Re Architecture - Herman Hertzberger's Lessons for Students in Architecture teaches you how to see/think as an architect does. Was the most important book I read in arch. school. It's a very personal, and generous, tour through the buildings that have been most influential to him; he points out specific moments and moves in these buildings. It's brass tacks. http://www.amazon.com/Herman-Hertzberger-Lessons-Students-Ar...

And another vote for Pattern Language. Take it out of the library just to see how the thing is written, won't take long to see why software folk cite it.

great post morphir, thanks -