How to Architect, Doug Patt 2012
Patt has written a charming little book with the same title as his popular YouTube channel which he began in 2008. Using the alphabet as his table of contents, he takes the reader from A (Asymmetry) through Z (Zeal) with the goal of answering the question “What is architecture” for the reader “who might be thinking of going to school to become an architect or one who might simply have a street interest in buildings.” I enjoyed his lovely free hand drawings of each letter, his architect’s lettering of each key word, and his selection of photographs of buildings and elements to illustrate his definitions. I learned a great deal about the topic, from what LEED stands for (Leadership in Environment and Energy Design) to the complex and lengthy duration of an architect’s education, training and licensure. At the end of the day, as in the professions of medicine and law, there is a special vocabulary, set of skills, and responsibilities that go with being an architect. Patt does a fine job in presenting this in an entertaining and straightforward way.
