Far too seldom is the heart rejoiced or does one feel any better or happier for looking at the works of modern man. It is not, perhaps, so much the occurrence of what might be described as 'active ugliness' as the prevalence of the dull and the commonplace. However, man does not live by safety and efficiency alone, and we have to face the fact that, visually, the world is becoming an increasingly depressing place. Structures: or Why Things Don’t Fall Down was first published in Britain in 1978 by Penguin Books Ltd.“Nowadays, whether we like it or not, we are stuck with one form or another of advanced technology and we have got to make it work safely and efficiently: this involves, among other things, the intelligent application of structural theory. Folio editions feature specially designed bindings and include artist-commissioned illustrations or researched artworks and photographs. Folio Society produces illustrated hardback editions of classic fiction and non-fiction books, poetry and children’s titles. The Folio Society is a London-based publisher. “The special genius of Gordon’s book is that it holds an appeal not just for engineers and mathematicians, but for anyone who – having accepted his basic premise that ‘everything is structure’ – finds the Parthenon beautiful, as he does, while wishing to know why a bat can fly into a rose bush without tearing its wings, why our clothes fall out of shape and why gigantic prehistoric pterodactyls weighed so little.” (from the introduction of the book) Gordon wants us to consider why structures around us (bridges, cathedrals, worms, skeletons etc.) are arranged and shaped as they are. Gordon was one of the founders of materials science and biomechanics, and a well-known author of three books on structures and materials, which have been translated in many languages and are still widely used in schools and universities.
Internally clean, no handwriting or previous owner inscriptions. Minimal wear on the top part of the spine. Structures: or Why Things Don’t Fall Down
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