Read These 8 Novels If You’re Interested In Architecture

Rumor has it Frank Gehry made this list. (He didn't).

House Of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski

With this book Danielewski might have redefined the novel. I’m not exaggerating. Plus it’s all based around one really fucked up house.

Exteriors And Interiors by C. McGee

The wannabe architect at the heart of this story might be an asshole, but he’s definitely a funny asshole. And hidden amongst the dark, crass comedy is a remarkably insightful commentary on entering the adult world at the height of the Great Recession.

Batman: Death By Design by Chip Kidd and Dave Taylor

A Batman graphic novel with an architect villain! Yes, please.

High Rise by J.G. Ballard

Ballard is one of the greatest dystopian writers of all time, and while many of his peers focus on large scale environments like post apocalyptic worlds, Ballard tends to set his sights on smaller, more tangible realms. It might seem like a minor difference but it’s not.

The Custom of The Country by Edith Wharton

Wharton is one of the greatest critics of the American upper crust. In this book she picks apart that top layer by using architecture as a metaphor for social class. Not convinced? Julian Fellowes said it was a major inspiration for Downton Abbey.

Building Stories by Chris Ware

The House of The Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne

Wealth, how it’s obtained, how it’s passed down, and how these things haunt us; these are the foci of Hawthorne’s novel. To be totally honest this is not his best, but the eponymous house still exists in Salem, which somehow makes the whole thing much cooler.

The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand

Love it or hate it this book has to be on the list. (Fun Fact: Rand based Howard Roark on Frank Lloyd Wright.)