5 comments about Design Like You Give a Damn: Architectural Responses to Humanitarian Crises.

1. I purchased this book as a gift for my father, who is an architect that studied under a protege of Saarinen. He loves it!!! He stayed up all night reading it and it has inspired him to go in new directions with his designs. An excellent gift/coffee table book.



2. I found this book intriguing for several reasons, none the least of which was the architecture. But furthermore the discourse regarding the real and perceived boundaries surrounding the issue of humanitarian shelters is one wildly fascinating to me - as we seem to be grappling with it within our own American borders as opposed to just impoverished third world countries. Also the epic political and logistical sagas of humanitarian efforts to provide shelter are enough material for another volume of their own. Well organized and well written in easy to follow case study format. A truly thought provoking piece proving that the resolution of one of the most basic human needs continues to require our attention and effort.



3. Okay, so I havent actually read the book but Cameron Sinclair came to my school a month ago to give a lecture based on the book. It was one of the most motivating and perspective changing experiences that Ive ever had. It gave me a totally new perspective on architecture. People in studio were pinning up signs on their boards that said "Design Like You Give a Damn." Cameron Sinclair is an amazing guy. He started off the lecture talking about how he got out of architecture school and was completely dissatisfied with being a "CAD monkey," so he quit, raised money for the poor and distressed, and designed and built places for them with the money. anyways...just buy this and im going to buy it too



4. We purchased this book for our son. He is deeply committed to 'green' projects. This will give him testimonials of others in his field to aid him in his own work for clients who have the desire to lessen their carbon footprint.
   
   Sincerely,
   F. Albuquerque



5. Great book. Very cool practical applications to problems using environmentally sound solutions. Beautiful pictures and I especially liked the $8 tent clip. Brilliant.

5 comments about Drywall: Professional Techniques for Great Results.

1. This book is all you need to drywall. I found it to be very comprehensive, I learned more about the different thicknesses of drywall and the different types than I ever cared to know. It did its job though and provided enough info to drywall from start to finish.



2. I started out doing drywall back in 1980 and I've been doing it professionally ever since. I thought I knew everything, but Myron has shown me some methods that have improved my work. The guy who gave the 2 star review is right, it doesn't teach the pro mud applications and if you need to tape and mud 5 houses a week, you won't need this book. For the rest of us though, it really helps and I recommend it to anyone who wants to learn drywall and drywall finishing very highly.



3. My husand borrowed this book from the library and loved it so much he wanted me to buy it for him for Father's Day. He is in the process of finishing our basement and found it very helpful.



4. We bought this book to help us "finish" our garage with insulation and drywall. This book was great. We were first timers to this type of project. The book was very informative from choosing our supplies, tools we would need, all the way to taping and finishing off the joints. We were able to complete our project from start to finish with just the help of this book.
   
   I would definitely recommend it to anyone taking on a drywall project for the first time.



5. I noticed that the 3rd Edition of this book has a copyright date of 2008 and the cover of the book notes that it is completely revised and updated. Any review written before 2008 is almost certainly for the second edition. The 3rd edition is a reasonably hefty 210 pages of content; it is printed on nice paper, is nicely organised, and has an index.
   
   I am an experienced do-it-yourselfer and bought this book to get an update on the latest corner beads made of vinyl and some made of metal and paper. I also wanted a little more knowledge on available types of drywall and joint compounds.
   
   This book is very comprehensive and covers drywall techniques, tools, and materials. Consistent with the reviews of the earlier edition(s), this book focuses almost exclusively on drywall (which is also consistent with its title). There is a section on soundproofing which I believe is very useful.
   
   I would rate this book as a must read for anyone who wishes to learn about drywall techniques. The text is clear and there are many photographs to illustrate the points that the author is making.
   
   I would have liked it if the author covered skip troweling but this is a little tricky to learn from a book (so this omission did not bother me much).
   
   I already had a good amount of knowledge about drywall and this book has given me another step up in knowledge. I am completely satisfied with this book.

2 comments about Country Living A Bit of Velvet & a Dash of Lace: The Fabulous Interiors of Magnolia Pearl (Country Living).

1. Excellent book, lush photos and sweet, funny stories. Can't put this down, even though I have read it twice thru! Feel truly inspired to get more creative with salvage/sustainable stuff that invokes the beauty in life that moves my soul. Blessings, Zahara



2. After waiting months for the release of this book, I was not disappointed. Robin Brown has written a true gem and the photographs are gorgeous. Originally, I was expecting more of a "how-to" book on duplicating some of her treasures, but I learned something more important, Robin's book has given the information and encouragement to create my own personal treasures.
   
   "A Bit of Velvet & a Dash of Lace" is a true inspiration, both in originality and wisdom. We do not have to be wealthy, our "things" do not have to be perfect; but therein lies the beauty - in how we learn to look at things in a new and different way. Robin's perspective on life is told in such a way that many, many people can relate to and reinterpret in our own lives and homes. The book guides us through every room, and shows us how we can take the smallest scrap of lace, or a yard of brocade, and see it through "new" eyes. I have a new appreciation for the things I have collected through the years, and I now have been infused with the inspiration to jump in and use them in ways that I had not thought of before now. "A Bit of Velvet & a Dash of Lace" has reaffirmed things about myself and my personality, that I had tried to "put on a shelf" for awhile, and at times thought I should relent and paint my walls "Builders Beige", just to go "with the flow". No more... Ms. Brown, with the tales of her unusual and adventuresome childhood (which I do envy!) remind me to be ME, to enjoy the things I love even when they do not fit within the confines of the mass majority, that there is beauty and freedom in being ourselves, surrounded by the things we love, even if they don't happen to look like your neighbor's. Her use of color, textures, layers, and styles shows what a wonderful natural talent she is. I must say thank you! to Robin for sharing her gift, reminding us that we all have one, and neither do we have to be wealthy in order to utilize it.
   
   I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves fabrics, a bohemian flavor, thinks outside the box, or is seeking permission to "color outside of traditional lines". It is a wonderful inspiration for those of us who may see things a little differently or that want to begin to do so.
   
   Robin Brown has provided me with a book that is not only about decor, but about the way you express your life and style, and being true to your best "inner" bohemian! I love it!!

5 comments about Atomic Ranch.

1. Good book with lots of interior and exterior pictures of houses. Only improvement would be more mod accessories shown, but overall I would recommend.



2. God Bless the folks at Atomic Ranch! I have been a subscriber to the Magazine for over 2 years now and have been dying to get the book. Finally, after a couple of strong hints, my wife got it for me for my birthday.
   This book is chock full of beautiful photographs of incredible mid-century masterpieces. Some are preserved, some restored, and some modernized.
   If this is your thing, (and I doubt you'd be reading these reviews if it wasn't)then this is the book you want. I've gambled on a few other books covering ranch homes, and none of them come close to this book. BUY IT!



3. Very nice book with lots of great photos they are mostly a collection from the magazine but worth having if you are into MCM.



4. I love this book! The author's magazine (of the same name) is awesome and this book covers homes from the early issues which are no longer available (issues, not homes). I love seeing the beautiful interiors and exteriors of modest size homes which most people consider beneath their notice because they aren't historically "old enough" or architecturally significant.
   
   I have learned a lot about mid-century modern homes from reading this book. The photos are great and the book is very informative.
   
   If you live in a plain ranch home, and enjoy a streamlined style of living, then I highly suggest you get this book. It is full of practical tips and resources.



5. I love this book!! I live in an "Atomic Ranch" and this book covers the subject very well. Not only are the pictures great, the text is informative. I also subscribe to Atomic Ranch Magazine published by the same authors. If you are a fan of this genre, both are highly recommended!

5 comments about Delirious New York: A Retroactive Manifesto for Manhattan.

1. While "Delirious" has its fair share of archispeak, Mr. Koolhaas pulls off an intelligent, fun and thought-provoking take on the early 20th century building culture of New York.
   
   One of the quirkier aspects of "Delirious" is Mr. Koolhaas's analysis of Coney Island: an "incubator for Manhattan's incipient themes." As a reader, one initially questions the inclusion of such a trashy place in such a lofty manifesto. However, as the chapter progresses, you start to see Mr. Koolhaas's iconoclastic brilliance. He pays an amazing homage to "the laboratory" that was Coney Island, illuminating the vital role it played in the building philosophies that would emerge later in Manhattan.
   
   Scattered throughout "Delirious," also, are compelling supporting images that Mr. Koolhaas clearly spent a lot of time digging up. In fact, flipping through the book for the images alone makes for a near-equivalent, and fun, learning experience.
   
   However, unlike his tasteful use of images, Mr. Koolhaaas's flamboyant use of scholarly English makes his writing difficult to digest at times:
   
   "It is probably inevitable that a doctrine based on the continual simulation of pragmatism, on a self-imposed amnesia that allows the continuous reenactment of the same subconscious themes in ever new reincarnations and on inarticulateness systematically cultivated in order to operate more effectively..."
   
   Given Mr. Koolhaas's journalism background (and assumed mastery of writing), I suspect he made the conscious decision to remain somewhat inaccessible to preserve his "lofty" image. While such a decision may be understandable, his brilliance as a writer often gets overshadowed by the sheer irritation of trying to understand him.
   
   Ultimately, "Delirious" proves itself to be a very intelligent synopsis---just as delirious and congested the themes Mr. Koolhaas puts forth. For the most part, it's a pleasure to read, and it also reflects the exhaustive research on Mr. Koolhaas's end. Much like Mr. Koolhaas's buildings, "Delirious" is on the cusp of being as grand as it intends to be.



2. through the exhaustive historiography of the phases of congestion coney island brought to manhattan, koolhaas provides a rather cynical view of the Grid as being an ulimatley neutral zoning system of constraining ideas that represent the continual decline of a phantastically realistic civilization, represented as mutated symbols of architecture in the "void" of repeated "pregnancies."
   
   it's really well written. funny. uses, like above, a somewhat inefficient vocabulary but remains in the same vein throughout. it is also a graphic design hubris consuming every page, even the left-justified text, showing off koolhaas's interpretation of the importance to combine scholarship and marketing.
   
   buy it. it's a very good book.



3. A very inventive concept of New York's "culture of congestion" and how people are affected by the architecture they create. It is heavily researched and exhaustive, and after pretty much the third page I agreed with his concept of NY being "totally fabricated by man". What could of been a fascinating article becomes a spastic, heavy-handed read with a sledgehammer effect to your brain. (However,for those of us reading it for school, there are plenty of pictures that fill up the almost devastatingly vast 300+pages quickly.) It will scramble your brain with its thousands of nearly bumper-stickerish statements ("It hides life." "The Mountain MUST become architecture.") written with pretentious glee. However, I believe an independent scientific study has concluded that when pretending to read this book on the train people around you will assume your IQ is 40% higher than truth.



4. koolhaas is a bit over-the-top for me, but this I think is is best work. it's worth checking out if only for the story of coney island. once you get past blisteringly pretentious phrases like "coney island is a fetal manhattan", you'll find it gloriously entertaining as both a narrative and theoretical work.



5. This is by far Koolhaas's most accessible work, as it is rooted so clearly in detail from the city's past. Further, the book is simply brilliant. His take on urban history is to Jane Jacobs what Socrates is to common sense. New York is a special case of modernism that sprang from a special constellation of poltiical and technological forces that collectively create a cultural "big-bang" at the turn of the century. Read it. Blow your mind.

5 comments about Green from the Ground Up: Sustainable, Healthy, and Energy-Efficient Home Construction (Builder's Guide).

1. GREEN FROM THE GROUND UP: SUSTAINABLE, HEALTHY, AND ENERGY-EFFICIENT HOME CONSTRUCTION will find its place in any builder or homeowner library. It provides an easy step-by-step course in green building packing in details for building professionals and covering the nuts and bolts of the green construction trend. The latest theories and proven methods of new and remodeled green construction habits are explained, from the basics of building to site planning, materials, and energy concerns. Color photos and charts pack a title filled with specifics, not theory.
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch



2. Can an SUV be green? If you think so, if you think size and level of consumption are extraneous to the idea of sustainability, then this book is for you. You will learn all manner of ingenious ways to build and condition cavernous low-density dwellings. And in the end you will have a monstrous, comfortable perversion of the very values you putatively hold so dear.



3. A great book that covers everything. A good checklist of things to consider. The graphics provide highlights from different viewpoints -- green design, construction, would I do this? Lots of photos and drawings. A good book to have on the shelf for reference.



4. Anyone who is interested in or is looking to build green should read this book.
   It's very well organized, the detailed information is understandable and easy to read. The visual aids are priceless.
   Great chapter summeries and end of book recap.



5. This book does a good job at setting up a working definition of "green building" as a decision making process that occurs at each point in the design of a building, with an emphasis on residential construction. The book has a lot of pictures and pop-up bubble sidebars that make each page seem more like a design school presentation poster (that's a good thing). It presents a lot of basic information and principles about each part of a building, from foundations, insulation, windows, framing, flashing, natural building, etc. and how they come together as a "green building system."
   If you are an architect or drafter who is looking for a book with technical details and explanations about specific construction methods or materials notes do not buy this book. If you would like to learn about green building science principles as to how they relate with each division in a building then buy this book.

5 comments about Detail in Contemporary Residential Architecture: Includes CD-ROM.

1. A book that try to be a reference. The projects are well chosen and there are good images that have not been published really much so far. Many detail are made for building with a ''not that cold'' climate, I've appreciate it even if we have to deal with winter in Canada...



2. An account of the 2 hours I spent flipping through this book after it arrived at my door:
   
   1. When I saw that the intricacy of the illustration on the cover is produced by overlapping several drawings, I thought, "uh-oh."
   
   2. After looking through a few projects, I was a little disappointed with the haphazard organization of the "details." For example, full wall sections were more often than not excluded. Envelope details were presented as partial sections, thereby losing the context. The different lineweights were also practically indistinguishable.
   
   3. I was impressed, however, with the comprehensive list of materials/components accompanying the drawings.
   
   4. I was disappointed with the choice of photographs, in general, of the projects. Most projects had photos that basically show the same part of the building, but from a different angle, or slightly zoomed in.
   
   5. More overlapping drawings. This bothers me quite a bit, since these are just page-fillers, and do not offer anything except examples of what not to do when presenting construction details.
   
   6. One project was entirely devoted to the detailing of a window box, when that building had used a very interesting roofing material (handcrafted lead sheets), what appeared to be hidden gutters, and a very well integrated envelope from roof to grade. I flipped through this section repeatedly to check if I had missed some pages, then I grew a little angry that these very worthwhile details were forgone in favour of a single window.
   
   7. After going through the entire book, I flipped through it quickly to see if there were any projects from South America since I didn't remember seeing any. I recalled only two projects from Central America. A quick look through the list of projects seem to indicate a coastal North America and Western European bias.
   
   8. I wished I could afford a subscription to the German version of Detail.
   
   I would not recommend this book for something that one expects from well-drafted construction documents. The method of reference and presentation is a little messy. Drawings seem to be organized by how well they fit together on a single page, rather than their as-built relationship. Given the precious lack of real-estate dedicated to photos, certain photographs could be omitted and replaced by more telling shots. Perhaps coordinate the details presented with a photo of the detail in situ and in context? A larger-scale foundation-to-roof envelope section can be a good organizational tool for subsequent details. Did I mention that overlapping drawings bother me?
   
   What I find good is the abundance of projects, the organization by material, and the list of components used. While I have a lot to complain about in terms of the drawings, there is still quite a bit one can take away from them. It would be a good book to go to for initial ideas.
   
   In short, this book is a coffee-table architectural book - a lot of pictures without definite purpose - disguised as a technical book. Sort of misses the point for a book that's about details.



3. This is a terrific book with many interesting residential projects. However, if you are an architect buying this book for the supplementary CAD details included on CD.....don't. The details actually lack detail, making many of them somewhat worthless. Although I was disappointed in the drawings, the book has been insightful and definitely worth the purchase.



4. This was a gift to my son, an architect student at CU. He loved the
   book and wouldn't put it down. He also loved the way it was arranged
   (by building materials). The accompanying CD has been loaded into his
   computer (which all ready had the Auto-Cam software needed) and thinks
   its fantastic. Its a book that he will use probably throughout his new
   career.



5. I've purchased one too many architecture books that have cool buildings with nice photos, overly self-indulgent artistic descriptions, and really not much else that is useful. Despite its title, I was expecting this book to be similar to those other ones, if only perhaps a small step forward in terms of the quality of the information.
   
   This book is a giant leap forward compared to most architecture books. It is outstanding because it presents each project completely; with photos, plans, sections, and numerous quality details. The information is much more complete than I am accustomed to seeing from these types of books, and the drawings are for the most part clear and well-noted. There's also a CD included with DWG files and EPS files of every illustration!
   
   Because the information is so complete...there's enough information there to really study the materials and assemblies, to understand both the concept and the execution of these great projects. This is the kind of book you can study over and over, and really learn from. Compared to other architecture books in my library it is outstanding. My only wish is that the author would keep going and expand her great work into numerous other architecture styles (way beyond contemporary buildings).

5 comments about Insulate and Weatherize: Expert Advice from Start to Finish (Build Like A Pro).

1. Book number 1 in my library on insulation. If I only had one book that covered a lot of information in a concise manner this would be the one.



2. I'm a general contractor doing energy efficient remodeling. I found this Taunton publication really valuable because it covers not only the basic techniques on insulation, including pricing guidelines, but also has an excellent of heating systems including PV and solar. Given the cost of energy today, this book helped me make good suggestions to my clients. The technology is changing rapidly, though, and the information here will have relatively short shelf-life.



3. This book was exactly what i was looking for! It tells you how to properly insulate and seal an existing house. Great illustrations, clear and easy to read. I read the whole thing the day i got it!
   
   I found major air leaks right where it predicted and sealed them using methods suggested.
   
   A MUST HAVE BOOK FOR ANYONE LOOKING TO IMPROVE THEIR HOME'S INSULATION.



4. This book gives credible (not just a repeat of info on manufacturer websites) coverage of insulation, air leakage, ventilation, moisture problems, etc. and handles each subject with respect to different climates. I learned a lot and it helped me make decisions in the renovation of a 60 year old house.



5. same great features of other books in the series (pro tips, what can go wrong...). these books are thorough and informative.

5 comments about A Field Guide to American Houses.

1. I bought this book as reference material on the advice of an architect friend. He told me "If you need help figuring out the style of a house then buy this book" and he showed me his copy. He was right. The book is well organized which helps compare styles quickly and the many black and white pictures of houses that the author uses as examples are great because the b&w contrast helps your eye focus on details. This a great book to have in any architectural office. Its great for novices and experienced alike.



2. As a writer, you need lots of details to keep the reader interested, and this book has details on houses most people wouldn't know. Of course, if you give no details the story is not interesting, and if you give wrong details, some reader will know it and be disapointed. A book like this can be invaluable.



3. After some introductory chapters on the history and theory of homebuilding, the McAlesters commence with descriptions of the different styles. Each major style is described with a large stylized diagram with its identifying features labeled, a description of the major subtypes, descriptions of the style's unique elements, a paragraph on the frequency and locations of its occurrence, some historical comments, and then dozens of black and white photographs. The styles are ordered roughly chronologically, from native dwellings and colonial houses in 1600 to the neoeclectric houses of the 1970s and 1980s. (Even my 2006 printing ended with the 1980s.)
   
   I read the field guide cover to cover - something I never before done with a field guide. By the end, it seemed repetitive, but overall I was impressed with almost everything about this book from the introductions to the last diagrams. Every time I travel though a historical neighborhood, I am glad that I read this book.



4. Great book!!! I'm using for my company to get a true representation of many styles for many of the house I'm designing. A great resource for any firm!!!



5. great at housing history
   great describe for the house component
   good picture to show handy book to show at real estate

5 comments about Inside the Not So Big House: Discovering the Details that Bring a Home to Life (Susanka).

1. I bought this book because I am looking to renovate my house and I found it very useful. There are plenty of photos of the various details in the houses and a great explanation of how to achieve a similar look. It is an excellent source of ideas if you're looking to transform your home.



2. This is one of my favorite books. I love Susanka's style - modern, but also friendly and warm. The layout of the book is excellent too, lots of photos with helpful annotations.



3. Absoultely amazing insight ....worth every penny; the quality of the photos alone will justify the purchase....it will be the single best expenditure that you can make in building a new home or remodeling an existing area. Makes things so clear that everyone will get it. They say "You don't know what you don't know"....after reading this book and her others in a series....you will know what you did not know that you did not know...Just buy the book and you will understand what I am saying



4. I bought and then gutted a 1960s, three-story, 3,700 SF office building. Serving as my own architect and general contractor, I completed the two lower floors as offices for my professional engineering firm. I then turned my attention to converting the third floor into a luxury two-bedroom apartment.
   
   Although my original intent was to make the apartment a rental space, family circumstances of a regrettable but common kind will soon require me to make the apartment my own residence. With the floor plans nearly completed, I realized that the "oh my God" reaction from first-time visitors that I was seeking required great attention to detail.
   
   During the design of the office portions, I had studied about a dozen design books from Amazon and now wanted resources for the architectural details of the apartment. (Architectural details include windows and doors, floor, ceiling, and wall finishes, cabinetry, molding and other millwork.) With architectural details well done, the apartment or home looks inviting and interesting even before furnishings and decorator items are added.
   
   This book was the third to arrive of the ten I ordered so far. The first two were entirely forgettable, but this one yielded a dozen good ideas.
   
   The 210-page book has a chapter for each of twenty-three projects, each by a different architect. Most projects were renovations of a home of 1,200 - 2,100 SF. Architectural interior detail styles range from craftsman and usonian, to contemporary and gentle modern. Each project is notable more for the interior design details than for the building exterior or site.
   
   My favorite, but not my only source of ideas, was a Block Island cottage by the Newport architect, James Estes. My apartment, located at a charming 1900-vintage village center of a NYC suburb is 15 miles from the nearest salt water, but the quiet serenity and color palettes of an ocean-front cottage had been in my mind as an organizing concept for some time. No matter that the large band of windows on the east end overlook a parking lot instead of beach and ocean.
   
   The Amazon listing shows the cover photo, a project not to my liking. You can page through the other pages available on Amazon for other samples. Note the excellent color photography and the expert and well written commentary of Sarah Susanka, the principal author of the many volumes of the Not So Big House series. Co-author Marc Vassallo is an architect, and he now writes fulltime, including fiction.



5. I am hooked on Susanka's books describing how to give our homes more of the character found in 50+ and older homes. I'm hoping to build using some of the detailing she explains, instead of having to buy an old house and renovate, in order to get a cozy, unique and homey dwelling.