Buddhist Temples of Thailand: An Architectonic Introduction, 2000, (trad. de l'édition allemande de 1920), 370 p. -

This is the first English translation of Karl Doehring's seminal three-volume photographic study Buddhistische Tempelanlagen in Siam, published in German in 1920. This in-depth architectonic and socio-cultural analysis of temple building complexes is accompanied by 180 pages of technically perfect photographs and 116 floor plans and refined line drawings. Karl Doehring, an architect who lived and worked in Siam during the reigns of King Chulalongkorn and King Vajiravudh, presented part of this work toward his doctoral degree. As a practicing architect of larger constructions, many of which were realized in Siam, Doehring was deeply interested in the technical aspects of Thai temples and in the use of decorative elements worked out to perfection to create both harmony and eye-catching contrasts. The book presents an architectonic analysis, discusses the historico-cultural and religious meanings of the various edifices composing a Thai temple complex, and details the specific decorations used to project the atmosphere of religious piety and rest so often impressively present in these places of worship. Sample floor plans, many of which have been long lost and photographs of many Bangkok temples as well as some famous upcountry complexes make this book a masterfully conceived guide for the layman who has more than a superficial interest in this fascinating topic.