Contour

A series of three books on architecture, targeting architecture students (age group: 17-21) and generally, architecture enthusiasts who have little or no knowledge on the topic and need a comprehensive jump start.

The three books would feature three different topics, namely, central business district, historical monuments as well as residential/urban living.

The objective of this publication is to give students some basic knowledge on architecture and to inspire them to develop an eye for design through simple geometrical forms and basic framework, as well as to capture the essence, beauty and complexity of architecture based on my belief that a skeleton and framework is the soul of good architecture.

Before moving into concrete and bricks, we have to master the skeleton.

The tone of voice for this series would be, "poise, professional, sophisticated, minimalistic and contemporary".

This publication works differently from the usual ones we see in bookstores because the main focus is on the line work of each chosen building, thus it explains why the title of this series is, "Contour".

"Con?tour (kŏn'tʊr')
n.
The outline of a figure, body, or mass.
A line that represents such an outline."

The covers are also designed with only the line work and I do feel that it would help quite a bit in terms of attracting consumers to pick it up as it doesn't appear to be the usual architecture book with a photograph as the cover.

The books also feature the biographies and quotes of various renowned architects worldwide. The quotes are carefully selected and are closely-related to the concept of this project.

Some of these quotes are,

"A wheel? Thirty spokes meet at a nave! But the empty hole is the essence of the wheel. A jug? Clay is moulded into a vessel! But the empty hollow is the essence of the jug. A House? Walls with doors and windows! But the empty space is the essence of the house. Therefore, use what exists; Recognize the utility of what not exists." - Lao Tse

"We shape our buildings; thereafter, they shape us." - Winston Churchill

"Think simple, as my old master used to say - meaning reduce the whole of its parts into the simplest terms, getting back to first principles." - Frank Lloyd Wright

through an email from a lecturer in my school