CONGRATULATIONS to the 2023 BTES Book Award Winners !!
WINNER
Donald B. Corner and John Rowell
Architectural Terra Cotta: Design Concepts, Techniques and Applications
A valuable reference as well as a thorough overview of an historic material and its contemporary use. The graphic quality of the numerous details provides an exceptionally clear set of explanations and examples that will be useful to students and practitioners. The book’s inclusion of the material’s long history argues for continuity with the past in a way that should set a standard for other single-material overviews and resources. – Thomas Leslie
The deep coverage of a material's development over time weaves in compelling stories of technical innovation and creative application in a structured format that captures the imagination and is sure to inspire future designs. The extraordinary visual quality of the photographs and drawings support the narrative to provide a highly legible exposition of the art, science and collaboration required to realize terra cotta building enclosures. – Mary Ben Bonham
Addresses both the What and the How of architecture. It shows the historical basis for this family of materials, but stands out for its thorough description of contemporary terra cotta and its application to significant global projects. The high-quality illustrations and text describe the design parameters and fabrication processes exceptionally thoroughly. This book stands out for the depth of examination of the topic. – Patrick Rand
HONORABLE MENTION
Chad Schwartz
Situate, Manipulate, Fabricate: An Anthology of the Influences of Architectural Design and Production
A thoughtfully curated and insightfully framed collection of writings on the intersection of technology and design. The selections are paired to compare and contrast contemporary practice with historic precedents, and the author’s introductory essays and margin notes allow for commentary and provide a guide for readers new to the essays and authors. – Thomas Leslie
This anthology prompts readers to understand architecture’s impact and architectural thinking holistically, yet from a wide diversity of perspectives. The selected essays address fundamental concerns of architecture inclusive of technological topics. The pairing of older ‘classic’ texts with contemporary voices has the potential to ignite new insights in multiple generations of readers. – Mary Ben Bonham
Addresses both the What and the Why of architecture. The author carefully selected a manageable number of essays that illustrate essential concepts that provoke architectural design at every scale. The essays are timeless, and universally relevant geographically. They are very well curated by the editor. The roots of the concepts are made accessible by the author's excellent introductions and notations, enabling the readers to stand on their shoulders with their own interpretations. This book stands out for the breadth of examination of the topic. – Patrick Rand