2 comments about La Maison de Verre.

1. I just received the book and had no time to read the text. The NY Times article in the summer covered the history of the house up until its current restoration. The photographs look a little as if they were from the "modern" era. Perfect perspective correction, focus on the details, rendering the home's atmosphere remarkably well. I especially like the color balance of the images. I disagree with the previous reviewer about the pictures. I can not imagine any different way to introduce this spectacular building. The black and white Polaroids (?) are a bit distracting. They may serve as spacers.
   
   The "modern" is an important stage of the Western culture and deserves our attention.
   
   Akos Szilvasi (Cambridge, Massachusetts)



2. This book simultaneously (and half-heartedly) documents the owner, the architect, and the building. The text is boring, the pictures are less than spectacular, and there is an extremely limited set of drawings placed in the back of the book as an after thought.
   Overall I am extremely dissapointed with my purchase, and if you are an architect or student of architecture chances are you will be too.

1 comments about How to Build with Grid Beam: A Fast, Easy and Affordable System for Constructing Almost Anything.

1. The idea of modular building is not new, but it's one I've been interested in for years. I have several similar books, but this is by far the best.
   
   If you need practical, inexpensive, yet elegant solutions for any kind of storage units, basic furniture, and much more, this book will show you how to do it.
   
   Afraid of building things? Read this and see how easy it is. Anyone can do it with minimal cost, very few tools, and with a variety of materials.
   
   As the book says, it's basically an Erector Set for adults (or even smart kids with maybe a bit of supervision...)
   
   I needed bookcases -- next week I'll have them.
   
   Simple, elegant, and (here's the best part) if and when you no longer need what you've built, you can dismantle the project and re-use the pieces to build something else. Thorough, inspirational, and completely practical.
   
   No fear. Just do it!

1 comments about Architectural Regionalism: Collected Writings on Place, Identity, Modernity, and Tradition.

1. The intent of this volume was to construct a coherent history of the idea of regionalism from its many many supporting texts and ideas. It is an important collection of writing that covers the entire 20th Century intellectual history of Regionalism in Architecture and includes such authors as: Lewis Mumford, Le Corbusier, David Williams, Mary Colter, Pietro Belluschi, Christopher Alexander, Wendell Berry, Kenneth Frampton, Sigfried Giedion, Harwell Hamilton Harris, Richard Ingersoll, Benton MacKaye, John Gaw Meem, Richard Neutra, Paul Ricouer, Alan Colquhoun, Juhani Pallasmaa, among others (44 in all). Further, it considers Regionalism in an international context, particularly the developing world through the writings of Suha Ozkan (Middle East), Balkrishna Doshi (India), and Kenza Boussora (Algeria). In it are provided contextual introductions to each text and an introduction that attempts to place the discourse, as a whole in reasonable framework. The topics include: Regionalist theory, Referential Regionalism (1920s & 30s), Regional Modernism (1930s-1960s), Regional Planning, Bioregionalism, Critical Regionalism, and a set of essays that update and extend the discourse into the future via performativity theory, sustainability, and the socially-critical work of the Rural Studio.

5 comments about House.

1. I fell in love with these builders. I was so happy to see that Jim Locke did his own book and is apparently successful in his business. I just hope the others are too. There is so much slipshod work done these days - build it big, lots of fancy extras, lots of problems later.



2. Unlike most others, I disliked this book. I tried to get through it twice, separated by a few years, but I give up.
   
   I'd hoped that this would offer fresh insights to building, but it was simply a painful replay of the psycho-drama involved: who's going to take the risks, who's going to "win" in what is presented as a zero-sum game.
   
   No wonder so many people end up hating their builders, and no wonder builders approach customers with distrust!
   
   I'm a serial renovator and will soon be building from the ground up. I'd suggest that there IS another approach - it's called teamwork. Do the research and make the effort upfront and find a builder you can work with and trust. Keep them running a tight budget with multiple bids but be respectful of their risk too! It's possible to create an environment in which everyone wins: on projects this significant, it's worth working to create it.



3. As a builder myself, I find that Kidder presents a fascinating picture about the process of building a house. I, like the builders in the book, always try to create something beautiful and lasting. All I can say is that the homeowners got lucky in finding builders that care so much despite the owners' pettiness. All too often, I am called in to repair a job in which the builder did not care or the owner was trying to "cheap out" or both. Most of the time you get what you pay for. In this case the owners got lucky to find true gentlemen who loved their craft. This is a book espousing that truly talented craftsmen are worth so much more than their weight in gold. A side note, Bill Rawns's architecture firm is now huge and well decorated, and Jim Locke, one of the builders, has written his own book called "A Well-Built House".



4. If the Souweines were happy about their house, they probably weren't happy with this book. I got the feeling that Kidder set out to be totally impartial about all of the people in this book, but by the end, he was sick of the whiny Souweines, in the same way that the carpenters set out to do the absolute best work they could but finally just wanted to get er done.



5. We're going through a major remodel, so I jumped at the opportunity to read this book. It's been a pretty good read, with fairly accurate descriptions of each party's position during the construction project. All parties come across as sympathetic and genuine, which make their conflicts more real. My biggest disappointment is that I wanted the analysis to be deeper so that I could takeaway lessons about what to do and what to avoid, but this isn't that kind of book.

5 comments about The Construction of Gothic Cathedrals: A Study of Medieval Vault Erection.

1. The only book written on how to build a cathedral. Very informative and helpful to a novice.



2. Good introduction to medieval building techniques. Being a devoted admirer of Gothic cathedrals, this was one of the first books I red about the subject and it served well. If you wish to know why was pointed arch so important, or procedures used to erect butresses or types of scaffoldings used at that times... you will find the answers here. There is one drawback - it seems to me that author was repeating some ideas from the first half of the book in the second one, but still, it deserves 5 stars. Kind regards, Mario.



3. If you want to know about the details of building a Gothic Cathedral this is IT! I only wish the type front was a little bigger and some of the drawings were enlarged. Some of the construction details are pretty much what we are still doing today.



4. The builders of Gothic vaults left few clues (written or pictorial) about their actual construction methods. John Fitchen employs induction as well as the skills of a detective to figure out how the vaults were designed and built. Nevertheless, he fails the inquisitive reader at one critical point.

   Fitchen states that the stone ribs supporting the Gothic vaults conform to a curve called, in mathematics, a catenary. The mathematics of catenary curves was first described by Robert Hooke in the late 1600s. This was no less than 150 years *after* the Gothic builders completed their last work.

   In the absence of a knowledge of the mathematics of catenaries, how did the Gothic builders discover the *only* rib curvature that was self-supporting?

   (It's not good enough to say the Gothic builders arrived at the correct catenary curve empirically, that is, by trial and error. There was simply no room for error. All would have come tumbling down.)

   How did they do it?




5. In this book, originally published in 1961, John Fitchen describes and explains the falsework (i.e. scaffolding) that was used to build Gothic Cathedrals. The main focus is on the construction and use of the centering (which is the formwork used to build arcs and vaults). The chapters: 1. Sources of information - 2. Constructional means - 3. Medieval types of vaulting - 4. Gothic formwork - 5. Gothic centering - 6. Erection of rib vaulting without formwork. The text is clearly written and accompanied by excellent drawings, a very good glossary and an extensive bibliography. For everyone interested in medieval building techniques this book is a must.

1 comments about McGraw-Hill's HVAC Licensing Study Guide.

1. First, the book comes with an Errata Sheet for all of the answers that are incorrect in the book. Second, I'm going through this book and second guessing myself on answers, having to go pull resources, because there are even more incorrect answers. They should have gotten it together on the first pass or at least made sure the second pass was correct. You will not master anything by reading this book. Each section is totally lacking in information about the subject matter. The only way that this book can be used as a study guide is by using the questions that are in it and looking up the answers on your own because you can't trust the book. It was a waste of money. I would have rather paid $100 for a good book than the $30 I wasted on this one.

2 comments about Building Details [with CD-ROM] (Classical America Series in Art and Architecture).

1. This is a reducted size reprint of Frank Synder's 12 part serial BUIDLING DETAILS from 1906 to 1914 which consisted of plates of architectural details redrawn from the leading architects of the day. Each plate, often including at least partial elevations and/or sections, is masterly composed with an occasional thumbnail photo giving additional clarification. The range of projects is great, from schools, churches, banks, and government buildings, to fine homes.
   
   Other than identification and limited notes on the plates there is no descriptive text as such, however. The introduction by Pennoyer and Walker only discusses the significance of Synder's original work and others of the same ilk. While these technical drawings would undoubtedly be a valuable reference to architects practicing in the classical mode, they might be too limiting to interest the non-professional.



2. Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RKYYJ80JZ1SB1 Building Details [with CD-ROM]

5 comments about Siteless: 1001 Building Forms.

1. I am not an architect but I am fascinated by the multiple varieties of shapes in this book. I can literally dive into this imaginative world.
   The architectural context seems to give the work some kind of
   justification, which is not needed. It is a fine piece of art all by
   itself.
   It makes a good present as well, as the price is very reasonable, and can be a source of inspiration not only for architects but also for artists (I personally intend to offer it to a friend who is a wood sculptor). I think this book is an appealing work for all kinds of creative people.



2. This is a book that reflects the disease that afflicts modern architecture these days. Out of "boredom" with the field we are given a bunch of random meaningless forms which proudly state they have no relationship to site, community, or humanity. How clever. Even the genesis of form based on nature would be more interesting than this visual equivalent of navel gazing. Maybe this reflects the utter detachment from the real world that current modernist architects have attained. In an age where we, the human beings, could certainly use better visions for the built environment, we are offered some idle, ego-driven, abstract puttering. Anyone who needs this book as form-giver, shouldn't be practicing architecture, or attempting to learn it.



3. It's a very interesting little pamphlet, and amusing to flip to any page and see what's there.
   That being said, the forms don't communicate that much, and it requires an iron attention span to "read" for more than about 5 minutes.



4. The book filled with hundreds of small sketches, the title of each sketch is pretty mindless..
   It did not have the depth and sophistication one would like to explore when looking at this tiny sketches. All in black and white.
   I don't care who the author is, but to draw that many sketches, I think he owes more narrative to the readers how this 'manifestos' could define architecture.
   So, it is pretty much ideas without explanation.. that's it pretty much it.
   good thing is, the book is not expensive..But I'd not buy this book for more than 7 bucks.



5. This book makes a compelling opening written statement, laying out his process. Then what follows is a set of 3d 'parti' drawings, siteless, scaleless architectural 'units', drawn with a scrupulous knowledge of Jacob Chernikov's scrupulously minimal style. Each drawing is an intense, little HAND DRAWN architectural configuration, a pure expression of gestural thought, and the resulting wellspring of direct architectural applications they suggest will be a tempting crutch for a student. Any of these vivid diagrams can jar the architectural imagination, to scale these ideas, site them, and lay out the future of architecture. Not bad for a little book. Packs a great punch. A secret weapon if you're stuck, but maybe it could inspire you to your own path, and your own encylopedia of invention. So good you might want to avoid looking at it, if you want to feel original.

1 comments about Barn: Evolution and Adaption of a Vernacular Icon.

1. Excellent book, if the other book, Barns: Living in Converted and Reinvented Spaces is the ying, then this book is the yang. A good inspirational design book if you're interested in reusing an old barn for modern day use and staying within the original design. The text is interesting and informative with the accompanying photos following along with the text. The pictures are overall excellent, sharp, clear, in detail and professionally done, with very very few exceptions. Some buildings are shown with structural drawings that help visualize the internal timber frame or stone structure with the accompanying photogaphs. The authors seems to be a die hard traditionalist, very critical and at times mildly insulting to designers that chose to remodel the old barns in the modern way and deviating from what the original builders did. But at times understanding that the modern style is a better fate than total destruction of a old old structure.

5 comments about Building a Multi-Use Barn: For Garage, Animals, Workshop, Studio.

1. While the sections on planning and construction are quite helpful, I was disappointed in the section on electricity. A barn is considered an outbuilding, and local electrical codes may be different for residences and outbuildings. Barns are often used to house livestock or poultry, but the book does not address the different requirements for farm wiring.
   
   Residential wiring usually requires NM (non-metallic) cable, but in a building may be subjected to high moisture like that in a livestock barn, NMC or UF (Underground Feed) wiring is required. In addition, the boxes for outlets and fixtures must usually be sealed against moisture and dust.
   
   Author John Wagner does say that it is important to work with the local electrical inspector and know the local code requirments as they vary greatly.



2. References to buil an audio studio in the simplest fom me by home archetitural process.



3. A useful book on the various practical aspects of building a simple (or not so simple) barn. Useful to a do-it-yourselfer, or as a reference to someone using contractors. Recommended.



4. Builder John Wagner shows the versatility that's possible with one good barn. Using a 24' by 30' plan and simple framing, Wagner alters the interior layout to create a tractor garage and garden shed, a studio, a workshop and office, and a stable. His ideas should be considered by anyone looking for practical uses for old barns. Besides being a design guide, this book covers all the basics of light frame construction with easy-to-read text, photos and great illustrations.



5. Boy, I couldn't believe it when I got this book. It covers everything from ground prep, foundation, framing, configuring the building to fit it's use.....on and on and on! It blocks everything out, so if you are not comfy with doing that one piece yourself, you can contract that piece out and pick up from there. I can't wait to get my hands dirty! Read the whole thing first.