Architects Make Zigzags: Looking at Architecture from A to Z

Drawings by Roxie Munro Architects make zigzags—and they also design brackets, columns, dormers, eaves, facades, gables, houses, ironwork, and all the other architectural delights to be found inside this book. Artist Roxie Munro has created a wonderful, whimsical tour through the architectural alphabet. Her drawings show 26 of the most common features of buildings and neighborhoods and give a tantalizing glimpse into 300 years of American architecture from coast to coast. Follow her eye up to locate unusual curlicues on a seaside balcony and gaze down to see the intricate plantings that welcomed George Washington to Mount Vernon. This look at architecture from A to Z explains some everyday terms and introduces some less familiar words—do you know what jigsaw work, newel posts, and quoins are? Munro makes architecture fun for building lovers of all ages and provides a starting point for endless architectural explorations close to home. "Munro’s line drawings … are full of detail without being cluttered; they capture the activity of these places, and yet they remain serene." —Washington Post "Munro clearly is [able] to breathe life into the inanimate." —New York Times "Munro deserves thanks for this treasure that her fans will hope is the first of many singular achievements." —Publishers Weekly