The Architecture of Happiness by Alain De Botton

"Alain de Botton contends that it is the architect's task to design buildings that contribute to happiness by embodying ennobling values. He makes no claim to be able to define true beauty in architecture, but suggests some of the virtues a building should have: order combined with complexity; balance between contrasting elements; elegance that appears effortless; a coherent relationship among the parts; and self-knowledge, which entails an understanding of human psychology, something that architects all too often overlook. He includes many apt examples of buildings that either incorporate or ignore these qualities, discussing them in ways that make obvious their virtues or failings."