Andrea Ponsi is an architect, designer, and educator currently living and working in Florence. He is the author of Florence: A Map of Perceptions (Virginia) among other books.
San Francisco: A Map of Perceptions is wonderful. And the
illustrations are just right--Andrea Ponsi has a unique touch with
watercolor and ink. It almost makes me wish I didn't live in San
Francisco so I could visit again for the first time. The book
exudes the charm of the author himself.--Kenneth Baker "San
Francisco Chronicle"
[A] beguiling yet sharply focused contemplation of the physical,
atmospheric and architectural factors that make this peninsula
unique.... San Francisco: A Map of Perceptions accepts that the
terrain around us continues to shift. It also grasps that a focus
on change obscures what endures -- and why the next crop of
newcomers will fall in love once again.-- "San Francisco
Chronicle"
[T]his unconventional guide is perfect for architecture buffs who
enjoy wandering around The City.... Ponsi's illustrations, done in
muted colors, are beautiful and nicely complement his writing.--
"San Francisco Examiner"
An architect's autobiographical guide to America's best-loved city,
with its monuments, cafés, and bookstores. One finds on every page
delightful urban and social observations, such as how well the
zigzag Lombard Street could serve as a model for the garden city.
Most of what Andrea Ponsi describes is still there, but his
evocative watercolors and descriptions of his own daily life deal
with a moment twenty years ago that will never quite be the same. A
remarkable graphic and literary memoir.--Richard Ingersoll,
Syracuse University in Florence
An excellent companion to the author's elegant and beautiful book
on Florence, San Francisco: A Map of Perceptions is a joy to read
with its lyrical descriptions of one of the most beloved cities in
the world. Even though I've lived in the Bay Area for more than
twenty years, the book offered new insights and perceptions of
places I've come to know well. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and
feasting my eyes on the marvelous watercolors and diagrams. A
wonderful book for anyone coming to visit the Bay Area."--Chip
Sullivan, University of California, Berkeley
Few cities have a stronger sense of place than San Francisco and
Andrea Ponsi has captures its magic in poetic phrases and delicate
images. It's a love letter to the city where he lived for ten
years, before returning to his native Florence to practice and
teach architecture.-- "Form: Pioneering Design"
Here and there in San Francisco a written passage will correspond
quite closely to a drawing, as when Ponsi compares the front facade
of a North Beach apartment house to its rear view, captured in a
lively watercolor.... But Ponsi often records impressions that defy
illustration.... [T]he work of an impassioned but critical admirer,
aware of what he sees on more levels than most.-- "San Francisco
Chronicle"
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