This book explores 72 buildings from around the world and throughout history and enables readers to experience the projects through text, photos and drawings; the perfect introduction to reading architectural plans. Intended both as an introductory text for students and professionals in the field as well as an accessible read for the general public, Understanding Architecture addresses the basic principles of architecture. The volume is organized in 12 series of chapters based on a key architectural themes - including space, time, matter, gravity, light, silence, dwelling, ritual, memory, landscape, and place. Each chapter begins with an introductory essay, and includes a wide variety of historical examples from around the world, followed by in-depth analysis of 6 key buildings that further exemplify the theme of that chapter. By combining a broad historical sweep with a jargon-free architectural study of space and the direct experience of architecture, this volume is a unique introduction to the experience of architecture.