The book „Architectura Recreationis“ was written by Joseph Furttenbach (1591 – 1667) and published in Augsburg in 1640. The 379 year old book covers the main topic of civil buildings on 120 pages. Furttenbach, who has been an architect and mathematician, wrote this book out of self experience on buildingsites. He collected the data over several years while working as an architect.
Architectura Recreationis is a single volume and divided in four different registers, which are once more divided in subchapters.
Joseph Furttenbach deals in the first register with civil houses, in and outside of cities . In the second and third one he writes about palaces and their gardens. The fourth register is mainly dedicated to a civil town hall.
The original book measures approximately 350mm in height, 265mm in width and a thickness of 35mm. The height is more than 30cm, which means that the books format is called a Folio.
All the texts go along with in total 37 pictures of facades, perspectives but mostly floorplans of residents and their garden.
The books condition is quite well, keeping in mind that it is almost four centuries old. The only damage I noticed were some watermarks on several pages in the middle of the book.
