We love books. Over the years Terra Incognita has developed an extensive studio library. It’s a collection that provides us with important reference materials for our projects, whether we’re researching the typical colors of milk paint in colonial America, the extent of ice sheets during the last glacial maximum, or traditional Mali ornaments. In this area, explore a selection of books that we’ve found helpful or inspirational.
This catalog, which accompanies the traveling Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary exhibition, examines the many facets of Franklin’s life: printer, civic improver, scientist, diplomat, politician, and founding father. Many of the images in the book are from private collections, and have never before been published, giving this book a unique perspective on Franklin’s life.
This book is a beautiful collection of storefront signage from Europe and the United States. Most of the signs in the book were hand-crafted in the late Victorian, art nouveau, and art deco periods. Instead of organizing them chronologically, however, Schwartzman divides them by materials, such as mosaic, paint and wood, and metal. Although the main subject of the book is the typography, it's also a helpful reference for weathering details.
How Buildings Learn is one of my all-time favorite books. Stewart Brand, author of the Whole Earth Catalog, suggests that while buildings are most often seen as whole in space, they should also be considered as whole in time. As he writes, "Whereas 'architecture' may strive to be permanent, a 'building' is always building and rebuilding." Some buildings are designed to adapt well to the forces of change, while seem designed to prevent it. While Brand's focus is on physical buildings, his insights can also be extended to virtual spaces as well.
