Draft:101 Things I Learned in Architecture School
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| Author | Matthew Frederick |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Series | 101 Things I Learned |
| Subject | Architecture, Design education |
| Publisher | MIT Press |
| Publication date | August 31, 2007 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Pages | 212 |
| ISBN | 978-0262062664 |
101 Things I Learned in Architecture School is a non-fiction book by architect and educator Matthew Frederick. Published by MIT Press in 2007, it presents a series of concise lessons in design, drawing, the creative process, and presentation, intended as an introduction to architectural literacy for students and general readers.[1] It was the first title in what became the 101 Things I Learned series.
Content
[edit]The book consists of 101 lessons, each occupying a two-page spread with a brief written explanation on one page and an illustration on the facing page. The illustrations range from diagrammatic to whimsical; the lesson on drawing a line is shown through examples of good and bad lines, while a lesson on awkward floor-level changes depicts the actor Dick Van Dyke in mid-pratfall.[1] The lessons cover common architectural vocabulary and concepts, including figure-ground theory, the "parti" as a building's organizing idea, drafting and hand-lettering techniques, and color theory.[1]
The book grew out of Frederick's experience as a student and instructor. According to the publisher, it is written by "an architect and instructor who remembers well the fog of his own student days," and it sets out to make plain the concepts that architectural education often leaves abstract.[1]
Reception and awards
[edit]The book received a silver medal in the Architecture category at the 2008 Independent Publisher Book Awards.[2][non-primary source needed] It was also a winning entry in the General Trade Illustrated category of the 2008 New England Book Show, sponsored by Bookbuilders of Boston.[1][non-primary source needed]
Writing for The Independent, Will Coldwell described it as a must-have for anyone starting out in architecture, covering everything from how to draw a line to sketching interior perspective. In the Los Angeles Times, Susan Salter Reynolds wrote that the book's lessons had resonance beyond architecture, functioning as brief tutorials in the art of seeing.[1][non-primary source needed]
Series
[edit]Following the architecture volume, the 101 Things I Learned series expanded to cover other fields, with Frederick as series creator, editor, and illustrator. He authored the architecture and film titles himself and collaborated with subject-matter experts on volumes covering areas such as law, business, and engineering.[1][non-primary source needed]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "101 Things I Learned in Architecture School". MIT Press. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
- ↑ "2008 Medalists". Independent Publisher Book Awards. Retrieved 6 July 2026.
Category:2007 non-fiction books Category:American non-fiction books Category:Architecture books Category:MIT Press books