Leon van Schaik, AO, LFAIA, RIBA, PhD, is Innovation Professor of Architecture at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT). From his base in Melbourne, he has promoted local and international architectural culture through an influential practice-based research programme and the commissioning of innovative architecture. His PhD programme at RMIT in architecture and design practice has become an important template for institutions worldwide; it has recently been awarded a several-million-Euro grant by the EU Marie Curie Actions Fund to extend its activities internationally by partnering with institutions in Europe. At the 75th anniversary awards of the RAIA, Schaik was awarded the inaugural Neville Quarry Prize for Architectural Education. In 2006 he was made an Officer (AO) in the General Division of the Order of Australia for his services to architecture and education.

Integrate poetics into real-world spaces by bringing theory downto earth

Practical Poetics in Architecture takes poetics out ofthe theory class and into the design studio, showing architects howthe atmospheric and experiential qualities of built structures canbe intentionally considered and planned. With an emphasis onanalysing and explaining the sensibility of poetics at work indesigning and constructing architecture, this book featuresprojects from architects around the world that demonstrate theprinciples of poetics come to life. The rich illustration of twohundred colour images, including analytical diagrams, plans,sections, and photos, make this insightful guide a highly visualforay into a topic that has thus far remained more theoretical thanpractical. The text is matter-of-fact and concrete, yet remainsrichly connected to its forbears and the writings of WilliamLethaby, Gaston Bachelard, and Steen Eiler Rasmussen. Theperspective is contemporary in its examples and its connections tothe evolving science of perception.

An established seminar topic in theory classes around the world,poetics tends to rely heavily on classic philosophic texts --until now. Practical Poetics in Architecture brings theorydown to earth to show architects how to invoke poetics whendesigning real projects.

* Integrate poetics principles into real-world designs

* Consider atmosphere in terms of form, space, and acoustics

* Study actual projects that bring poetics into real spaces

* Take cues from analytical diagrams of projects accounting forcontext

Poetics -- the accumulated experience of place, space, andculture -- has become more critical in recent years as theatmospheric and experiential qualities of built spaces have becomemore elusive in the virtual age. Practical Poetics inArchitecture provides real guidance for real projects, andbrings poetics out of the mind and onto the plans.