The Architecture of Happiness
“Time after time, his descriptions neatly capture the distinctiveness and character of even the most unusual buildings…[The book succeeds] through his quiet intelligence, passionate conviction, and the charm of a personality lightly tinged with melancholy.”
Washington Post
The Architecture of Happiness is a dazzling journey through the philosophy and psychology of architecture and the indelible connection between our identities and our locations.
One of the great but often unmentioned causes of both happiness and misery is the quality of our environment: the kinds of walls, chairs, buildings, and streets that surround us. And yet, a concern for architecture is too often described as frivolous, even self-indulgent. Alain de Botton starts from the idea that where we are heavily influences who we can be, and argues that it is architecture's task to stand as an eloquent reminder of our full potential.
Praise