Richard Rogers Box Set

The first time I learned about architect Richard Rogers' work was in my first year of college. I did a presentation work about Centre Pompidou building in Paris by architects Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers. I immediately got fascinated with the building and specially with the early seventies projects of those young architects.

There are various books collecting the works of Richard Rogers. I once borrowed from the school Library Richard Rogers+Architects a book published by Academy Editions in 1985. It was so used and deteriorated that I scan it to preserve it and try to restore it before bringing it back.

Another book I took home those days was Richard Rogers complete works volume 1 and volume 2. Both were thick hardcover books. Some years later a third volume was published and the three of them were collected as paperbacks in a fancy pink box. Now that this box is on sale in Amazon I just ordered it. 

Richard Rogers Complete Works - 3 Volume Set by Kenneth Powell

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Phaidon Press Inc / 960 pages / English
Publishing date: 2008.03.05
ISBN-10: 0714848662
ISBN-13: 978-0714848662

DESIGN | Le Centre Georges Pompidou

Today we have been digitalizing an old VHS to DVD in AAGRAFA. A documentary realized by Richard Copans about the Centre Georges Pompidou, an awesome building located in the heart of Paris designed more that 30 years ago by architects Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers. I Hope many people can enjoy it now in it's new format. The VHS tape had only one audio track but I found out two more audio tracks on the net so I've been able to author them in a single disc and make a menu using a children's drawing of the building  founded online. I/m preety happy with the final product. Available in ETSAM library with the Deposit Number [V-687]

Richard Rogers + Architects

Today I have taken my time to scan a book from the Architecture School Library. Richard Rogers + Architects, it's a great Architectural Monograph Published in the US and the UK in 1985 that collects the works of architect Richard Rogers and his partners, from early projects to the mid eighties. The book was in a terrible condition when I  borrowed it, so after scanning it, I fixed it, and re-bind it as best as I could with a lot of care and a bit of glue.

The scanning process is so slow that made me think a lot in the meantime. There are certain problems related to the psychical books. For example, if a teacher recommends a book in class and it's available in the book stores, the main problem is usually only the price, specially with architecture books, that tend to be fancy and expensive. The real problem arises, however, when the book is sold out or hard to find. Then, the only way to go is the school library. But every time a teacher recommends a book, it literally  flies from the shelves, and as we are so many students, it's common not to be able to even have a glance at it before the semester ends.

I also wonder, what happens when a library book gets worn so much that gets destroyed, and it's not useable anymore. Or when unscrupulous people cut the pages or the pictures they are interested in, (Sadly that happens too). What if the library is not able to re-buy it because it's sold out? Something pretty common in architectural publications, that many times are periodicals with no big printing numbers. So, libraries are expending their money on a bunch of bind paper that sooner or later is going to be consumed and become unusable. Is that it?

I understand the advantages of physical books, it's always great to have them on your hand and feel them, to be able to read them everywhere, anytime... but what about when you have to carry a bunch of them in your backpack day in and day out, or when you need a picture from them, or a piece of text and you have to either scan it or re-write it. In my opinion, digital is going to be the way to go, without a doubt.

I'm sure physical books will remain with us forever, but more as a great analogue precious objects than anything else. As a luxury that give us joy and holds a backup of our information. Meanwhile, the digital editions will be available for download in a few seconds by anyone, everywhere, anytime. I believe the future its promising, both for classic book lovers and for the people that need the information within them in a  fast, reliable and comfortable way.

Richard Roger + Architects

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Architectural Monographs
Published in Great Britain in 1985 by Academy editions
Published in the USA in 1985 by St Martin's Press
ISBN-10: 0312682077
ISBN-13: 978-0312682071

Availabe on Amazon Marketplace: US / ES / JP