Reviews of the Book
Advance Praise for The Aegean Crucible
"This is a remarkable book; it makes not only an outstanding contribution to the literature on vernacular architecture but also addresses all those who simply
are lovers of the Aegean world with its legendary sea, its multifarious islands, and its glorious light. His years of study and documentation of the existing
Aegean vernacular architecture and settlements have enabled the author to increase significantly the reader's awareness of the physical, social, economic
and political factors that during history have shaped this habitat. The result is a more profound understanding of an environment that at the same time can
be severely challenging and, as the author's photographs testify, of a breathtaking beauty."
· Eduard F. Sekler, Osgood Hooker Professor of Visual Arts Emeritus, Harvard University
"This book is a comprehensive study of vernacular architecture on the Aegean islands since the 13th century, mirrored through a multitude of interdisciplinary
research layers in areas such as geography, political and religious history and resulting in a colorful panorama, which partly reads like a detective story.
Written by an architect and architectural educator, it is by means of its passion for clarity and the abundance of illustrations not only addressed to the
architectural historian but to the general audience as well. It is, indeed, fascinating reading for everyone who has an open mind for the intricacies and
complexities of a specific regional, spectacularly beautiful architecture without architects."
· Udo Kultermann, Ruth and Norman Moore Professor of Architecture Emeritus, Washington University in St. Louis
"I vividly remember how thrilled I was upon spying Michaelides's first book on Hydra displayed in the window of a Chicago bookstore. Now, after almost four
decades, he proves he has got the same magic touch in exploring a much wider architectural universe, the mythical Aegean in all its intricacies. No one
could boast a similar feat; nobody could even dare handle the history of that place with equal expertise and wisdom accumulated over the years."
· Dimitri Philippides, Professor of Architecture, National Technical University of Athens, Greece
"As an architect and urban designer, I was struck by how Michaelides's writing is both relevant and contemporary, particularly as it addresses the formation
of collective habitats - still one of the most important agendas we face today. Michaelides's deep love for the history of habitation in the Aegean
islands comes forth in both his prose and his beautiful pictures, and makes this book as pleasurable as it is informative to read. Tracing the long history of
this unique region, Michaelides systematically uncovers the very essence of the making of collective form over time. This work is highly recommended to both
professionals and laymen concerned with the betterment of our physical environment, a pursuit where the human wisdom evident in the Aegean must always prevail."
· Fumihiko Maki, Maki and Associates, Architecture and Planning, Tokyo, Japan
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Links to Other Reviews
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| The Aegean Crucible |
Tracing Vernacular Architecture in
Post-Byzantine Centuries |
| Constantine E. Michaelides, FAIA |
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