Ritual House: Drawing on Nature's Rhythms for Architecture and Urban Design

“Knowles reminds us that we can connect to the temporal rhythms of nature and weather in profound and sustainable ways, through the very shelters we create to counter the elements.” — Bruce Lindsey, Head of the School of Architecture, Auburn University; Co-director, The Rural Studio

“My influences are many and varied, but during my years as a student, Ralph Knowles may have been the most important. Only recently have I come to understand that he was 50 years ahead of his time…I am grateful that he continues to contribute to our built environment through his intelligent analysis and synthesis of contemporary issues in architecture.” — Thom Mayne, founder and principal, Morphosis; 2005 Pritzker Architecture Prize Laureate

“Knowles was one of the first architectural thinkers to introduce modern architects to the sun. Now, in Ritual House, he shows us how to restore dignity, meaning and sensibility to the design of homes and communities—by paying attention to the qualities of nature that are essential for human well being and survival.” — Sim Van der Ryn, Emeritus Professor of Architecture, University of California, Berkeley