Learning from Las Vegas – Revised Edition: The Forgotten Symbolism of Architectural Form
by Robert Venturi, Steven Izenour, Denise Scott Brown
About the book
“Learning from Las Vegas,” when first published in 1972, sparked vibrant debates by challenging architects to appreciate the tastes and values of everyday people rather than indulging in the creation of grandiose, self-congratulatory monuments. This revised edition retains the complete content of Part I, which focuses on the Las Vegas strip, and Part II, “Ugly and Ordinary Architecture, or the Decorated Shed,” which extrapolates on the findings from Part I to discuss symbolism in architecture and urban sprawl. What distinguishes this edition from the original is the exclusion of the final part, which concentrated on the architectural projects of Venturi and Rauch. Instead, this version features a new preface by Denise Scott Brown and an updated bibliography that includes writings by and about the firm. Additionally, it comes in a more compact format with fewer photographs and at a significantly reduced price.
- Learning from Las Vegas created a healthy controversy on its appearance in 1972, calling for architects to be more receptive to the tastes and values of “common” people and less immodest in their erections of “heroic,” self-aggrandizing monuments
- This revision includes the full texts of Part I of the original, on the Las Vegas strip, and Part II, “Ugly and Ordinary Architecture, or the Decorated Shed,” a generalization from the findings of the first part on symbolism in architecture and the iconography of urban sprawl
- (The final part of the first edition, on the architectural work of the firm Venturi and Rauch, is not included in the revision
- ) The new paperback edition has a smaller format, fewer pictures, and a considerably lower price than the original
- There are an added preface by Scott Brown and a bibliography of writings by the members of Venturi and Rauch and about the firm’s work
Why should you read?
In “Learning from Las Vegas,” the authors argue compellingly for a shift in architectural thinking, urging professionals to learn from the commonly overlooked yet symbolically rich urban landscapes like that of Las Vegas. The book demystifies the architectural tendencies towards grandeur and instead appreciates the ‘decorated sheds’—buildings that are simple in form but enriched by symbolic ornamentation. Venturi, Izenour, and Scott Brown brilliantly dissect the idea that modern architecture need not be restricted to sleek, minimalist aesthetics but can instead draw meaning and inspiration from the gaudy, vibrant vernacular architecture.
Their insights into the often-dismissed ordinary landscapes challenge conventional design paradigms, making the revised edition a thought-provoking read for both seasoned architects and enthusiasts alike.
Venkat