Building Sex: Men, Women, Architecture, and the Construction of Sexuality - Softcover

Aaron Betsky

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0688149502 ISBN 13: 9780688149505

Publisher: Harper Perennial, 1997

Synopsis

Explores the author's theory that male architects create structures of buildings and the layouts of cities, while women architects create interior spaces

About this title

From Booklist:

What does architecture tell us about gender roles? When Betsky gazes at a spire, tower, or skyscraper, he sees phallic forms that echo the male body. When he looks at building interiors, he sees reflections of the female body with its internalized reproductive organs and ability to contain and nurture life. These may seem like simplistic observations, but for Betsky, they are realities rich in implication and revelation. Buildings, from the simplest tents to the most elaborate cathedrals, are, after all, the anchors of culture, and their forms are indicative of social hierarchies, belief systems, values, and aesthetics. Betsky traces the evolution of Western architecture and urban design from the camps of nomadic peoples to the pyramids, the constructions of the Romans, medieval palaces, and, finally, modern industrialized cities and their suburbs. In each context, he compares and contrasts interiors and exteriors and connects their design to the strictly defined activities of men and women. Betsky's fluid and creative interpretations prove to be quite stimulating and enjoyable, enabling us to see our world from a fresh and illuminating perspective. Donna Seaman

About this edition

• Publisher: Harper Perennial
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0688149502
• ISBN 13: 9780688149505
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 256