5 comments about Structures: Or Why Things Don't Fall Down.

1. I'm a starting-out engineer with a degree in aerospace. This is the sort of book that I would've "wanted" to read while in school. I personally haven't had chance to use 90% of what I've learned in school. But this book has opened my eyes to the root of what we do as engineers. Not something that'll get you a better grade in school. Instead, it will motivate you to really learn the most basic and important thing in engineering and to realize how important and crucial what we do at work are. 100% recommended for all my fellow engineering geeks out there!



2. The author, who worked as an aeronautical engineer during the war, was fond of asking his colleages "but shouldn't we put feathers on the wings". That his answer effected an instrument design of my own is strange enough, but it's his persistence in asking such a question well into middle age that is perhaps of higher value. It illustrates the childlike joy that marks the pleasures of engineering. In another example, a drawing of a wing feather showing the quill not centered but close to the leading edge provides a vivid punchline to the story of the development of the mono-plane. How putting struts in the center of their wings made them twist off when pulling out of a dive - resulting in the deaths of many Fokker pilots. He deepens our understanding of shear stresses through examples of form-fitting cocktail dresses made of fabrics cut 'on the bias' - heightening my appreciation both for the human form and Poisson's Ratio. That a book on structural enginnering was a pleasure to read was a surprise. That it was un-put-downable boggles the mind. He enables what we most hope for and least expect from a book: to see the world afresh.



3. I must confess I had a terrible time in the U making my degree in mechanical engineering.. stregth of materials almost made me mad.
   
   But as Twain said it, I have not let my schooling interfere with my education... and this are the books that educate.. for education can only be self-education... this is what I was after in the U and I never received it!!!
   
   I go futher with this assertion, the progress of the US (and some other advanced nations) above all the rest lies in the fact that popularizations of science and technology are readibly accesible to everyone (for all of those who want to use it, of course).. if anyone ever doubts the positive effects of globalization and the internet, I can testify that ever since I can use Amazon I can tap into the resources of knowledge previously denied by geographical barriers and help the system that produces this books.
   
   Getting back to the book, no matter what your schooling is, if you are into design and need to know about structures you cannot go wrong with this wonderful book.



4. I'M PROBABLY THE ODD MAN OUT ON THIS ONE BUT I HAD TROUBLE WADING THROUGH THIS BOOK..IN FACT I THOUGHT THE WRITING STYLE WAS GROPING AND STUMBLING AT BEST. WRITING ABOUT STRUCTURES IN SIMLPE TERMS IS A TOUGH TASK INDEED AND I'M NOT SURE GORDON HAS SUCEEDED HERE. I FOUND THE BOOK TO BE A REAL "YAWNER".
   
   FOR MY MONEY I WOULD BUY SALVADORI'S BOOKS OVER THIS. SALVADORI HAS A KNACK FOR MAKING THE SUBJECT TRULY GRIPPING READING. HIS BOOKS HAVE A MUCH MORE PRACTICAL BENT, AND IMHO THEY ARE WRITTEN MUCH BETTER, NOT TO MENTION THE ILLUSTRATIONS ARE TOP GRADE. TRY STRUCTURE IN ARCHITECTURE OR WHY BUILDINGS STAND UP.
   
   THE 2 STARS ARE FOR GORDON'S DISCUSSION OF STRESS AND STRAIN, THE BEST PART OF THE BOOK FOR ME.



5. The book is indeed good for the layman (I would even say very good), but it lacks rigour and this makes it less usable for professional purposes...
   The author wants to avoid as much math as possible but as a consequence, some explanations contain gaps.
   This book can be seen as an extra to more professional books, everybody will definitely learn something from it and it reads very well...But if you want to have a rigorous understanding of structures, you should buy another book ...

5 comments about Identifying American Architecture: A Pictorial Guide to Styles and Terms : 1600-1945.

1. This book is set up in a way that is simple to flip through and pinpoint details on buildings.



2. Excellent pictorial coverage of styles combined with clear definitions of criteria



3. While other "field guides" to American architecture provide more details or bigger/better photos than this one, a key part of what makes 'Identifying American Architecture' so good is what it DOESN'T tell you. That is, it focuses on naming basic (and often not-so-basic) architectural elements in a broad range of styles for you, without the encyclopedic details of each style's history and genealogy, which can be researched elsewhere.
   
   This pinpointed, in-the-moment approach is VERY helpful when you're walking around an area with a rich mix of architectural styles, as in Boston, Chicago, New York, Nashville, San Francisco, and other major cities established 150-300 years ago. In Boston, for example, you can easily find yourself looking at a 1790 Federal-style townhouse one minute, a Richardsonian church from the 1870s the next, and a Second Empire government building (circa 1890) a minute after that. With this easy-to-carry guide in hand, you can quickly identify the differences, point them out to friends, make notes, and move on.
   
   Likewise, this book is a good, easy access reference to have on hand when reading any book -- fiction or non-fiction -- featuring a lot of architectural description. Again, it doesn't have deep details, but there's enough to help you picture and/or understand scenes better. Students and writers also find it helpful in knowing their pilasters from their parapets when writing descriptions of historic buildings and neighborhoods.
   
   In addition to offering at least 4 examples of each architectural style, with the various elements all enumerated clearly, this book also features an alphabetical index of primary architectural elements that make up classic buildings. That's then topped off with a Pictorial Glossary of Terms, where many of the architectural elements that make up classic architecture are shown and denoted in just enough detail to be useful and clarifying.
   
   All in all, for a 128 page book, this one has A LOT of very useful information, presented in an even MORE useful and accessible format. Worth every nickel.



4. Well, it's not the worst field guide I ever saw but as a previous reviewer said, it has some serious flaws. Most notably, I struggled to focus on the wee tiny numbers that identify the architectural characteristics.
   
   Man, those are some small numbers. And sometimes they get so clustered together, you're not sure which number goes with which architectural feature.
   
   The long, thin layout of the graphics works against this book, too. The pictures of houses just don't fit well in this format.
   
   And (sadly), I agree that some of the photos are a little washed out. With all that said, I do believe you can learn something from every book and this book does contain a wealth of information.
   
   Rose
   author, The Houses That Sears Built
   and co-author, California's Kit Homes



5. I have been collecting field guides to American domestic archiecture for many years and beyond a doubt this is the very worst guide that I have come across. This guide has many strikes against it.
   
   First, it is too short to give the reader any real understanding of the different styles of American domestic architecture. Many styles are ignored and the styles that are covered are done so superficially. As an example, the section on the International Style of architecture only has two washed out black and white photographs. The few details that are explained are done so in the most superficial manner.
   
   Second, the quality of the printing is very poor. The quality of the paper and binding makes the book look like it was produced int he 1970's. Worst of all, the photographs used to show the different styles are washed out. A revolution in publishing has happened in the past twenty years and this publisher has missed out in the opportunity to produce a modern looking guide.
   
   Finally, there are some wonderful field guides in current production. Don't waste your money on this guide. Check out the guides produced by Lester Walker and Virginia McAlester. Those are the types of guides that can inspire the reader to learn more about history and American houses. Avoid this guide!

2 comments about 100 Houses for 100 Architects (Special Edition).

1. This book is not as bad as the previous reviewer makes it out to be. It presents a wide selection of architects houses, from William Morris in the Nineteenth Century to Francine Houben at the end of the Twentieth. The documentation of every house is quite decent and gives a good understanding of the spaces, with a good textual explanation, and the photographs are of great quality. Some houses have probably rarely appeared in print, as for instance those of Fernando Tavora, Christian Norberg-Schulz, and Jose Antonio Coderch. Besides, the book gives a great idea about these architects' conception of the 'home', as for instance in Coderch's case, who conceived his house in a vernacular mode quite different from the architecture he is known for.



2. There's nothing terrible about the book. But it is so easily beat out by other architecture books (including others by Taschen publishing) that there's no reason to get this book or waste your time reading much about it.

5 comments about Art of Natural Building.

1. Build your green home using one of the many different styles presented in this book. Make your home a truly healthy one.



2. A great introduction into Natural Building. It portrays different styles of natural building; Straw Bale, cob, Adobe, cordwood, earth bags, compressed earth bags, stone, timber, wattle and daub, earthbag and paper crete. There is also a section on earthships. The book also talks about designing a healthy Natural House. A great book that anyone interested in building Green would like.



3. This is a very interesting book. It's mostly not about natural building, but rather a book about alternative wall building. Of the four major parts of a house - foundation, floors, walls, roof - this is an awful lot of information about walls, and very little else. Foundations covered in a few cursory pages, almost nothing on roofs, and nothing on floors at all, except for ground level earthen floors.

   There is less world-saving going on than meets the eye. Almost all the bad stuff whether large amounts of timber, or reviled composites is in the roofs, floors, and foundations. When it comes to having wildflowers as part of the roof, they even embrace some pretty nasty membrane products.

   There is also a fair amount of self-delusion going on. In the section on timber frames the author mentions the savings to be had by timber framed walls vs. stud walls, but makes no mention of the unsustainable old growth used in timber frames. Nor does he mention that the infill to timber frames is either the same studwalls he claimed to avoid using, or highly toxic SIPs. in total most timber buildings are built twice once for the frame, and enough infill material to again carry all structural loads. The same comments can be made about straw bale, cordwood and so forth, often as much wood is used avoiding studs as using them.

   Natural building is completely unlikely to make an ounce of green difference in the West. It mainly won't be used, and where it is, it will just be another trophy home "look". Still it's all great stuff for dreamers, and the odd few who will actually build their own little earthship.

   Because of all the authors contributing, the standard of information is highly inconsistent, but in the main good. Do we really need to read after 200 pages a section on timber framing that starts from theoretical constructs like what is architecture and engineering, and works on to maters even more obscure? Nonetheless, there is solid information throughout the book.




4. This book gives you a very good taste of all the natural alternative building techniques, and also where to find out more information on them. This is an excellent book for you to start researching all the different alternative building techniques or if your already well read on the subject it may introduce you to some new techniques or be a good refresher on the subject.



5. This is a great place to start your research if you are interested in natural building. Web sites, resorce books and organizations are listed at the end of each chapter. This book started my career in natural home building.

No comments about The Study of Architectural Design.

5 comments about The Secret Architecture of Our Nation's Capital: The Masons and the Building of Washington, D.C..

1. A remarkable amount of research has gone into this book. The previous reviewer complained that it was "undocumented" but why does the author need to document a road, a building, or a statue if it exists in plain sight and is common knowledge? This proves that the author's thesis touches a raw nerve to those who are comfortable only with conventional understandings of history that sugar coat the past and pull the wool over our eyes. Clearly, there was a powerful cult behind the formation of the United States. They were not devout Christians, but were committed only to the esoteric ideals of their own secret society. Ideals that apparently originate in ancient Egypt, not Jerusalem. The author, however, coming from a Christian background and perspective dances around this truth. He prefers to view them as Christians who were simply outside the mainstream. Their obssession with "Virgo" proves this, because as everyone knows Virgo represents the Virgin Mary, right? Wrong.
   In the heretical thread of Western history, the Virgo was always Venus, otherwise known as Mary Magdalene. This was the Mary so beloved by the Knights Templar and inheritors of their occult traditions. Not the mother of Jesus. The author fails to grasp this nettle and meanders into a neverland that maintains Washington's "Christianity," so we'll have to wait a while longer for the rest of the story.



2. There is not much to be said about this book except that it is total hogwash. Not even the author can pull all of his undocumented assumption together into a sensible hypothesis.



3. Overall its an informative book well worth reading so I give it 5 stars. He rehashes the virgo thing to death throughout the book where I felt he could have laid that out better in 1 or 2 chapters.Also as mentioned by others below he left alot of Masonic stuff out.I recommend watching on video AMERICAS SECRET DESTINY and RIDDLES IN STONE they add and parallel this book quite well.



4. Ever wonder why the city of Washington D.C. was an explicitly designed city, but the streets are laid out in a seemingly illogical manner? Wouldn't you design a simple grid pattern for a city instead of the bizarre pattern found there?
   
   David Ovason attempt to give meaning to this street pattern and for some of the architecture found in the city. His analysis is brilliant but I find myself wandering in the sometimes meandering pattern of his investigation, just like the layout of the city. It would probably help for the reader to have a background in astrology/astronomy to give greater meaning to this analysis, for I often found myself scratching my head.
   
   It was interesting to learn that Pierre L'Enfant, the French Freemason given credit for the design of the city, was later sacked from the construction team for criticism of some of the builders for messing up his design. He would later go broke, wander around the city, and pester congress for a greater share of payments that he thought were his for the design of the city. He died broke and is buried near Arlington House.



5. Proof in stone that America's founding fathers were not ultra-conservative god fearing Christians, not even deists and the guideposts to their secrets were left for all to see in the nation's capital.
   Incorporating astronomy and astrology, Ovason demonstrates the Hermetic adage As above, so is below. Like theories regarding the Great Pyramid and its relationship to Orion, he shows how the stars above are mirrored below in the design of the District.
   
   Well researched but could have gone deeper to explain what the symbols actually represent to Masonry and the esoteric history of their beliefs. Without the deeper analysis, one wonders why did they go to so much trouble to use symbols etched in stone?
   
   For a deeper explanation of the secret symbols of Masonry and how the modern day Church of Scientology adapted the rituals and grades and philosophy of a particular branch of Masonry, I recommend Solomon's Key: The CODIS Project A Conspiracy Thriller by R. Douglas Weber. While fiction, it gives a clear no-holes-barred account of the innermost, deepest ritual and secret that Masonry's esoteric symbols truly represent.
   Even the keys to the allegorical hidden language of Alchemy. It delivers the final punch as promised.
   
   SOLOMON'S KEY THE CODIS PROJECT: A CONSPIRACY THRILLER

4 comments about Construction Drawings and Details for Interiors: Basic Skills.

1. This book made all the difference for me in my Interior Design studies. The course that I took was intensive, and if I had not discovered and utilized this book, I would have probably scored much lower on my desk-crits, and my practical exams. Because of it's wonderfully portable size, I take it with me everywhere. It is easily carried, yet filled with pertinent information from cover to cover. Construction Drawings and Details for Interiors contains a wealth of information, and I am grateful to the author for having written this book. It is, and will remain a cornerstone of my Design library.



2. This book has been very helpful for me. It reviews perspective drawings, elevations, and sections before leading into the construction documents. It provides sufficient examples to match the text explanations. I consider this a good buy. It has served as a great reference/instruction guide for me.



3. This is a handy reference tool that goes over the basics and more, covering equipment, title blocks, various tags and elevation markers, material representation, and graphic representation of everything from doors and windows to wall sections. There are separate chapters on Floor Plans, Elevations, and Sections. Later chapters go ino Reflected Ceiling Plans, Electrical Plans, Furniture Plans, Finishes, and Schedules. There is a checklist of things to remember following every type of construction drawing discussed; this serves to reinforce the most important information in any given chapter. I found the check lists to be a great learning tool, and used them to double-check my class assignments before turning them in.
   
   One of the things that I appreciate about this book is that it was written clearly and was easy to understand the first time through, but with additional readings I continue to get more out of it. It is the book I find myself returning to when I need answers. Some of the more complex information is formatted into tables and these tables can be particularly helpful--there is a terrific section on paraline and axometric drawings, for instance. There are even step-by-step instructions on how to create one- and two-point perspective grids.
   
   Some of the illustrations are a little dated, and some information is not as complete as I think it should be. The information on lettering, for instance, is particularly light, and I found myself needing to purchase another book to really understand how to develop my lettering technique. The information on material representation is also not as complete as it probably should be. Still, this is a very worthy reference book. It is the only required textbook in at least five classes and with good reason: it provides the basics and more, enabling it to continue to earn its place on the bookshelf well after one has completed Drafting 101.



4. I have many years of architectural drafting experience. Although this book says "Basic Skills" on the cover, it is much more than basic. It's an excellent reference book, covering everything that is needed for interior design drafting: from line weights to scale, dimensioning, plans, elevations, sections, checklists, furniture and finish schedules, contract documents, and the list goes on. I highly recommend this book for students of interior design and practising designers alike.

5 comments about The Ghosts of Berlin: Confronting German History in the Urban Landscape.

1. 'The Ghosts of Berlin' was a great overview of the urban history of Berlin. The main argument of the author is that German history is apparent in the urban landscape of Berlin. The book was easy to understand and had a lot of relevant photos and maps to show Berlin throughout the ages. A turnoff about this book for me was that Ladd was repetitive on some points and really drove home his opinions on the many roles the Berlin Wall served (a whole chapter doesnt seem like much on such an important subject, but most of the chapter seemed to repeat and restate the same information). However, in general the book provided a great start for researching the complex history of architecture, city planning, and urban spaces in Berlin. I chose to read this book as research for an architecture project I am designing in Berlin & it proved to be a very good decision. It is especially helpful if you have been to the city and have seen first hand some of the spaces he describes. I would recommend it to anyone with interest in Berlin, architecture, history, or urban design.



2. I read The Ghosts of Berlin for a college course. When Americans say "this place has such a rich history," it brings a chuckle from me and is reinforced by books such as this.
   
   The book focuses on the last 125 years or so of Berlin's extremely diverse and chaotic past. Ladd writes in a very detailed, yet concise manner. Berlin has had virtually every type of government known to man rule over it and an entire chapter is devoted to the most vital eras in the city's history; namely, the Imperial City from the late 19th century until the end of WWI, the Weimar republic in the '20s, Nazi Germany from 1933-1945, the divided city during the Cold War (with an entire separate chapter dedicated to the the Berlin Wall), and the capital of a reunified Germany. The focus is as much on the changing architectural styles as well as the social and political outlooks of the day. There is much symbolism in the buildings Ladd writes about and we get a great interpretation of what they mean. Ladd illustrates his work with some nice black and white photos, so we do not have to rely on his descriptions alone.
   
   While this book isn't quite a tour book reagarding which restaurants to visit or tourist attractions to avoid, it is a great book to learn about one of the most prominent European cities. So why only four stars instead of five? Well, I did have a deadline to meet and had to rush through this book in about 2 days. Maybe I didn't appreciate as much as I should have.



3. This book was required reading for my university geography module "Geographies of the European City". I thought it would be long, dull and confusing. I was very wrong! It is one of the first academic books that i just couldn't put down!

   Intresing, mind opening and detailed, yet written in a simple and accessible manner. I learnt not only a lot about the history of Germany and Europe and the Second World War but also about how we view cities, how they are formed and their role in the world today.




4. This book was on the short list of texts my German language/culture study abroad course required. As far as the architectural culture went, this book was all you needed to taste the essence of the capital. It was better than any guide book out there, especially relating the tulmultuous past with what you were seeing with your own eyes as an urban landscape.

   Berlin is complex, historically and culturally - from its imperialist days to Hitler's capital to the scarred divided city just now seaming together. Germany is the embodiment of ambiguity - which is made abundantly evident by its very structures throughout the wide city. Brian Ladd's photography is unobtrusive and tasteful, illustrating his thoroughly researched work. He compares an old photograph to one taken recently by him to study, at one point, how unchanged some parts of the city have been in the midst of constant upheaval in the last century.

   It is remarkable how entertaining the book is, as well as its vitality in its examination of Berlin. It was, quite simply, such a pleasure to read. The Ghosts of Berlin takes in the large picture, of a country uniting, political ideologies - past and present, and the significance of massive structures - standing and ruined. It also encompasses details in exquisite ordinariness, like street corners, department stores, and public transportation. All this is told in an appealing style that is accessible (so you don't need any background in Germany or Berlin), but not overly casual (Ladd is informed and comprehensive).




5. This is a brilliant book that looks at a remarkable city after the fall of the Berlin Wall and asks the question: How to come to terms with the monuments of the past? The Brandenburg Gate? Hitler's Bunker, etc. Should they be torn down, the stories they embody erased? Or should they stand as a legacy of German culture, however tainted it may be. A remarkable book about a remarkable city. Do read it.

1 comments about Paint Along with Jerry Yarnell, Volume 8 - Capturing Color (Painting Along With Jerry Yarnell).

1. His artwork is good. It is helpful in learning techniques to eventually graduate in doing your own work by just looking a scene or picture. All of his books are great, predictable, but great.

5 comments about Architects' Data (3rd Edition).

1. An on hand reference for all the immediate details required by Interior Designers and Architects. Quite often a lot of time is wasted searching in numerous texts for information. The Architect's Data has it all-between the covers. User friendly and well illustrated.



2. This has always been a staple reference book for architects since my student days. I haven't bought a copy for many years, so I was pleased to see that it has been revised and updated to include plenty of relevant new data. Unlike a US-published competitor this book is in metric, and is more expansive in its coverage of building types. A really useful reference tool for all building space planners, architects and interior designers.



3. With all the countless references and easy-to-read diagrams illustrating key dimensions for almost any type or category of use, this book is an architect's Bible. It's not only a useful reference, but this one is a joy to read at one's own leisurely time! Must buy!



4. It was in our varsity library where I opened "Neufert" for the first time back in late 70s (they had a two-volume Russian version). Amazingly, then as I studied Architecture I was rather impressed by a broad selection of examples of Western Architecture than by reference data themselves. Now I am more interested in the latter... And the newly edition I have surely provides that! You may blame it for slightly outdated materials or general incompleteness. But, remember, those features are generic for sources like this. Instead the book is useful specifically at preliminary design phases when an architect needs the most general guidelines. You can quickly navigate in a fat volume and can get desired information easily and in full. The only drawback, I think, is that the book is rather based on a continental (mostly German) and British content which can be somewhat inconvenient for, say, an American reader.



5. I have used the previous editions very frequently especially during my time working abroad. This is the only comprehensive source of metric and International standards for design data that I am aware of and is organized in very readable way. In fact, when I introduced the book to my co-workers abroad, everyone bought a copy. It is a great book for rules-of-thumb reference for designing buildings, spaces and layouts for national and especially International standards.