modern century, introducing such greats as Le Corbusier, Frank Lloyd Wright, Mies van der Rohe, and Frank Gehry, as well as such lesser-known yet equally influential architects as Shigeru Ban, who developed a home made of cardboard to rehouse Japan's 1995 earthquake victims, and Sarah Wigglesworth and Jeremy Till, who designed a green home that's harmonious with the environment. The concise text of each chapter focuses on an architect's inspiration, predominant style, use of materials, and innovations (e.g., Rem Koolhaas' use of an elevator as the main room in a home for a disabled client). Set against ample white space, the stylized, geometric, yet charming, illustrations in primary colors depict Fallingwater, the Farnsworth House, and other examples of groundbreaking constructions from many angles. An attractively designed book that will appeal to both big and small readers.--Leeper, Angela Copyright 2010 Booklist