© Ariana Zilliacus, using an image via Flickr user Jinho Jung

Great architects are like great writers. Our abilities to observe the world around us down to the tiniest details, and then make the most remarkable connections, have in time given humanity great stories and experiences – whether through imagined or real spaces. As Charles Eames put it, “Eventually everything connects – people, ideas, objects. The key to quality of the connections is the key to quality per se.”

As architects, we have a nearly endless succession of connections to make, from materials, to geography, to time, to people, to experiences and statements of our own beliefs, all coming together in the design of a space. Novels are therefore a great way to remind yourself of the creative possibilities that architecture holds, encouraging you to dream about what architecture could be; and what experiences could be. These 7 non-architectural novels each have their own qualities that could open up the architectural world (and provide you with an enjoyable reading list in your time off). Enjoy!

(Read more via archdaily.com)