5 comments about Why Buildings Stand Up: The Strength of Architecture.

1. I receipt the book very quikly and in excelent conditios of use, as a new book.



2. This book provides a layman's explanation of structural engineering without being overly simple or condensending.
   
   The early chapters on loads, materials, and beams and columns were a short but good foundation. The explanations of buildings, bridges, and dams, and other "non building" structures provides a useful broadening of perspective for those involved primarily in commercial building projects, but who may, on occasion, encounter more unusual complex sturctures.
   
   For those who are not engineers, but make their living building commercial building every day - building owners, architects, contractors, lenders, and insurers - this is about as much information as they need and can handle.
   
   Choosing Project Success - A Guide for Building Professionals



3. I never received this book from Amazon. Now I get to go through the fun process of trying to get a refund. Amazon sucks. Meanwhile, I bought this book at a bookstore and it is really good.



4. Salvadori's "Why Buildings Stand Up" is perhaps best introduced by the author's own words in the preface, succinctly and appealingly written: "This book was written for those who love beautiful buildings and wonder how they stand up." A somewhat lofty goal, the author nevertheless does a wonderful job of introducing the basics of building mechanics and then to describe how those mechanics - both static and dynamic - are at play in a wide variety of structures ancient and modern. The book is a thoroughly enjoyable read that leaves one much more greatly informed than one might expect, despite the obvious implication and stated goal of the title.
   
   The book truly represents a door opening into the world of structural issues in architecture. After a brief introduction on the historical background of the field of architecture, Salvadori introduces the pyramids of Egypt as one of the earliest examples of empirical approaches to structural erection ("empirical" meaning that much of this effort was trial-and-error, in spite of some basic understandings of how gravity affects, and creates, structural "loads" in any construction). Having allowed us to focus our thoughts on these early construction programs, we then are introduced in turn to essential engineering architecture concepts such as loads, beams, columns, and building materials. These discussions, which are covered in extensive, but nevertheless clear, text, serve as the foundation pieces for everything else examined throughout the remainder of the work.
   
   The text next moves into numerous specific building types, and examines the specific engineering issues surrounding each. By presenting the material in this manner, we are able to learn all about the sometimes complex statics and dynamics issues in a contextual manner, i.e., we see the actual real-life application of these concepts in the instances the author chooses as venues to teach these concepts. We look at houses from all ages, every major type of bridge, at domes, tents, balloon structures, and even "hanging dishes." We are also provided neatly crafted line drawings illustrating these concepts, and often reproducing specific sites that represent salient examples of the concepts under discussion.
   
   Beyond discussing structural concepts, we are also treated to specific examinations, by chapter, of some of the most fascinating building projects around the world, and are made to consider the unique and often complex structural issues at work in these buildings. These include the Eiffel Tower, the Hagia Sophia, the Brooklyn Bridge, and even a whole chapter on the fascinating elements in play in the classic medieval European gothic cathedral. In the case of gothic cathedrals, Salvadori selects one of the most interesting of cases, the Saint Pierre cathedral of Beauvais, as a dual example of how gothic structural forces are controlled through the pointed arch, the ribbed vault, and the flying buttress, but also how that, in some cases, such as at Beauvais, collapse still ensued under certain conditions. The Beauvais case is particularly interesting, as the lofty goal of the edifice - to be the tallest gothic cathedral ever built - may not have been the actual cause of collapse, and the steps taken to prevent further collapse (such as the adding of additional interior piers in the 14th century) are not necessarily the only reason why collapse has not since occurred in the structure since the 16th century.
   
   Salvadori's text is a companion to his other volume, "Why Buildings Fall Down," and although this might sound like a marketing ploy, upon reading the two texts one can see the very different approach and outcomes produced by these two approaches. You can certainly read either volume by itself and walk away satisfied, but if you read BOTH volumes, the opportunity is presented to the reader to more carefully integrate the learning into a more meaningful whole. One might view one approach as a top-down approach, and the other a bottom-up approach, although that metaphor slightly fails in some respects. But there is nevertheless a great value in seeing how stressors, tension, lateral forces, and so on balance in harmony in structurally-sound buildings and structures, and how unbalanced loads can force collapse in all types of structures.
   As an adjunct reading to the mechanical engineer, I can heartily recommend both these texts to help contextualize and illuminate the concepts learned in engineering classes. For the general reader, I can equally recommend these books as fascinating and educational forays into the world of structures, both standing and not.



5. This book is an essential read for architecture students entering the first years of architecture school or entering into Structures class, as well as curious people just interested in architecture in general. It is topically comprehensive in its description of critical physics, structure, and historical events that effect the building industry today.

5 comments about The Cabin: Inspiration for the Classic American Getaway.

1. I bought this book along with a bunch of others when I bought a country home. I liked this one the best-no Architectural Digest rich people cabins that none of us can afford (or even want). This book limits the size of the cabins to a modest 1200 feet or so and focuses on the creativity of the owners. Really interesting uses of space. I have given it as a gift many times and everyone has really liked it



2. This is a great book with many terrific photos that will fuel your imagination and inspiration for a future small home which, in my opinion is the wave of the near future. Less is more, and this book shows you how beautiful that can be. I would recommend you leave this book on the coffee table, people always pick it up and enjoy flipping through it.



3. In a nutshell, a beautiful book with gorgeous photos and plenty of ideas. In the few days that I've had it, its been used frequently to clarify and illustrate our own ideas about the cabin that we're planning. As far as I'm concerned it has paid for itself already.



4. God, this book is so lushly illustrated with cozy spaces and intimate hideaways that you just want to scramble for the hills after one read-through. All the houses in it are deliciously comfy and cozy, illustrating the forgotten principle of 'just enough', all look just big enough,a nd all look terribly inviting and tempting. This book is cabin porn, basically.



5. I love this book. I keep going back to it for ideas for building a summer sleeping structure for my large back yard. For people who love the outdoors and are drawn to the concept of living structures which invite the outdoors inside and vice versa, this book is full of inspiration. There is something for everyone in this book and you would be hard pressed not to find at least one structure in this book which has you itching to pick up a hammer and a saw.

2 comments about 50 Great Kitchens by Architects (By Architects).

1. I enjoyed the concept of the book however the level of detail was not what I would have wanted. I wish the pictures were a little bite larger so that you could see the connection details of the tile, wood, and metal.



2. This book presents fabulous photos of awe-inspiring kitchens based on modern architecture. The newest materials and looks are emphasized. What is also great is the functionality of many of them. The ones by CCS-architecture are particularly noteworthy because this firm specializes in modern restaurant design in San Francisco. This volume gave us some great ideas.

1 comments about New Urbanism and Beyond: Designing Cities for the Future.

1. This book, which brings together an impressive array of 67 leading thinkers in urbanism today, is likely to become a classic resource for students, instructors, professionals, policymakers, activists, and anyone who is fascinated with cities and their future. It is also a rewarding treasury of ideas, drawings, photographs and case study information, offering a delightful browse or more careful study.
   
   The book, an outgrowth of a 2004 conference at the Swedish Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, presents a provocative range of thought from many of the most legendary thinkers of the last half-century on cities, architecture and urbanism, including Christopher Alexander, Bill Hillier, Peter Hall, Leon Krier, Jan Gehl and many others. Its specific focus is the movement of New Urbanism, and key founders present their case here (Peter Calthorpe, Andres Duany, Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk et al). Critics also have their say (Edward Soja, Ayssar Arida et al) with additional thoughtful analysis from many in between (Emily Talen, Christopher Alexander et al).
   
   The discussion goes far deeper than the usual stereotyped discussions that often pass for informed debate about a movement that Herbert Muschamp of the New York Times called "the most important phenomenon to emerge in American architecture in the post-Cold War era" - in large part because it challenges the view that architects are "incapable of collective action." Editor Tigran Haas argues here that that importance is now global, and therefore it's even more important to understand and to discuss its merits and shortcomings in a more incisive way.
   
   Moreover, the book's scope does indeed go far "beyond" the professional movement of New Urbanism per se, taking into account broader contemporary issues in sociology (Robert Putnam, Ray Oldenburg, David Brain), economics (Robert Gibbs, Christopher Leinberger), ecology (Tim Beatley, William McDonough), engineering and street design (Allan Jacobs, Rich Hall) transit-oriented development (Robert Cervero), complexity and connectivity (Michael Batty, Bill Hillier), gloablization and sprawl (Richard Florida, Dolores Hayden) and much, much more.
   
   Editor and conference leader Tigran Hass argues that the New Urbanism, thanks to its inter-disciplinary nature, offers a very useful lens with which to examine these broader issues. As he puts it in the introduction, "This is not an anticipatory work, a book of dreams, or a nostrum for the future design of cities and our communities; it is simply a solidly grounded collection of ideas and thoughts addressing our urban condition (and beyond) written by an exceptional group of individuals never before assembled in one place."
   
   [Disclaimer: The reviewer is one of the 67 authors featured in this work. But the above remarks may be applied solely to the other 66!]

1 comments about Between Earth and Heaven: The Architecture of John Lautner.

1. This book is beautiful, it has lots of pictures and drawings I had never seen before. I have been waiting for a really great Lautner book to be published because all the others show 'pretty' pictures, but I have never been able to get a true sense of the buildings (I am an architect). i was hoping this book would have the pretty pictures and more overall drawings. This book is a great complement to the 'pretty picture books' as it has images that are not regularly seen in the other Lautner books..... I just feel this book doesn't truly satisfy my need for information and clarification on these buildings.

4 comments about Great Houses Of Texas.

1. Beautifully photographed with interesting history on the diversity of Texas homes, this book details the unique blend of European sophistication and "homegrown" design that combined to create a truly unique architecture. This book makes a wonderful gift for any favorite Texan.



2. Great Houses of Texas would be appreciated by anyone with an interest in great architecture as exhibited in this book. Many of the houses included are well known, but some are hardly known at all. O'Neill Ford's house for the Steves family should have been included, in San Antonio. Its omission is my only disappointment in the book. The text is adequate though not extensive and the photographs, alone, are worth the price of the book. I know of only one other book on this subject, and that was written years ago, so such a book is long past due! Lee Govatos



3. Though some readers may quibble over the title of this book, it is clear that the book is focussed on the greatest houses still occupied in Texas. This is a subtle but important distinction. The houses shown are not dead great houses, of which there are many in Texas and many of which are greatly admired; Germany instead has focussed on private homes occupied by individuals. With that in mind, it is a fascinating read.



4. There are many things to admire about this book, the images are well presented, the text is informative and overall I liked it, but WHO selected these houses. The book should have been titled, some great and not so great houses in Texas. How could you write a book about Great Houses in Texas and not include the Sealy House in Galveston, the only McKim Mead and White house in the South, or the most famous house in the state, the Bishops Palace in Galveston, or not include Bayou Bend!!! or the McFaddin Mansion in Beaumont, a house that is considered by architecture scholars to be the best example in Colonial Beaux Art in America..it's just incredulous. Many of the houses selected were great, such as the mansion at Kings Ranch which graces the cover and leads you to believe all the houses in the book will be to this standard and they unforunitely are not...the Crespi House in dallas by Maurice Fatio is great as well as is the Bass House in Ft. Worth, as well as the Pease House in Austin, but many just leave you thinking..WHAT!..Im from Texas and am very familar with the grand houses in the state, so I shocked to see some of the most famous houses in the state not present in this book. This is not a bad book, I give it four stars, but it could have been great..too bad whomever selected the houses for this book, was not as thorough as they should have been, nice book, but a disappointment to those of us familiar with the truely great houses of this singular state.

4 comments about Think Like an Architect (Roger Fullington Series in Architecture).

1. I am not an architect; merely someone who appreciates the end results of good architecture. I do not routinely read books about architecture, or books written by architects. But as a long-time admirer of Hal Box's architectural work, I was curious how a book titled Think Like an Architect might read.
   
   Short answer? Terrifically! I learned something interesting about the history, art and science of architecture in every chapter.
   
   As I finished the book, which I accomplished faster than I would have liked or imagined, it occurred to me that Hal Box accomplished with this book what Vitruvius, the first century BC Roman architect, espoused as the goals of good architecture: commodity, firmness, and delight. The book accomplished its program of encouraging me to think more like an architect (commodity); the ideas and illustrations are thoughtfully and artfully presented in a sturdy format which will withstand years of referencing and re-reading (firmness); and Professor Box puts forth his ideas and opinions, earned over a long and distinguished career as an educator and practicing architect, clearly and entertainingly (delight).
   
   Whether one plans to build or is simply curious about how to do it right, Think Like an Architect is a must.



2. Think Like an Architect opens the door to those of us who love space, love to think about space and building houses we love to live in. As someone who has built many homes and lived inside those spaces he conceived and created, Hal Box is able to not only share his love of the creation of places we want to be but to tell us how to get there on our own--clearly.
   I am building a second home in Mexico and find that reading and re-reading this book--especially the considerations--continues to inform and clarify my thinking about the project.
   Margaret Keys



3. As someone who has an interest in architecture but whose knowledge of architectural theory and history are superficial and spotty, I found Hal Box's book Think Like an Architect an especially rewarding read. Written with the confidence earned from a long, successful, and satisfying career, his book is a straightforward explanation of both the intention and process of producing the kind of buildings that are life-affirming and enduring. His writing is entirely free of the thornscrub argot that makes most architectural criticism an impenetrable thicket closed to "outsiders" and hostile to dialog. Thus unarmed, Mr. Box may therefore be vulnerable because he dares to use old-fashioned words like beauty, graceful, charming, and harmony. But to me, watching my local landscape erased and replaced by generic chain stores and anonymous neighborhoods, this language is as welcome as a summer thunderstorm falling on parched ground.
   
   It was especially interesting to me to learn how a post-war generation of eager young architects were "brainwashed" by Modernism's cerebral rationality. This I can understand, as the enthusiasm followed their experiences of the Great Depression and World War II. Something new was certainly in order. But even newness can become stale and lifeless. Today, as a new generation of architects meets perhaps the even greater challenge of designing buildings that are "sustainable" or "green", we may be seeing another great age of inspired innovation, expanding the smaller scale vernacular experiments of Sam Mockbee, the elegant shelters of Glen Murcutt, and the social works of Cameron Sinclair's Architecture for Humanity Foundation, to influence and shape the mainstream market. I hope that architects, planners and consumers will avail themselves of the wisdom in Mr. Box's book as they participate in this great new adventure.



4. Are you about to build a new home, serve on a school building committee, or design a public park for a client? Or do you just like to be in and around jewels of architecture? If you answer "Yes," get Second Day delivery on your new copy of Think Like an Architect.
   
   This is a rich compendium of letters (chapters) written to friends and colleagues, replete with drawings, photographs, and tools such as "10 ways to explore and understand a building," plus a thorough Seeing List, as well as a Reading List. A blend of architectural history and 21st Century reality -- deftly connected by Dean Box's passion for and knowledge about the importance of architecture in our daily lives and our cultural legacies - these are two hundred of the most helpful and inspiring pages you'll read. It also is a fast read. Yesterday in fact an active aficionado friend who has been intimately involved with half a dozen projects in recent years excitedly told me that he'd, "just finished, the best, most enjoyable book on architecture. I lost sleep because of it, staying up to read it at night and awakening early to continue." I knew the title he was about to tell me.

5 comments about Managerial Economics & Organizational Architecture.

1. Rarely do I feel inspired to write about technical books, or my graduate school textbooks, but this one is so good that I just can't resist.
   
   This book is all about the quality of the content rather than the flashiness of the typeset. Colors are few on these pages, but the instructional quality in the text is really superb. When I read this book, I feel like I'm getting a real, fundamental analysis of what a firm really is, and why the basic principles of microeconomics are so important and robust. Mathematical content is relatively thin (though not absent) in this book, the authors favoring a visual, conceptual approach to this highly technical topic. It works beautifully, especially for those of us who want to understand the concept of the firm but come from non-technical backgrounds. Potential readers should not get the idea that all this means that the book is "dumbed down" in any way. The three authors, all distinguished economists at the University of Rochester, maintain the highest standards of intellectual rigor. Chapter 3 is the most lucid summary of essential economic theory I have ever read. But keep in mind that this is a textbook, intended for student use. It is NOT a penetrating analysis of the leading edge of research in economic theory.
   
   The whole thing comes off a bit like a "philosophy of the firm," with abundant historical context, modern minicases, and lucid behavioral insights. I waited almost two years in my MBA program to come across this one, and my confidence in the academic business literature is restored!
   
   As you know and expect, this book is hideously expensive. It's worth the cost, but if you can find a way to buy it used or at a discount... But, by all means, get the latest edition. Books like this go out of date rapidly.



2. This book is very easy to follow and gets straight to the point. It has allow me to develop a very good understanding of how organizational makeup can impact the progress of an organization and its stakeholders.



3. I'm a consultant and this book is quite good in order to improve my performance during my job.



4. This book has two real aspects.
   
   First is is a good general introduction to economics that might be used at the upper undergraduate or MBA level. Note the title says that it is 'Managerial Economics.' This book is aimed at the student following a management track rather than a professional economics track. The concept of the book is to give an overview of all aspects of economic theory without a heavy concentration in any one particular area.
   
   Second, this is the fourth edition of the book. This was made necessary because of the great changes that have occurred as a result of Enron, Arthur Anderson and the other companies that collectively made great changes in the business environment. One such change is the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, discussed at length here even though it is still too new to realize its full implications.
   
   The case studies that are included reflect these new times: Arthur Anderson, Barings Bank, Interwest Healthcare, Property Right Security in Russian Deprivatization, eBay.com, iTunes, Wal-Mart.com and others that could come directly off of today's headlines.
   
   This is a new and up-to-date edition of a well received book.



5. I just finished a Managerial Economics MBA course that used this text. I found it to be very well written compared to textbooks I've read for other classes. I think it does a good job explaining supply and demand, intro to pricing, and intro to strategy and game theory. Examples are used to improve the reader's "economic" intuition. I talked to a friend who just finished a differnt MBA program who used this book. He recommended the book and especially liked the strategy segments and the prisoner's dilema.

1 comments about New Paris Interiors.

1. I'm going to love poring over this book over and over again. It's impossible to look through it all at once, anyway, it's so big and the visual onslaught is overwhelming. Being a middle-class, Great Plains middle-aged person, I will never see these apartments and rooms myself, but it's fun to see how world-class artists, musicians, actors, directors, designers and financiers like to decorate their homes. Some of them, I swear, are compulsive collectors - stuff *everywhere*! Most are beautiful rooms, lending lots of ideas or at least daydreams for one's own home.
   
   The photography is lovely; the text is in blocks of English, French, and German, so if you want to practice your French or German, this is a fun way to do it. If you're a Francophile, like me, it's entertaining and educational peering through those windows out to the Parisian sights.
   
   My only complaint is how huge the book is; it's not a lap-book, that's for sure. It is definitely worth the money, in my opinion.

5 comments about Practical Pole Building Construction: With Plans for Barns, Cabins, & Outbuildings.

1. This book is fine, as far as it goes, but does not address the trend towards using cast concrete pole bases and untreated poles rather than using direct-burial treated poles.



2. This is a very complete book that doesn't leave the reader asking for details like so many others. It's written so beginners can understand it and it contains all the design criteria, load tables, joint details, and so forth that an experienced builder needs to get a building permit and construct a building. Seddon inlcudes practical "how to" answers beginning with construction of a temporary frame to lift tall poles into holes in the ground without killing yourself trying. Framing and jointing details, connections, siding, windows and finish are all here. I built many stick frame homes over several years and was looking for information on construction of a pole frame home. I found it very useful and practical.



3. Although the book had some helpful hints I was looking for more practical instructions on how to build a pole barn. The book did not go in deepth enough and had little information on pole barns. I was looking for ideas to help setting the floor grade and where to get started after lay-out is finished



4. This book is very good. The information is presented in great detail in a very useable way. I found myself wanting to build with poles! Highly recomended.
   Sincerly, Adelbert M. Vinal Jr.



5. I'm 2/3 done with a garage that's based on a plan in this book. I'm using this book for pole barn-specific info, and "Building a Multi-Use Barn : For Garage, Animals, W..." for the rest. Together, these two books give me enough information, without going overboard. Good luck to you; I'm having a blast!