Book Description

"It is the kind of simplified tool that many of us in practice sorely need" - Jamie Greene, AICP, AIA, Principal, American Communities Partnership

*The first computational tool for land development and site planning analysis and design
*Real-world case studies, with photographs and plans, illustrate how alternative development options would affect the project results
*Includes a CD-ROM containing 30 interactive spreadsheets that can be used for every type of land development scenario ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Extremely valuable tool
"Land Development Calculations" provides an excellent and innovative strategy for working towards sustainable land use and development. The models for varying land development strategies can assist local government land use decision makers and planners as well as developers determine the carrying capacity of land within realistic thresholds. The accompanying spreadsheets for the development scenarios on the CD-ROM are extremely user friendly and do not place an undue burden on the user by requiring what may be hard to find or to collect data. All of the data required just is typical of what is necessary to make appropriate land development decisions. As a local government planner, I am working towards incorporating the information received from the models in to the zoning and development code as part of the approval process by using it to further assess suitability of the property for the purposes proposed (a zoning consideration required in accordance with the State of Georgia Zoning Procedures Act). I strongly encourage other land planners and developers to read "Land Development Calculations," because of its highly practical and very timely material.

Author Delivers Valuable Techniques and Tools
This is a terrificaly valuable technical reference for practitioners who need an efficient method of performing land development calulations. The book and its companion set of spreadsheets enable users to answer two key questions: 1) how much can be built on a given piece of land; or 2) how much land is needed to accommodate a given use? The material is clearly written and well illustrated, especially a series of worksheets leading through the method. Another strength is its comprehensiveness and detail, including all major land-use and micro site conditions. ... Read more

Book Description

This Third Edition of the classic Fundamentals of Building Construction offers a panoramic view of today's construction systems-from foundation to roof, exterior cladding to interior finishes. Every common system of construction is covered, including wood light frame construction, heavy timber, masonry, steel, sitecast concrete, and precast concrete. New chapters offer coverage of light gauge steel frame construction and detailed information on selecting windows and doors.

Architect and author Edward Allen addresses the history, theory, and practice of each type of construction, including typical details of assembly. The lucid text is supported by more than 600 photographs and 400 line drawings, many of them arranged in sequences that illustrate construction operations step-by-step. More than 200 of the illustrations were prepared especially for this new edition. These include photographs of recent work by Horst Berger, Helmut Jahn, Cesar Pelli, Frank Gehry, Eric Owen Moss, Steven Holl, and Suzane Reatig.

This book is an essential reference for students of architecture, civil engineering, and construction technology. It finds everyday use in virtually every architecture firm in North America. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Surpassed expectations
Being a student in Construction Management Edward Allen's book was assigned as our text book. The course entitled materials and methods is intended to teach future construction manajors about the wide variety of materials on the market today as well as tradional methods of constructing with these materials.
The book is chalked full of knowledge most of which would take a person hours, even days of research to uncover with other sources. It is very comprehensive. If you are active in the comercial building construction this book is a must for your refrence shelf. Residential construction owners/workers would gain considerable knowledge from the book it has plenty of useful information however I feel the book is leaning more towards heavy commercial.

Good reading--too expensive
The author's readable style helps a lot. Also, interesting background material and history begin each chapter, and some industrial processes--glass-making, for example--are explained more fully. You won't regret reading this book, but you may be inclined to sell it when you're through.

very helpfull
This book is a must have for every body who is in the architecture field...it's worth every penny..

Great Book on Construction
Simply put, this is one of the best technical textbooks I've ever read. It's basic stuff for someone just starting out in the discipline of architecture, but I'm keeping it as a reference for future professional use. It is clearly written and well illustrated and worth it's high price. I wish Allen would now write a book on Environmental Control Systems--everything in that field is too dry and too technical.

NOT JUST FOR UNIVERSITY
We read this bookas a textbook when I was in college. It is so helpfull ,it explains the electrical and mechanical systems in detail.Now we are using it at the office. It gives you so much detail and explains how is the connections between architecture and mechanics(plumping,air conditioning,etc) with photos and diagrams .It is an expensive book, I agree but has a lot of information.Thats why we steel using it at the office . I like the book because it explains so clearly the plumping and the air condition systems and how to connect and use them architecturally in the buildings.I recomend this book all architecture students. ... Read more

Book Description

The authoritative resource for the organization, preparation, use, and interpretation of construction documents encompassing the entire life cycle of a facility.This new edition considers the need for interdependent processes of design, construction and facility use.

The Fifth Edition expands the scope of the manual to meet the requirements of all participants involved in a construction project in a stage-by-stage progression, including owners, A/Es, design-builders, contractors, construction managers, product representatives, financial institutions, regulatory authorities, attorneys, and facility managers. It promotes a team model for successful implementation. ... Read more

Book Description

This book provides a complete guide to the development of hotels and resorts, covering all aspects of planning, market analysis, interior design and the installation of technical services.

Fred Lawson's text is concise and the information easy to access.He examines the distinctive characteristics of different hotel types, identified by market and location, and specifies the special requirements of each type.Recognising the need for continuous maintenance and life-cycle refurbishment, a full chapter is devoted to these subjects and the business aspects of the hotel operation are considered.Throughout the book are numerous illustrations of projects showing outstanding examples of hotels and village resorts as well as current trends in design and development.Fred Lawson is well known as an hotel consultant and is now Visiting Professor at the University of Bournemouth.He has a number of successful books to his credit.As a leading international consultant he has been involved in major hotel and tourism projects in 35 countries including assignments for the World Bank, EC, UNDP and the World Tourism Organisation.The hotels featured include: Bali Hilton International, Oberoi Hotel - Bombay, Hotel Nikko - Australia, Guildford YMCA - UK, Meridien Hotel - Cairo, Turtel Sorgun Resort Village - Turkey.

* Covers all aspects of planning and design, including marketing and investment appraisal
* Logical framework and comprehensive coverage promotes handy reference use
* Numerous examples provide practical help in application of principles ... Read more

Book Description

Architecture/Environment
How to design buildings that heat with the sun, cool with the wind, light with the sky, and move into the future using on-site renewable resources
Developed for rapid use during schematic design, this book clarifies relationships between form and energy and gives designers tools for designing sustainably. It also:
* Applies the latest passive energy and lighting design research
* Organizes information by architectural elements at three scales:
* building groups, individual buildings, and building parts
* Brings design strategies to life with examples and practical design tools
* Features:
* 109 analysis techniques and design strategies
* More than 750 illustrations, sizing graphs, and tables
* Both inch-pound and metric units ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Lectures in written form
I studied under Mark DeKay, using the first edition of this book. The second edition adds all of Mark's lectures into what was already a great book, full of very helpful rules of thumb for orientation, materials, siting, and a lot of other design recommendations. A great book made even better the second time around!

highly advanced
A very comprehensive book which leaves you with shortness of breath after each page, covers very well all the aspects of the title and their interaction and effect on planning a building or project of any kind, and gives u alot of new ideas on how to find out the effects of sun,wind and light and from where will the effect be more and how to make advantage of each one of these elements. keeps you woundering whether what you have ever designed before was valid or not. rich in figures and examples, slightly difficult regarding the laguage. but it is worth every penney.

Climate Sensitive Design
This book is very helpful in determining the siting of your building (or gardens)with respect to wind patterns, and sun patterns of your area. As a designer of both indoor and outdoor spaces I found it to be a practical resource for helping ensure the success of a design. When I want shade, I now know where shade will fall; when I want to fill a space with light, I now know where and when light will be there and can adjust my design accordingly. Great book! Would reccommend it to architects, landscape architects and anyone wanting to see how their designs integrate into the daily and seasonal climate, wind, and light patterns of their area. The Sun Peg Charts are especially helpful. Good starting and reference point for all designs. Definitely add this one to your library. ... Read more

Book Description

Recording your ideas and observations primarily in pictures instead of words can help you become more creative and constructive on the job, no matter what your level of artistic ability. This show-by-example sourcebook clearly illustrates proven methods and procedures for keeping a highly useful visual notebook. Visual Notes for Architects and Designers demonstrates how to make rapid, notational sketches that serve as visual records for future reference, as well as improve understanding and facilitate the development of ideas. It shows you how to expand your knowledge of a subject beyond what is gained through observation or verbal representation alone. You gain access to simple techniques for collecting, analyzing, and applying information. Crowe and Laseau examine the relationship between note-taking, visualization, and creativity. They give practical guidance on how to develop:

• Visual acuity—the ability to see more in what you experience
• Visual literacy—expressing yourself clearly and accurately with sketches
• Graphic analysis—using sketches to analyze observations

Book Description

Save time with topic-by-topic guide to building standards

The only comprehensive reference to all building types, Time-Saver Standards for Building Types, Fourth Edition is loaded with all the essential design criteria and standards you need to prepare preliminary designs, execute programming requirements, and analyze the functions and uses of a building. Authors Joseph DeChiara and Michael Crosbie focus on topical issues of rehabilitation, change of use, preservation, accessibility, energy conservation, and environmental regulations. New material in this edition includes home offices, entertainment centers, assisted living, primary-care and wellness facilities, day-care and nursery facilities, jails and prisons, places of worship, health clubs, international sports facilities, and new rail facilities. What's more, new international examples and full metrification make the book a truly global publication. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

perfect reference
rich in graphics and details, perfect companion when you need quick answers, specially if you get a used book at a fantastic price like these, it is worth it!!

newfet Architectural data
dear sir/madam

am in need of a book call newfet Architectural data so plsss help me find it plss

from terry

A great reference book
This is a book that sometimes resembles Neufert's, but it has a lot of additional information you might need that will make easier the process of designing various types of buildings. It gives you notions, ideas, proportions, measures and everything you need to know when starting a project. A must-have to any architect (specially with these incredible low-priced used ones. I got mine for 13 bucks and it's absolutely like new).

Over priced
Amozon.com says that they save you money on books but this book cost a cool 150 smackers even if a customer has purchased many books from them -- the book is valuable and used like a dictionary for reference -- why can't we get a resonable price for it -- Amozon.com send out thank you and promises to do their best to keep the price lowest but why do they continue to bate and switch. ... Read more

Book Description

A practical guide to research-just for architects
From searching for the best glass to prevent glare to determining how clients might react to color choice for restaurant walls, research is a crucial tool that architects must master in order to effectively address the technical, aesthetic, and behavioral issues that arise in their work.
This book's unique coverage of research methods is specifically targeted to help professional designers and researchers better conduct and understand research. Part I explores basic research issues and concepts, and includes chapters on relating theory to method and design to research. Part II gives a comprehensive treatment of specific strategies for investigating built forms. In all, the book covers seven types of research, including historical, qualitative, correlational, experimental, simulation and modeling, logical argumentation, and case study and mixed methods.
Complete with real-life examples of how good research can be used from project inception to completion, Architectural Research Methods is an essential reference for architecture students and researchers as well as architects, interior designers, landscape architects, and building product manufacturers. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Uphill Reading
As a graduate student taking my first official course in research methods, I was disappointed. The language and structure of this book could have been made a lot easier to follow. I would have appreciated, for example, more frequent subheadings and listing of points. Because of the lack of, the book is difficult to skim or pick and choose sections to read; expect to read thoroughly. Some of the examples in the book were questionable -especially the chapter on experimental and quasi-experimental research. The frequent diagrams were also lacking in clarity. I think that the text could have been half as long and still conveyed the same amount of information. Redundancy aside, I did (with much caffeinated effort) gain a broad understanding of several research strategies and tactics. The book is not a comprehensive guidebook for conducting research based on particular research methods; it is merely a broad introduction or clarification of various strategies. However, it frequently suggests comprehensive texts for further reading if you are so inclined.

Cohesive and comprehensive
I found this book to be excellent: comprehensive and approachable, eclectic and interdisciplinary. It should save any student, researcher or instructor much time and can serve as a text book and/or a comprehensive reference manual. It also adds to the body of knowledge by freshly demonstrating the application of the research methods of many other disciplines in the specific context of architecture (including many cases and examples), all within a nice, logical, unifying philosophical framework.

Arc hitectural Research Methods
The text is relevent for those interested in "Evidence based architectural design". It is excellent for both a beginning researcher in acadamia or an experienced practitioner involved with architecture research. It provides a broad research background as well as specific application to architecture. It is well organized and usable as an office reference or classroom text. It is written with jargon and graphics familiar to architects.

At last, a comprehensive text related to architecture
Having completed three doctoral level research methods courses using bits and pieces of material from a variety of sources, I am happy to at last have a comprehensive text that relates specifically to architecture. Groat and Wang have developed a wonderful, thorough, well-written, and well-illustrated text. I imagine that everyone in methods courses will feel very lucky to have such an excellent resource. And the usefulness to researchers overall can't be understated. Many, many, many congratulations to both authors for an excellent job on a much-needed resource for architectural education. ... Read more

Book Description

Part green building primer, part architectural photo essay, this is an essential resource for professionals and homeowners interested in the leading edge of environmental building. Imhoff traveled extensively to document and photograph beautiful and novel alternatives to wood intensive-building. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Not for neophytes
Despite the reviews and the suggestive title, this book will NOT provide a grounding in metal framing for those wishing to convert from traditional skills. Designers/architects will learn nothing regarding metal framing compared to wood framing. Little or nothing in the way of loading is provided. This book may have tips for seasoned experts but it certainly assumes that you come to the table with plenty of metal framing experience.

One of the best professional how-to books I've ever read
Ray Clark's "Commercial Metal Stud Framing" is a thorough, detailed, and very clearly worded manual. This is one of, if not the best, professional how-to book I have ever read. Clark has a real talent for narrative explanation, mixing technical terms (always clearly defined) and informal jargon (also well-defined) to lead you through the many processes that this craft requires. There are lots of photos, and they are well-integrated into the narrative. This has been a great learning experience for me.

Commercial Metal Framing
I am a foreman for a Drywall/Metal framing company. I bought this book to pick up a few tips here and there. This book was a great help to me. It explains everything in detail. Again the detail in this book is excellent. I would recommend this book to anyone getting started in metal framing, and to anyone looking to pick up some tips. ... Read more

Amazon.com

In a new take on sustainable living and building, John Taylor presents a stunning array of traditional building techniques and housing solutions from around the world and from history. Most are motivated by available materials, economic necessity, and local climate and terrain. In this time of growing interest in earth-friendly building techniques, Taylor shows us that we need to relearn many practical aspects of constructing shelter and must blend the technologies of the present with the traditions of the past, with those of other cultures, and even with those of our own grandparents. Taylor, an architectural designer, has filled this delightful book with remarkable drawings and sketches of building techniques gleaned from his travels; it is a feast for the eyes as well as the brain. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A little bit of every other book.
This book seems to have sketches of just about everything to do with Shelter. I have seen most of these pictures in full colour
at one time or another after having read lots of other books on architecture, but it is quite nice to have them all sorted out in
one book, each with a short description.

Ideas and ideas that have worked
The book was recommended to me as a sourse for a shade problem I have with my house. I live on the West Coast in California's Central Valley. Our house is in the middle of a large pasture. We have NO shade. The trees we have planted will not have any shade value for many years. The West side of the house bakes in the summer. What I wanted was a solution to my problem. An aesthetic design and technical information on shading our house with structures, vegetative, and or fabric (pictures, line drawing, Etc.

What the book provided was many ideas for what I wanted not the solution. I am happy with the book and will use it for many projects. I enjoyed reading and looking at the pictures.

A Shelter Sketchbook
I came across this book while assembling reference material for planning a treehouse at the cottage. While most of the books I was looking at were hands-on/how-to type, I found this book interesting, and there are a few ideas in the book I can definitely use. At first glance, the book has, as the title implies, just a bunch of sketches - each page has four or five architectual details and hand-written notes explaining or referencing the drawing. Despite the rough-draft appearance, though, there is a lot of organizing of the 600+ drawings, and they obviously draw on a wealth of structure details. Examples range from villas in ancient Greece, Japanese houses, African huts, Aztec dwellings, to the current UNESCO headquarters in Paris and modern Frank Lloyd Wright homes. The book is arranged in three sections: protection (from sun, wind, cold, water); accomodating human needs (sleeping, cooking, eating, sitting, etc.); and structural elements themselves (roofs, doors, windows). Each section draws on examples from all parts of the world, and much of history, to show how, in many cases, simple solutions from 'simple' people, and even animals, solve basic living problems, and I found it quite interesting how different cultures at different times came up with similar solutions to such things as drainage, ventilation, etc. I found the ideas in this book useful for my treehouse project because I wanted simple construction, low cost, and flexibility, and the concepts in the book, being drawn as they were from basic construction principles, quite practical. This book would likely be of interest to several groups of readers: those studying architecture (there is an extensive bibliography), those building or designing energy-efficient homes (it is somewhat humbling to see so many concepts that we may think are new and radical, that natives somewhere have been doing for centuries!), or just for general interest (the book explains such things as roof angles on saltbox houses, cupolas, etc.) ... Read more

Book Description

A portable swatchbook of stone samples for architects, interior designers, and builders. This full-color compendium is a handy directory to 576 varieties of marble, onyx, travertine, granite, quartzite, and limestone, plus the technical information necessary for specifying them in interior and exterior building. A CD-ROM contains the sample swatches in TIFF format for Macintosh or PC. 576 color illustrations. ... Read more

Book Description

This book addresses the emergence of a new kind of architecture, in which building performance is a guiding design principle, adopting new performance-based priorities for the design of cities, buildings, landscape and infrastructures.This emerging architecture places broadly defined performance above form making; it utilizes digital technologies of quantitative and qualitative performance-based simulation to offer a comprehensive approach to the design of the build environment.The emphasis on building performance is now redefining expectations of the building design, its process and practice.

By bringing together the leading architects, engineers and technologists, the book will explore current and future developments in performance-based design.It is aimed at both professional and academic audiences and will cover a wide range of themes. ... Read more

Book Description

Detailed Coverage of Every Step of the Construction Process

This heavily illustrated, all-in-one guide walks you through each step of construction in such detail that you can use it to build your own house!Clear instructions along with 1,500 photos and illustrations thoroughly cover every stage of construction and remodeling, from planning and site preparation to interior finishing.

Great for do-it-yourselfers, professional house builders and contractors and students, this A-Z guide has all the task-simplifying details needed for each project, logically organized according to the stages of building--along with important safety precautions.The authors even include valuable tips on buying a new home--what to look for and how to avoid costly mistakes.

Includes such diverse projects as:

* Kitchen and bathroom remodeling
* Installing solar heating
* Termite prevention
* Installing skylights
* Constructing fences, decks, and patios
* Framing walls
* Pouring concrete slabs
* Installing windows and doors
* Craft custom cabinets
* Panel rooms
* Repair damaged drywall
* Fix a leaky roof
* Lay ceramic tile
* and much more!

NEW TO THIS EDITION: latest tools and devices, new methods of utilizing wood in construction, new methods and materials, steel framing in residential work, and much more. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Great overview of construction
This book is a great overview of construction - it covers building stages ranging from the foundation to framing to roof details to types of siding available. Some electrical basics discussed, tips and tricks to keep in mind -- overall a good, lucid, well-thought out book that can get you started with construction.

Grassroots info on building your own home
From tools to termites, this book is an excellent reference tool for the construction novice (the person who is a neophyte to the trade, yet yearns to build their own home). This is a fine jumping-off point to more trade-specific references. It has given me the confidence to build my own house, even though I can't swing a hammer without hitting my thumb. Detailed drawings and illustrations complement a text that works from the "ground floor" up (forgive the pun) to the finishing touches aimed at the asthetic level. ... Read more

Book Description

The seventh edition of Simplified Design of Steel Structures is an excellent reference for architects and engineers who need information about the common uses of steel for the structures of buildings. The clear and concise format benefits readers who have limited backgrounds in mathematics and engineering. This new edition has been updated to reflect changes in standards, industry technology, and construction practices, including new research in the field, examples of general building structural systems, and the use of computers in structural design. Specifically, Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) and Allowable Stress Design (ASD) are now covered. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A little bit of information for an expensive price.
I am working as a civil engineer in a design office active in constructing light gauge steel structures. I have bought the book to obtain a guide or some kind of a handbook which includes some guidelines or procedures for typical structural steel design applications. But i hava found the book too superficial. I wish the book handled the subjects in a little bit detailed way. And I wish there were flowcharts for designing with steel. The only good thing about the book is the example projects at the end of the book. As a result I do not advise this book to anyone because it is expensive too. Pay half more and buy the Structural Steel Designer's Handbook, which includes all the information in this book and much much more.Do not pay attention to the number of pages written here, since size of the book is nearly the size of a pocket book. ... Read more

Book Description

Green. It conjures images of a meadow in spring for some, and the color of money for others. What does "green" have to do with our homes? In essence, green building-or sustainable building-means being smart about how we use energy, water, and building materials so that we can live well without needlessly damaging the environment. Creating a good green home isn't just about conservation, about using less or saving more-although that's certainly part of it. It's about creating better homes that are easier on the environment, less expensive over the long term, and more delightful to come home to. That's the message Jennifer Roberts wants to share in Good Green Homes, the ultimate new guide for people who want to live in comfortable, healthy, environmentally conscious homes.

With some simple steps outlined in this book, you can save money, and do your part to help save the environment. For instance, using an energy-efficient light bulb saves you money. It also results in less demand for electricity, which in turn results in less pollution from power plants, which may help a child with asthma breathe a little easier.

If you associate green-built housing with the unconventional or the quirky-tree houses, geodesic domes, dwellings constructed of tires or soda bottles-think again. Perfect for homeowners, remodelers, renters (who might be surprised by how much is within their power to change), architects, builders, and interior designers, this book lays out seven fundamental principles of green building, illustrated with more than 150 color and 20 black and white photographs of more than twenty-five homes.

Jennifer Roberts launched two retail stores in San Francisco specializing in environmentally sensible consumer products, including household goods; and is a freelance writer and editor on topics that include energy-efficient building design and systems. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Real Homes that Make a Difference
"A recent poll revealed that an astounding 96% of consumers are willing to pay more for green features in a home, and 91% feel that energy-efficient features in a new home were extremely or very important."

If you are planning to redecorate or remodel, Good Green Homes offers ideas, real-world advice and lots of inspiration. Jennifer Roberts is a freelance writer who specializes in sustainable building, energy efficiency and corporate social responsibility. She helps people make choices that encourage positive change in their living environments. She answers the following questions:

How does having a "green" home actually save money?
How can someone who rents their home make significant changes?
What are some ways to protect and improve the quality of air inside our homes?
What are "rapidly renewable sources?"
How can you afford a green home on a limited budget?

Jennifer is also a merchandising manager for the Marina Green stores and joys introducing consumers to the joys of stylish clothes made from organically grown cotton, healthy paints, energy-efficient light bulbs, tableware made from recycled materials and environmentally friendly alternatives to everyday household products.

Featured Homes Include:

A Delightful Cottage
An Ecofriendly addition to a historic home
A Trio of Healthy and Green City Homes
An Artist's studio on a Wooded Island
A Vacation Retreat in the Wine Country
A Neighborhood of Homes
A Remodeled Victorian Flat

It is rather shocking to learn that the air inside our homes can be five times more polluted than the air outside. One look at your energy bill might convince you to read this book.

These homes don't really look all that different, but there are features like skylights to save electricity or there is a home that is naturally cooled, heated and lit. Some homes have solar water-heating systems for the summer and a unique solar power system blended right in with a backyard trellis to generate electricity from the sun.

The section on air quality was of interest to me because I am always moving my Austin air filter about the house.

The "Wine Country Retreat" looked like a house I could live in because it even has a tower. Well, the pools also looked rather inviting.

~TheRebeccaReview.com

Best Book of Its Kind!
This book is a gift to the Earth and to so many of the people who inhabit it! Good Green Homes is educational and practical in an amazingly palatable way...that is to say, it is most enjoyable reading; and at the end one is so much wiser than when one began. It is a visual feast. The concept of environmentally sensitive choices in every aspect of the home is brought to the whole spectrum of the population, from new construction to renters to "what can I do with what I've got." This book is beautiful, user friendly and, above all, inspirational. I kept saying, "I can do that! I can take that action. I can make a difference, and I want to!" Bravo!

Excellent Book
I loved this book! I am planning to remodel my arts and crafts bungalow, and I want the remodel to be as green as possible. I read Ms. Roberts' book from cover to cover and found it to be more than helpful. It was informative, fun to read and the pictures are beautiful. I highly recommend it.

TOP NOTCH. GREAT BOOK FOR A GIFT.
LOTS OF USEABLE INFO HERE. THE CHAPTERS ARE SHORT, PUNCHY AND INFORMATIVE AND THE TEXT NEVER BECOMES TEDIOUS. THE BOOK IS VERY EASY ON THE EYES WITH EXCELLENT PHOTOGRAPHY AND A COLORFUL, MODERN FORMAT THAT REALLY HOLDS YOUR ATTENTION. I FOUND LOTS OF GOOD HOME IDEAS BOTH "GREEN" AND OTHERWISE. I WOULD CERTAINLY RECOMMEND "GOOD GREEN HOMES" AS A GIFT FOR ANYONE WITH ANY KIND OF INTEREST IN HOUSES.

This book is for everyone!
Whether you're building a home, remodeling a home or just want to do your part in making your apartment a little greener, you should pick up this book. Aside from being drop-dead gorgeous to look at, you will find it full of really simple but effective ways to make your home greener. Jennifer Roberts has transformed formerly arcane green building principles into solutions and ideas that almost anyone can incorprate into their homes. Her message is that everyone can take small steps toward greener homes. If everyone took one small step, imagine how much cleaner and greener our world would be. Reading this book should be your first small step. ... Read more

Book Description

Shelter the Human Family is the most extensive documentation ever published of traditional ("vernacular") buildings throughout the world. With examples from nearly every continent, the book documents the diverse methods people have used to create shelter from locally available natural materials, and shows the impressively handmade finished products through this truly stunning compilation of photographs. Unlike modern buildings that rely on industrially produced materials and highly specialized electric tools and techniques, the shelters featured here represent a rapidly disappearing genre of handcrafted and beautifully composed structures. They are the work of simple and real people who, as builders and homesteaders, have integrated artistic beauty and practical form into their shelter needs.

Shelter the Human Family offers insights into the world of vernacular building, along with potential solutions to many of the problems that plague modern architecture. It is a must-have collection that preserves and documents the rich cultural past of each structure and its community, and offers inspiration for those looking to build in a way that is motivated by something larger than speed, efficiency, and economic profit.

Bill and Athena Steen are the authors of The Straw Bale House and The Beauty of Straw Bale. They are active in community building programs that teach low-income families how to build their own shelters, and known for their efforts to incorporate artistic techniques based on local and natural materials into the world of modern construction. They live in Elgin, Arizona.

Yoshio Komatsu has been photographing buildings and people around the world for 25 years. His photographs were collected in the Japanese book Living on Earth, and his work is regularly published in books, magazines, and calendars throughout Japan. This is his first book in English. He and his wife, Eiko, live in Tokyo. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Built by Hand: Vernacular Buildings Around the World
A photographic anthology of the astounding variety of architecture produced without architects-a colorful successor to Bernard Rudofsky's pioneering study of vernacular building, Architecture Without Architects. (Michael Webb is the book reviewer for LA Architect magazine.)

Best book on verancular architecture ever
Without qualification, this is the greatest account of vernacular architecture, indigenous shelter, and traditional folk-built home images ever published. And it won't likely be surpassed, since fanatical photographer Yoshio Komatsu spent 25 years travelling the globe to document the full jaw-dropping variety of shelter on earth. He's been EVERYWHERE. I can't think of a remote region of Asia, Africa, South American and Europe that he missed; most of the styles are new and stimulating to me, and I've been around. While the classic small tome of Architecture Without Architects hints dreamily at this diversity, Built By Hand completes the thought by explicitly celebrating this abundance in vivid in-your-face technicolor. It's in a different league from all previous vernacular architecture books. This one is a stupendous 480-page cornucopic tome overflowing with 700 photographs, and thousands of details, hopes, and design ideas. Totally breathtaking, totally awesome! If this doesn't get you to grab a hammer, nothing will.

Ultimate Book on Vernacular Architecture
There has never been a photographer of buildings like Yoshio Komatsu. He's been shooting photos around the world for 25 years now and this stunning book is the result. It's a spectacular photo journey, like a film, around the planet, giving you rare glimpses of shelter in every corner of the earth. The photos are absolutely wonderful. Text and editing are by straw bale gurus Bill and Athena Steen, and Eiko Komatsu. This is like an updated, expanded, technicolor, improved-upon Architecture Without Architects. Wow!

Celebrating traditional architecture
The collaborative effort of Bill Steen, Athena Steen, and Eiko Komatsu, and enhanced with the photography of Yoshio Komatsu, Built By Hand: Vernacular Buildings Around The World is an eye-catching collection of colorful photographs celebrating traditional architecture constructed by ordinary homesteaders. Very little text distracts from the beautiful layouts of dwellings, in this inspirational celebration of human effort and ingenuity. Built By Hand is a unique, impressive, and very highly recommended addition to any personal, professional, academic, or community library Architectural Studies collection.

A Spectacular Collection of Vernacular Archtcture Worldwide
I perused this book in a bookstore and just purchased my own copy. It is FILLED with gorgeous, detailed photographs that show not only the buildings themselves, but include human life and show how people interact with their architecture. I feel that it is a mind-opening book because it makes one realize how much this vernacular, "primative"-like architecture is still used and useful, around the world. I am an architecture student and hope that other young architects look to books like this for inspiration. I think that this book is the next "Architecture Without Architects" (another thoughtful architect's must-have, by Bernard Rudolfsky), and one of the best to emerge in the last several decades. I congratulate the authors and photographers for their work! ... Read more

Book Description

After decades of being banished from residential areas, water is now becoming an increasingly significant feature in urban design. Whether it is the use of rainwater or the integration of natural water courses into the built environment, the incorporation of water elements in urban areas for climatic purposes or the creation of oases of tranquility or drama such as pools or fountains - all these aspects are not only encountering renewed interest among architects and urban planners, but they are also meeting with appreciation from the general public.

Here the varied aspects of water as an architectural element are considered, with specialists examining itsartistic potential, its use outdoors, or its role in environmental technology. Some 35 international projects from many different areas will be a source of inspiration for architects and designers. Amongst the examples documented are the water management for the Potsdamer Platz area, Berlin, the landscaping in Harlemville, near New York, the water feature in Townsquare Kogorah, Sydney, the rainwater concept at the EXPO2000, Hanover, the roof terrace for Chicago City Hall, the water scene at the Opera Center, Warsaw, a water -sound installation in Hann Münden. and the landscape planning for the Solar City near Linz. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

And besides, its (cheap)
This book does not provide much in the way of technical information on the art architecture, and that is perhaps its greatest strength. Rather, Heschong offers a more poetic, archetypal appreciation of buildings and environment, focusing, as the title suggests, on the role warmth plays in creating an enjoyable construction that is capable of influencing human bonding and interaction within its boundaries. Heschong's simple, lucid prose captures the subtle effects of the dynamics of warmth in our daily lives. I am not a student of architecture and have done little reading in this area (unfortunately, few books live up to the precedent set by Heschong and seem dull reading in comparison), but this book has had a profound impact on my perceptions and the way I experience my surroundings, opening up a whole new world of appreciation.

Unique approach to architecture. Concise, accessible to all.
Of the many books I've read on architecture, this has been by far the most influential; it inspired by bachelor of architecture thesis. Heschong argues that thermal aesthetics in architecture, although almost universally overlooked, affect building users at least as much as visual aesthetics. She supports her thesis by naming dozens of examples linking thermal qualities to psychology/perception, culture, traditions, language, and, of course, architecture. The book is accessible to everyone and not just architects: it is not at all technical and is very concise. Yet it is thorough, and is sure to change the reader's perception of his or her thermal environments. ... Read more