3 comments about Steel Construction Manual.

1. This book has multitudes of examples of how steel use has developed and is developing. It offers the designer basic details and sizing ideas. If one is looking for a book on detailed steel sizes, forms, and dimensioned details this is not it. However, if one is looking for an overview of the product to better understand it and how to incorporate it into projects, this book is for you.



2. The title of this book, in my mind, is a misnomer. If you're looking for a true manual of steel construction, meaning a how-to book, this isn't the book to buy. This book is centered around architecture, not down and dirty steel construction techniques. There are no methods included in the book for such things as calculating loads, yield, tensile, etc. If you want a world wide sampling of connecting means, truss designs, etc. with no dimensions in the examples then this is the book for you. In short I am very disappointed in my purchase as it doesn't suit my needs.



3. This book gives an overview of steel in building construction, mostly its structural uses. It differs from the Concrete and Masonry versions, which lean more towards a summary of the building codes, and the Glass version, which goes on at length about solar effects, in its more lengthy review of the engineering basics involved. (But perhaps the subject lends itself to this approach, being more specialized.) The text is also the easiest to read of all the books, more than compensating for the lack of color pictures anywhere. The middle technical section covers the subject in a very orderly way, beginning with the structural properties of small components and proceeding on to the assembled skyscraper. The last sections will leave you scratching your head unless you're a structural engineer though.
   
   There is also a section on construction practices, where you might be reminded to leave an inch or two of space under your column base plates to allow for construction tolerances, and to use special expanding grout for filling it instead of mortar or concrete, which would shrink on curing and provide opportunities for water to get in. Or to try to achieve equal compression in all your columns, so settling will be uniform.
   
   Surprisingly enjoyable, and not used in the other books but maybe not possible there, owing to their extensive excerpting of tables from building codes, is the way the text does not normally keep referring you to figures, but allows you to read uninterrupted. The figures are there, as in the other books, but they have more extensive captions which allow them to stand alone and be read in parallel with the main text.
   
   Like the other books in the series, there are no equations to speak of, or very few. Just an attempt to explain all the relevant principles in a qualitative way and to demonstrate their use with hundreds of meticulous drawings.

No comments about Ecology of Building Materials.

1 comments about Building the 21st Century Home: The Sustainable Urban Neighbourhood.

1. Building the 21st Century Home by David Rudlin and Nicholas Falk is one of those books which change the way you look at the world. If you are interested in the ideas of Jane Jacobs, Peter Hall, or even just enjoy SimCity then this is the book for you. The book lays out how cities have developed, and why the way they are today, and then sets out a practical and convincing manifesto for change. It is strong on the environmental benefits of city living and has a sound basis in meeting the needs of communities, while recognising that what people aspire to, might not necessarily be what they want. Even the most sceptical of readers would eventually be convinced of the benefits of city living. My main criticism of the book is that it fosters an interest in what is a very wide ranging subject and fails to answer questions that would really be the province of another book altogether. Hopefully this book will inspire others to take positive steps to improve and participate in their urban environment.

   Despite describing the book as a manifesto it is written in an objective and fact based style ensuring that there are always examples and statistics to back up the argument. It is also an exceptionally attractive book, with well chosen illustrations and excellent line drawings of urban scenes which add greatly to the message and enjoyment of the book.

No comments about Developments in Timber Engineering: The Swiss Contribution.

No comments about Structure and Style: Conserving 20th Century Buildings.

2 comments about Communication and Design With the Internet (Norton Books for Architects & Designers).

1. There are few professions that have as much potential as architecture and city planning to take advantage of the Net. This book is the best general introduction to the Web for people in the design professions. Cohen patiently explains the concepts in a way that his fellow architects can understand and apply. I was especially impressed with the chapters on participatory planning and design. This book is very well written and illustrated.



2. This is a unique book, catering to architects, engineers, land-use planners and other professionals in related fields. Although part of the book is about web-site design and site management issues (which is covered in many books), the author presents the information very well - in fact, the quality of the editing, formatting and illustrations is great - done with a lot of care.

   The chapters which really caught my interest were those relating to community planning - especially the one about participatory community planning. This is an application with a lot of potential, where 'the web-site' could unleash a number of other novel communication tools (e.g. environmental simulation - my area of expertise).

   I highly recommend this book to anyone involved in community/land-use development or resource management. It is a great source of ideas.

No comments about Traditional Buildings: A Global Survey of Structural Forms and Cultural Functions (International Library of Human Geography).

1 comments about Introduction to Architectural Science: The Basis of Sustainable Design.

1. This is a real good buy. Prof. Szokolay is one of the prominent experts in the field. I was waiting for this book to be published .... to use it as the required textbook for a course I teach. It is a perfect content for an Architectural Engineering course on environmental control. Sadly, I couldn't require it for the course because it is all IS units. Still, I use it for my personal use.

No comments about Survey of European Passive Solar Buildings.

No comments about Architect's Handbook of Formulas, Tables, and Mathematical Calculations.