AZBY BROWN was raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. He studied architecture at Yale College. In 1985 he received a grant from the Japanese Ministry of Education to do research at the Architecture Department of the University of Tokyo, where in 1988 he received a master's degree. He is the author of several books, including The Genius of Japanese Carpentry, Small Spaces, and The Japanese Dream House. He became Associate Professor of Architectural Design at the Kanazawa Institute of Technology in 1995, where he has also accepted a position in the Department of Media Informatics. He opened the Future Design Institute in Tokyo where he currently serves as Director. Brown lives in Yokohama with his wife and son.
"Azby Brown has done it again. I loved his first book, Small
Spaces, and this one goes further yet in helping to demystify the
art of the small house. The book is a must for anyone wanting to
understand how to do more with less when it comes to home design.
These tiny and exquisitely designed contemporary Japanese homes
have so many lessons to teach readers around the world about how to
make their homes both functional and beautiful, whatever the size.
And as for the quality of the houses illustrated, they're
extraordinary. I, for one, couldn't put the book down, and I
suspect it will have the same effect on a great many readers."
—Sarah Susanka, AIA architect and author of The Not So Big House
series and Home By Design
"As houses get smaller, their space gets more intense. People are
nearly insatiable in their hunger for urban nesting places, and
here we see that marvelously expressed."—Toyo Ito
"Brown's Very Small Home provides homeowner-friendly design tips,
whether it's a raised kitchen floor that opens to store
infrequently used items or general advice on using one or two
luxurious details —a fine photograph, an antique bench—to set the
mood of a room or entire house. Drawings, color photos and
interviews with people living in the homes make it an interesting
read." —Miami Herald
"I have a feeling that many of us are living in something less than
a McMansion. Maybe our homes feel more like a child-size Happy Meal
than a supersize Big Mac? If that's the case, you're sure to find
some tasty ideas in the new book by Tokyo-based architect Azby
Brown, Very Small Home." —Contra Costa Times
"Those glorious 'McMansions,' large rambling homes with a multitude
of rooms, were a craze in the 1990s. Now, the 'small home' is a big
idea—at least according to a new book from Kodansha. Very Small
Home is a big book featuring glorious color photos of 18 'new'
(under 5 years old) houses that were designed specifically for
small spaces." —The Star Newspapers, Chicago
"This is the most fascinating, the most delightful architecture
book that I've read in years! Here are spectacular, dramatic small
houses. 320 square feet, 1268 feet of living space... These houses
are indeed tiny. But this does not mean crude, cheap, old. The
oldest of the houses shown was five years old at the time of
publication... I would strongly suggest that anyone thinking of a
house in a metropolitan area read this book."
—www.books-on-line.com
A small but growing group of architects and homeowners is rejecting
the notion that bigger homes mean better lives and for economic,
environmental and aesthetic reasons is embracing mini houses, which
are often under 1,000 sq. ft. Books like Alejandro Bahamón's Mini
House, Michelle Kodis' Blueprint Small, Azby Brown's The Very Small
Home and Ricorico's Mini House Style explore how small spaces can
be put to ingenious uses." —Time Magazine
"As Americans begin to absorb the notion that big homes are not
necessarily better, we're naturally looking to Japan, where
architects manage to create livable, modern homes that are in some
cases tiny, but that are flooded with light and seem much bigger
than they are. The Very Small Home by Azby Brown is a
double-barreled book—with highly practical drawings and
inspirational photography of 18 great recent houses." —Metropolitan
Home Magazine
"Inspiring... the volume is so full of ingenious ideas that it's a
good bet for anyone trying to maximize the space and light of a
small residence... But the most impressive aspect of all these
homes is the bright, airy feeling they manage to convey within in
their tiny confines... Brown's excellent textual commentary will
help readers bring those important ideas into their own homes."
—Publishers Weekly
"Although floor space is at a premium, Azby Brown illustrates the
surprising possibilities of tiny spaces, in which a book collection
can grow, or a music room can be quaintly tucked away. The
beautiful materials, fluid shapes, and clean spaces are enviable;
The Very Small Home works equally well as either a dream book or a
blueprint for home renovators." —Kirkus Reports
"The Japanese are nothing if not innovative and stylish, and this
look at some bold architectural and design ideas proves that just
because you live in a shoebox, it doesn't have to look like a
shoebox. All of these homes breathe with a surprising openness, and
are blessed with copious amounts of sunlight. Personal accumulation
is kept to a minimum and stashed in inventive ways, so not only are
these homes aesthetically pleasing, but they also insist that your
home should not be defined by the amount of stuff you can pack into
it." —Orlando Weekly
"It's amazing what a good architect can do to make a small space
elegant, attractive and full of light, as well as highly
functional. Even if you have a larger home, many of these ideas can
apply to a small room in it. If you dare to be small, as Brown
suggests, then have a look at The Very Small Home – it's an
informative and engaging presentation." —BookLoons.com
"[Azby Brown] hopes The Very Small Home will enlighten English
readers on how to live contentedly in a tight situation. He even
suggests that the small house is actually superior to its larger
incarnations and that, given a choice, the truly discerning are
opting for life on the squeeze." —The Daily Telegraph (UK)
"Japanese homes are the epitome of compact and efficient design and
in Azby Brown's forthcoming book, The Very Small Home, he explores
the attitude in Japan towards efficient and functional design...
Japanese design patterns are bound to be adopted by Western
architects and this book makes a point to showcase some of the
finest small home design that Japan has to offer." —Land + Living
Modern Lifestyle + Design
"Experience in Japan shows that it is possible to live well and
meet most of the needs of the modern world without thinking
big."—Kateigaho Magazine
"If you don't think you can find room on your coffee table for yet
another hardcover book focusing on design (let alone anything
else), think again. This not-so-wee gem might just have the answer
you've been searching for." —J Select Magazine
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