Conversant in contemporary theory and architectural history, Stan Allen argues that concepts in architecture are not imported from other disciplines, but emerge through the materials and procedures of architectural practice itself. Drawing on his own experience as a working architect, he examines the ways in which the tools available to the architect affect the design and production of buildings.

This second edition includes revised essays together with previously unpublished work. Allen’s seminal piece on Field Conditions is included in this reworked, revised and redesigned volume. A compelling read for student and practitioner alike.

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Points + Lines: Diagrams and Projects for the City is a book of New York architect Stan Allen's writings and projects that propose new architectural strategies for the contemporary city. Organized in the form of a user's manual, it juxtaposes speculative texts outlining Allen's general principles with specific projects created by his office.
The book's title refers to this interplay of practice and theory, evoking not only the points of activity and the paths of movement found in a contemporary city but also the points of speculation and lines of argument in theoretical discourse.
Projects include the Cardiff Bay Opera House, Wales; the Korean-American Museum of Art, Los Angeles; the Museo del Prado, Madrid; and White Columns Gallery, New York. Each project is accompanied by explanatory text as well as numerous drawings, models, photographs, and computer renderings. K. Michael Hays contributes an introductory essay; R. E. Somol writes the postscript....