The Color of Cities: An International Perspective

Swirnoff ( Dimensions of Color ) has specialized in the three-dimensional use of color in her career at several universities. Here she explores how colors work in cities around the world, with over 300 of her photographs illustrating the text. She sets out a design science of the urban environment, arguing that the perception of color in the three-dimensional environment depends on the angle of incidence of light, and so cities and towns close to the equator surface their buildings with bright or saturated colors, while those closer to the poles use warm, neutral colors. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)