The Elements of Style

Not sure if this is the right fit?

Consider Architecture, by Marvin Trachtenberg.

“Marvin Trachtenberg's Architecture alternates broad historical overviews with close readings of key buildings, using abundant illustrations to anchor points. It feels like a guided exhibition: periods are placed in social and intellectual context, then individual works are inspected for formal and aesthetic detail. Most useful for sharpening the ability to tell one period from another and spotting why certain buildings look and function the way they do. Limitation: the prose often assumes architectural vocabulary, so casual readers may find passages dense.”