In Defense of Browsing An Essay by Leanne Shapton www.curbed.com The feeling of fortuitous gratitude at coming across unexpected information is something most of us who’ve done any research, have experienced — that kismet of finding the perfect book, one spine away from the one that was sought. In the field of art and image research, this sparking of transmission, of sequence and connection, happens on a subconscious level. …Why is the vernacular image still being dismissed as ephemera? Why is its study not being prioritized? All languages are alive, but visual language is galactic. Keywords are not eyeballs, and creating rutted pathways to follow is the antithesis of study. A century of visual language, knowledge, and connectivity is marching toward a narrow, parsimonious basement of nomenclature. The NYPL takes a step backward if it models its shelves and research on a search engine. Spontaneity is learning. Browsing is research. The art of finding what you didn’t know you were looking forMarginalia Search connectionresearchlanguageserendipitychance
ArchDaily A Website www.archdaily.com We began as a platform to collect and spread the most important information for architects seeking to build a better world. Today, we are an ever-evolving tool for anybody who has a passion and determination to shape the world around them, including the 13.6 million readers that visit ArchDaily every month. 125 Best Architecture Books architecture
125 Best Architecture Books Essential Reads Guides Architects, Firms, and Movements Novels History Theory Cities & Urbanism A Pattern LanguageThe Eyes of the Skin: Architecture and the SensesThe Image of the CityIn Praise of ShadowsThe Poetics of SpaceSeven lampsCities for PeopleInvisible CitiesBLDGBLOGThe Death and Life of Great American CitiesLife Between BuildingsSoft City