On the Art of Building in Ten Books


Book Description

De Re Aedificatoria, by Leon Battista Alberti (1404-1472), was the first modern treatise on the theory and practice of architecture. Its importance for the subsequent history of architecture is incalculable, yet this is the first English translation based on the original, exceptionally eloquent Latin text on which Alberti's reputation as a theorist is founded.




The Timeless Way of Building


Book Description

This introductory volume to Alexander's other works, A Pattern of Language and The Oregon Experiment, explains concepts fundamental to his original approaches to the theory and application of architecture.




Steven Caney's Ultimate Building Book


Book Description

Ever wonder how a suspension bridge can cross a gap thousands of feet wide? Want to know how to build a comfortable lounge chair out of cardboard boxes? Or what keeps a massive cathedral dome from collapsing? Discover the answers to these and many more questions in Steven Caney's Ultimate Building Book, a wonderfully comprehensive exploration of design, construction, and invention that will stimulate the curiosity of children and adults alike. Much as David Macaulay's blockbuster The Way Things Work did for machines and devices a decade ago, this definitive volume from best-selling author Steven Caney details the ins and outs of construction in all its fascinating forms. Packed with exciting building projects guaranteed to engage anyone from age 4 to 104, the Ultimate Building Book gives easy-to-follow instructions for creating amazing models and toys that are as much fun to make as they are to play with! Readers are also introduced to a wide variety of household materials and tools that can be used for building, along with fascinating insights into the architectural and design properties of everything from drinking straws to yurts. A mammoth project in its own right, this book has been under construction for more than a decade. The result is hundreds of superbly illustrated pages that will enlighten and fascinate armchair architects of all ages for years to come.




Your Little Black Book of Building Basics


Book Description

Do you need to complete the construction, rehabilitation, remodel, or even demolition of a building? Do you have questions about the best way to tackle the challenges of a construction build-out? Would you like real world answers in an easy to understand format with "a no-nonsense approach" from an industry expert who has helped design, develop, contract, finance, sell, and construct millions of square feet of real estate? Whether you're a retailer, a health care provider, other business owner, or you are an employee of an organization that requires you to manage the opening of any new building product, then this resource will be your #1 guide to success. "Your Little Black Book of Building Basics" provides a set of tools to guide you through the process, ensure that you are empowered with information to fully understand basic industry terminology, project delivery systems, and the best approach to complete your project - all while sharing real world stories to provide you with enhanced insight and decision making power. This book is also very beneficial for owners, developers, real estate brokers, property managers, facilities managers, capital improvement managers, COOs, CFOs, bankers, and recent college graduates impacted by the need to handle a real estate related transaction, and a construction or development project. We know this resource will be in your toolbox, desktop, at your right hand, and available for you to help you make your projects successful and fun for years to come!




The Culture of Building


Book Description

"In this book of thirteen chapters, Howard Davis uses historical, contemporary, and cross-cultural examples to describe the nature and influence of these cultures. He shows how building cultures reflect the general cultures in which they exist, how they have changed over history, how they affect the form of buildings and cities, and how present building cultures, which are responsible for the contemporary everyday environments, may be improved."--Jacket.




Toxicity of Building Materials


Book Description

From long-standing worries regarding the use of lead and asbestos to recent research into carcinogenic issues related to the use of plastics in construction, there is growing concern regarding the potential toxic effects of building materials on health. Toxicity of building materials provides an essential guide to this important problem and its solutions.Beginning with an overview of the material types and potential health hazards presented by building materials, the book goes on to consider key plastic materials. Materials responsible for formaldehyde and volatile organic compound emissions, as well as semi-volatile organic compounds, are then explored in depth, before a review of wood preservatives and mineral fibre-based building materials. Issues related to the use of radioactive materials and materials that release toxic fumes during burning are the focus of subsequent chapters, followed by discussion of the range of heavy metals, materials prone to mould growth, and antimicrobials. Finally, Toxicity of building materials concludes by considering the potential hazards posed by waste based/recycled building materials, and the toxicity of nanoparticles.With its distinguished editors and international team of expert contributors, Toxicity of building materials is an invaluable tool for all civil engineers, materials researchers, scientists and educators working in the field of building materials. - Provides an essential guide to the potential toxic effects of building materials on health - Comprehensively examines materials responsible for formaldehyde and volatile organic compound emissions, as well as semi-volatile organic compounds - Later chapters focus on issues surrounding the use of radioactive materials and materials that release toxic fumes during burning




The Elements of Building


Book Description

The book is concerned with the business of residential construction, including the maintenance, restoration, renovation, and construction of private homes and related properties.




Look at That Building!


Book Description

An engaging introduction to buildings, with a deft mix of nonfiction and fiction elements.




Fundamentals of Building Performance Simulation


Book Description

Fundamentals of Building Performance Simulation pares the theory and practice of a multi-disciplinary field to the essentials for classroom learning and real-world applications. Authored by a veteran educator and researcher, this textbook equips graduate students and emerging and established professionals in engineering and architecture to predict and optimize buildings’ energy use. It employs an innovative pedagogical approach, introducing new concepts and skills through previously mastered ones and deepening understanding of familiar themes by means of new material. Covering topics from indoor airflow to the effects of the weather, the book’s 19 chapters empower learners to: Understand the models and assumptions underlying popular BPS tools Compare models, simulations, and modelling tools and make appropriate selections Recognize the effects of modelling choices and input data on simulation predictions And more. Each subject is introduced without reference to particular modelling tools, while practice problems at the end of each chapter provide hands-on experience with the tools of the reader’s choice. Curated reading lists orient beginners in a vast, cross-disciplinary literature, and the critical thinking skills stressed throughout prepare them to make contributions of their own. Fundamentals of Building Performance Simulation provides a much-needed resource for new and aspiring members of the building science community.




Shelter


Book Description

Shelter is many things - a visually dynamic, oversized compendium of organic architecture past and present; a how-to book that includes over 1,250 illustrations; and a Whole Earth Catalog-type sourcebook for living in harmony with the earth by using every conceivable material. First published in 1973, Shelter remains a source of inspiration and invention. Including the nuts-and-bolts aspects of building, the book covers such topics as dwellings from Iron Age huts to Bedouin tents to Togo's tin-and-thatch houses; nomadic shelters from tipis to "housecars"; and domes, dome cities, sod iglus, and even treehouses. The authors recount personal stories about alternative dwellings that illustrate sensible solutions to problems associated with using materials found in the environment - with fascinating, often surprising results.