Book Description

Simplify product selection for all your construction projects

The ideal time and money-saving desktop resource, Sweet's The Directory 2002 gives you immediate, accurate information on the products of over 9,500 leading manufacturers, with expanded coverage of over 1,900 products. Whether you’re interested in building, landscaping, construction, or interior design products, this colossal resource provides all the details you need to plan, design, and carry out your projects with greater efficiency. Totally up-to-date, it features:

Book Description

Written by an internationally recognized flexible housing advocate, THE ADAPTABLE HOUSE provides specific design approaches and techniques that facilitate flexible design--both on the inside and outside--making it simple to alter a dwelling layout, demolish partitions or build new ones, upgrade heating systems, change the location of stairs, etc.

The book is divided into three logical sections: the first sets the stage for adaptibility, the second outlines relevant principles, and the last shows their actual application.Packed with floor plans, drawings, photos, and charts to fully and clearly illustrate his suggestions, THE ADAPTABLE HOUSE includes detailed coverage of:

* Interior layouts and room configurations
* Exterior elements such as roofs and facades
* New building materials and methods
* Easy add-on and remodels
* Single-family and multiple dwelling housing

THE ADAPTABLE HOUSE is a master blueprint for those interested in creating homes that can be quickly, easily, and inexpensively redesigned to meet the dynamic nature of the occupants' life.

Author Avi Friedman believes that rather than being unchangeable, physical environments should be designed and constructed to easily adjust to the evolving lifestyle of their inhabitants.A home, he contends, should be structurally flexible enough to adapt to changes such as children "leaving the nest," elderly relatives moving in, or the need for home office space. ... Read more

Book Description

VERB: a new publication devoted to cutting edge issues in architecture and design.The first issue of "Verb" looks closely at the current relationship between information and authorship in cultural practice, asking: how does the increasing complicity between author and audience affect architectural practice? And how can architecture be conceived more fluidly in terms of information? The shift from ''modern'' to digital systems of design and production opens up a material work to a much more profound interaction between author and audience. This change represents a new stage in the development of the relationship that a work--or, in another sense, a message--establishes between the author--or sender--and the reader--or receiver. From the classical work, with its "a priori," essentialist model of appreciation, to the modernist object, with its subjective model of aesthetics, to the emerging cybernetic model, the interface between author and ''user'' has become closer, more direct, and more open. Handsomely designed and richly illustrated, this combination of book and magazine--a "boogazine"--is the first installment in what is sure to be a groundbreaking journey through architecture and design. Essays by Jorge Wagensberg, Manuel de Landa, Alejandro Zaera, Kunio Watanabe, and Adilkno Bilwet. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Exceptionally striking bookazine needs attention!
A new type of publication 'bookazine' does match to what 'Verb' has. What 'Verb' is all about is both conceptual and constructional progress in the field of architecture in recent years. It shows us selected good examples which manage to cope with the state of uncertainty by paying attention to the development of design process. Changing paradigm gives rise to changing type of publication.

Worth reading, but curious of what's next.
I've read the majority of it, and now I could say that it's worth reading 'Verb' for those who would like to know how we can find/generate a kind of new concept and develop it into buildable form in the state of uncertainty. I think projects and buildings in 'Verb' are quite good examples. And the word 'boogazine' is pretty interesting because it implies that the new controversial topics like things in magazines and little old undoubtful ones like in referential books would be combined into one so that the main concept of so-called new architecture, which is neither single assertion nor definite, can be well-expressed.
BUT I've felt a bit boring about its contents. Most of them could not tell us things different from what Jeffrey Kipnis wrote in 'Towards a New Architecture' and what Deleuze describe world, which means the majority of articles/books after his are similar to one another and not progress further.
Is it time to see a new one or fine architectural result based on the philosophy of Deleuze?
I hope 'Verb' will be another step forward to it.

Worth a subscription. Groundbreaking
Exceptional production values enhance this well illustrated and innovatively designed book-magazine (produced in a French and Spanish edition too) that includes critical and theoretical essays on design and architectural topics. Planned to issue three issues annually. Recommended. ... Read more

Book Description

Wood is one of the most popular and desirable building materials on the contemporary scene, its special qualities serving as a reminder of our connection to the physical world in an era where virtual reality has crept into almost every facet of day-to-day life. Featured here are over thirty examples of the most expressive and inventive uses of wood in design and architecture from all over the world. An inviting fireplace perch set beneath shelves of natural maple that stretch to the ceiling; a striking geometric studio sits nestled, half-hidden amidst the swampy creeks and overgrown scrub oaks that grow along Florida's eastern seaboard. In over 360 spectacular photos, from Tadao Ando's Museum of Wood to Edward Cullinan's Westminster Lodge, each building is remarkably fresh and distinctly original. A gorgeous addition to the bookshelf of any architect, builder, or lover of beautiful design, Wood serves not only as a document of present ingenuity in the craft, but as a signpost pointing toward an entirely new direction in architecture. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A must-read for architects and architecture students!!
This book is a must-read for architects and architecture students who are designing with wood. These well-chosen projects from around the world highlight the varying qualities which can be achieved through the use of wood. The designs reveal a close attention to the inherent properties of the material, and showcase many of the ways in which they can be exploited by a designer. The photographs nearly allow the reader to touch the material and feel the texture. This book is a great one to keep on the shelf and leaf through to ignite the imagination before beginning a new design. The book was previously published under the title "The New Wood Architecture."

Termite Food.
If your expecting beautiful wooden architecture like Greene & Greene's or Val Agnoli's, look elsewhere. Most of the buildings in this book look cold and lifeless. I don't even think a Termite could stomach this book!

Does not do justice to its title
This book is not a very good guide for people interested in what its title claims to cover.
The project selection is pretty poor with the exemption of a couple housed and Ando's projects.
To put it simply the book lacks a larger gradient on the possibilities this material has to offer. The majority of the projects, which have practically no drawings to accompany them, are an aesthetic use of wood, and most of them do a poor job at this. Even so the book has great pictures and the projects are visually entertaining. They just don't sum up the new directions and design wood has taken in architecture.

Wood : New Directions in Design and Architecture
You donÕt have to be a tree-hugger to love this book, which is as appealing to the senses as a forest after a spring shower. Stungo is based in London and the majority of the 31 buildings are European, though there are a few from Australia, Japan, and north AmericaÑincluding the marvelous Skyrose Chapel of Fay Jones and Maurice Jennings in Whittier. Sections examine green architecture, structural possibilities, and updating the vernacular, and houses are balanced by schools, museums, and sports buildings. Excellent photographs, plans, and sections supplement the concise text. (Michael Webb is the book reviewer for LA Architect magazine.)

Wood in Architecture Today
First a warning: this is a paperback edition of Stungo's "New Wood Architecture".

This book provides an interesting overview of recent developments in using wood to express architectural forms. It spans residential to public to industrial applications. Stungo provides a broad overview of the use of wood in design across socio-cultural needs. For anyone seriously interested in the way wood is used today, this is a worth-while purchase. ... Read more

Book Description

Here's the guide architects and building professionals need to meet the exploding demand for using stone in contemporary architecture and understand why stone is an attractive and practical option for new construction.

Magnificently illustrated with 300 illustrations (200 in beautiful full-color), the author covers every type of structure, including:
* Residential
* Religious
* Civic
* Commercial

Extensive case studies, primarily for structures built within the last decade, cover:
* Plans and elevations
* Creative ideas for using technological innovations to work with stone
* How to select and work with stone in conjunction with light conditions, water, and other materials
* The basics of cutting, surface treatment, and weathering
* How to incorporate stone into natural or urban landscapes

With a vast array of stone from all over the world now readily available, there is no better guide to using it in today's structures than New Stone Architecture. ... Read more

Book Description

Tree houses are no longer just for children. With the growing excitement surrounding tree house architecture, adults around the world are building their own treetop hideaways -- savoring the childhood memories, feelings of nostalgia, and images of fantasy that are evoked by these almost dreamlike constructions. TreeHouses: Living a Dream brings together the most innovative ideas of today's architects and designers, providing readers with a comprehensive exploration of the unique construction methods that allow these amazing structures to adapt to their changing environments. From Nebraska and Georgia to France and Germany, this book features a variety of projects that include playrooms, weekend retreats, home offices, dining rooms, and more. Each case study includes interior and exterior photography, as well as detailed site and floor plans accompanied by concise, informative text. With more than 350 full-color illustrations, TreeHouses: Living a Dream is sure to help every reader make a reality out of their tree house fantasy.

Book Description

This book features the most current design standards for the wood industry. Load and resistance factor design (LRFD) methods are being used for design analysis to relate more effectively to computer-aided design (CAD) methods. The focus on CAD design systems have become generally accepted, and their impact on design processes are addressed in this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Contributors include: Jeremy Rewse-Davies, former Head of Design at London Transport, now heads the design consultancy Rewse Davies Associates, Dr Nigel Harris, Director of The Railway Consultancy and Jeremy Lloyd, an analyst with Urban Initiatives with experience in planning railway stations for the Railtrack and Underground networks.

Planning, design and management are stages within a continuous process of asset stewardship. During the first stage the theoretical and political foundations are laid. During the second stage practical details are developed, and the assets themselves constructed and commissioned. The third and longest stage, management, oversees a process of alteration, maintenance, and repair that will continue throughout the life of the station. The management stage will, itself, contain elements of planning and design in order to realise alterations. A large organisation will be involved in planning, design and management all at once, planning a number of new and altered stations, organising the design and construction of a number more, and managing a large portfolio of stations of diverse size, age and condition. Each stage - planning, design and management - must bear in mind the needs of the succeeding stages. Each stage is constrained by decisions taken during the preceding stages. The bulk of the whole life cost of a project is committed early on. The process is cyclical - whether a vicious or virtual circle depends on the client, designer and manager.

This book looks at the planning, design and management of railway stations. It examines a whole range of stations, from city stations handling tens of millions of passengers annually, through smaller urban and suburban stations, to rural halts. Commercial aspects and matters of image and branding are examined alongside technical and operational considerations. As important aspects of the rail renaissance that the world is now enjoying, metro and light rail stations are not neglected. Neither are specialist stations such as Parkways, rail-sea terminals and airport terminals. It is a vital purchase for architects, planners, engineers, developers, investors, consultants, operating companies worldwide as well as architectural students and libraries.

Includes detailed analysis of station planning, design and management
Considers all sizes and types of stations, including special types such as park-&-ride and stations for sports stadia
Considers modular construction of stations as a means of achieving rapid, cost-effective improvements ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Customer review
Useful book for arhcitects and planner. Historical review of station development. Several pictures from British small train stations. For engineer who seeks a typical solutions or pictures do not suggest. ... Read more

Book Description

Prefab Home looks at the emerging world of prefabricated or modular housing, and delves into how new advances are being made to create prefab homes for the twenty-first century family.When Michael Buchanan set out to find ways to build a house more cost-effectively, he turned to prefab construction. He wanted to pursue his dream without sacrificing his sense of style, all while staying within a realistic budget.

Prefab Home traces the home's creation from beginning design phases, through production at the factory, to placement and assembly onsite, to interior design and decoration. The whole process was filmed and featured as special episodes for "Bob Vila's Home Again," currently in syndication.

Michael Buchanan is the owner of Michael Buchanan Designs, a New York-based interior design firm that pairs European philosophies with practical and functional needs. He is also the owner of a popular antique store in the Pennsylvania countryside.His designs have been featured in Traditional Home and Better Homes and Gardens.Michael's design work has also been featured on HGTV. ... Read more

Book Description

This stunning new book celebrates the power and utility of architectural drawing, not merely as a means to an end. but as emblematic of the larger process of creative thinking. The author thoughtfully presents and discusses architectural images which both derive from and inspire the act of building. ... Read more

Book Description

Concrete is now chic, becoming ubiquitous in shops, restaurants, and even homes. The reasons are many, as concrete is a remarkable material that can be used in a huge range of techniques and situations. Its color and texture vary, it can be very affordable and mass produced, or meticulously crafted and manipulated. New developments and increased understanding of the possibilities of concrete architecture are inspiring contemporary architects and designers across the globe.Concrete Architecture looks at recent architectural projects that use concrete for a huge range of projects, and celebrates the intrinsic qualities of concrete in the places where we live, work, and play. This book is an invitation to re-evaluate concrete as a modern material and generator of construction techniques.

Examples from USA, Spain, UK, Italy, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Norway, France, New Zealand, Japan, Argentina, Luxemburg, the Netherlands, and more are included.

Concrete Architecture asks these questions:· What is concrete?· How is concrete used? · When was concrete first used? · Reputations and connotations: How did concrete get such a bad name? · What are the most recent developments in methods and materials? · Why is concrete now so fashionable?

Catherine Croft is currently Director of the Twentieth Century Society and is a regular contributor to a number of architectural journals, including Building Design.She lives in London. ... Read more

Book Description

This invaluable guide for the homeowner/architect/builder takes the mystery out of healthy house building by walking the reader through the construction process. It explains where and why standard building practices are not healthful, what to do differently, and how to obtain alternative materials and expertise. Prescriptions for a Heathy House shows how to design interior and exterior space, and select construction materials that enhance and promote physical well-being. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Somwhat useful but limited
The book's major strength is that it gives specific wording to put into your contract that will try to ensure a healthy house. But some contractors will take one look at these specs and laugh "yeah, right!" Overall, I recommend John Bower's book "The Healthy House" over this one because it covers more topics and gives much more information.

This is the one!
The new edition of "Prescriptions" is the most complete of any book about Healthy Homes/Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. The combination of architect/doctor/building specialist as authors works very well.

The information is thorough and well documented. They can back up what they say. It is very well organized.

As a Home Builder, I find this to be the best resource available on MCS. On the down side, it is a little bit of a dry read.

A must read for keeping you and your family healthy....
If you want to stay healthy or have any health challenges, you should read this book. I recommend the book to most all of my patients. It is complete on what are the best products to use in your home to keep from making you ill.If you are building, or remodeling, this book will assist you in making healthier choices. The 3 writers should be congratulated for their extensive resource lists and efforts they put into the life saving information in their book.

Thorough book on home construction
This book covers most aspects of building a healthy house in full detail. It is not easy reading for someone who is unfamiliar with construction, and many of the suggestions may be beyond the average reader's capacity. There are sections on more basic areas like appliances, paint etc. which are easier to implement than some of the major construction suggestions that the authors go into. Overall, it is a good book and resource guide, with plenty of phone numbers and addresses. I, myself, located and bought a Neff kitchen from his resource information and recommendation.

The best how-to book on creating healthy homes.
This is a comprehensive and user-friendly guide by an experienced architect whose commitment to healthy and sustainable building is complete. There is no fluff to be found here - from foundation to finish, Paula Baker tells us how to select materials which work for both us and the environment. ... Read more

Book Description

For more than a decade, architects and students at the University of Washington have been working with squatter communities in Mexico, migrant laborers in eastern Washington, and Indian reservations of the inland West as well as communities in Cuba, India, and Africa to provide housing, schools, clinics, and other vital structures. Led by Sergio Palleroni, these pioneering design/build programs have combined innovative architectural training with cross-cultural immersion, social activism, and environmental science, using design skills and hands-on construction projects to confront poverty and urgent social problems one building at a time.

Studio at Large documents the international and regional community studios organized by Palleroni and his colleagues, typically held in intensive ten-week builds in marginalized communities. Involving community members and students, these studios promote maximum use of recycled or inexpensive, locally available materials, as well as lighting and energy systems that reduce utility costs and promote resource conservation. They serve as models for making architectural education relevant to urgent social problems, helping communities mobilize indigenous resources and social capital to develop creative problem solving skills and long-term sustainable practices that protect rather than erode cultural identity, dignity, and stability. By linking sustainable design to active community participation, by demonstrating the interdependence between the way the first and third worlds live, and by making the whole process into a pedagogical experience these design/build programs bring home the lessons of global interdependence in a vivid and durable way. ... Read more

Book Description

Looking to the future, Intelligent Skins sets out the principles for the design of the intelligent building envelope. It highlights an exciting new approach to the area, where the fabric of the building responds to external changes and internal demands.

The prime objective is to control internal environments through a responsive building fabric rather than by energy consuming building services systems. The authors examine the potential for integral intelligence within the fabric of the building and explore the evolution of information technology and smart materials which have allowed a whole new category of design principles to be created.

* Gain a comprehensive knowledge of the evolution of the 'Intelligent Skin'
* Explores a new approach to Intelligent Buildings, focusing on the fabric of the building responding to external changes and internal demands
* Includes over twenty cutting-edge international case studies ... Read more

Book Description

A photographic directory and reference, covering over 350 types of stone used in architecture and interior design. A unique resource for architects, interior designers, builders, and their clients, this guide explains the terminology, classification, and characteristics of the "dimension stone" used in interior and exterior architecture, including granite, marble, quartzite, and other stones. It provides high-quality photographs of over 350 representative samples grouped by color and type, together with a summary of the aesthetic qualities, technical properties, availability, and application of each group. A gallery of sixty additional photographs shows examples of actual projects built with natural stone.

A CD-ROM packaged with the book contains screen-resolution TIFF images of all the samples for both the Mac and Windows platform. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

a like value for hobbyists, afficionados, and professionals
Natural Stone a Guide to Selection, is a goldmine of information. The true-to-color plates appeal to the aesthetics while the no-nonsense technical information allows to distinguish between stones suitable for various uses. Whether you are shopping for a new kitchen or floor surface, or simply wish to appreciate how generous Mother Nature truly is -- this is a resource for chosing marble, granite, travertine, or stone. ... Read more

Book Description

A guide to essential window design issues, technologies, and applications for designers, specifiers, and builders. Designing facades and selecting windows in commercial buildings requires balancing many issues and criteria. This fact-packed handbook outlines the basics of glazing selection and provides critical information and performance data on the energy efficiency, interior environment, and technical considerations that drive window design decisions in commercial buildings. 50 b/w photographs, 200 b/w line drawings. ... Read more

Book Description

"Architecture Transformed: New life for old buildings" is a beautifully illustrated volume documenting today's building preservation efforts from around the world.

Includes more than 300 color photographs, floor plans, and line drawings.

Presents an in-depth look at almost 40 significant projects worldwide located in such places as the United States, Great Britain, France, Italy, Singapore, and the Netherlands.

Features a wide variety of buildings - theaters, museums, corporate headquarters, libraries, and cathedrals.

A valuable resource that gives a sweeping look at the extent and breadth of the movement to preserve architectural heritage. ... Read more

Book Description

Written by Caleb Hornbostel, this course presents a comprehensive review of modern building materials and methods used in architectural structures.The topicscovered in the nine lessons of this course include:
* Site work
* Concrete
* Masonry
* Wood
* Metals
* Moisture and thermal protection
* Doors, windows, and glass
* Finish work
* Vertical transportation

Consideration is given to safety, economy, practicality, durability, and architectural expression.Also included are examples of construction methods, specifications, andpotential defects.

The course contains detailed illustrations and diagrams, a helpful bibliography, an extensive glossary of construction terms, and an index.Each lesson concludes with a short review quiz, and the course also contains a major simulated exam.Complete explanations of all quiz and examination answers are included. ... Read more

Book Description

This practical guide demonstrates the benefits of sustainable design by emphasising its development as an economically viable and profitable option.

This title identifies the current problems which demand that a new holistic approach to sustainability be taken on. It details the issues, and provides a range of potential solutions and techniques that can be applied by the architect and urban designer at both the building, and urban scale. It goes on to provide examples of good practice and guidelines for future development - essential information that shows how sustainability has been developed to provide tangible benefits, not only to the environment, but also to users and designers.

*Learn to profit from sustainable design with this practical guide
*Discover how to apply the theory to all projects, from urban to building scale
*International case studies from Europe, North America, Australia and Hong Kong make the topic universally relevant ... Read more