No comments about Studio Works 12 (Graduate School of Design, Studio Works).

No comments about Living Outside Inside.

No comments about Block by Block: Jane Jacobs and the Future of New York.

2 comments about Order in Space: A Design Source Book.

1. This was one of the books that first showed many people the interrelationships between the Platonic and Archimedian solids. Critchlow studied under Buckminster Fuller and many of Bucky's perceptions find their way in to these pages. Not without a few small errors here and there but overall a groundbreaking book of its day and still an essential volume on the shelf of anyone who works structurally in 3-d. Highly recommended.



2. That this book is back in print is a gift to the world. It's a completely thorough and wonderful trip through various 2d and 3d geometries and patterns. The drawings can be appreciated just on an aesthetic level, or can be delved into deeply. A rare book.

5 comments about Modern Exterior Ballistics: The Launch and Flight Dynamics of Symmetric Projectiles.

1. McCoy's book is phenomenal if you seek the essentially pure theory and mathematical characterization of "real," differential equation-based ballistics. The book starts with the simplest form of ballistics calculations, the basic parabolic gravity-only point-mass trajectory everyone encounters in a basic physics course, and then slowly works up from there, all the way to the full six-degrees-of-freedom model (three positional dimensions of motion plus the three rotational dimensions of the spinning, wobbling projectile,) accounting for gravity, frontal air resistance, crosswinds, lifting forces, forces due to the projectile shape, Coriolis force (the consequence of Earth's rotation,) and even rocket forces if the "projectile" is actually a self-powered one. McCoy goes into the simplifications one can make to compute with only a point-mass projectile model (no rotational motion) and I most liked this approach for my own uses. He divides the work into chapters, with each new one adding a level of generality to the model(s) involved. This organization makes it very easy for the reader to choose the level of complexity and accuracy most desired. I was very impressed with McCoy's development of envelope curves, those being the curves of absolute flight limits of a projectile, giving the total interior region that a fired projectile could possibly hit.
   
   This book provides an immense background of everything needed to develop your own ballistics programs and could even provide enough material to do some original research in the field, but I would definitely contend that this book isn't for everyone. In particular, you need to have a very strong mathematics background, including linear algebra and differential equations, and one would do best with some numerical analysis background as well. McCoy does give some detail about various numerical methods one could use to advantage when doing the calculations with a computer, but not quite enough to actually get you started if you weren't already significantly familiar with standard single-step Runge-Kutta and multi-step differential equation solvers. Further, this book does contain a lot of typos and small errors buried deep in the equations, so you need to be able to follow the development well enough to catch them. Essentially, you need to be able to understand the methods used in higher math quite well, use McCoy's initial modeling, and then re-derive his equations on your own, with his derivations as guidance. Also, I think the typesetting of equations is done poorly in general, so it is often somewhat difficult to read them and keep his notations straight.
   
   This book is well worth its price, and the knowledge contained in it is probably nearly unavailable anywhere else these days. Ballistics is an old, but very technical and complicated field, and few people study it extensively any more, so I think it has become somewhat extinct in academic circles. This is unfortunate, for it is magnificent and rewarding, and McCoy's book is an opus dedicated to preserving this wonderful field of hard-won knowledge. The study of precise ballistics modeling and trajectory prediction was the first "big" problem that spawned the development of the digital computer, and the first true calculus problem ever solved by any mathematician was the shape-of-minimum-resistance ballistics problem, solved by Sir Issac Newton. McCoy's book is a grand survey of mid-20th century ballistics knowledge, complete with graphs, photographs, high-speed shadowgraphs from the ranges at Aberdeen Proving Ground, and references to the original authors and studies done by the military and other technical institutions.
   
   You will not regret the purchase of this book, especially if you want to understand the real theory and know how to calculate real ballistics trajectories for all kinds of projectiles at various speeds, not just watered-down, oversimplified, inaccurate, textbook-friendly versions of them. I'm even considering buying myself a second copy, just to be sure I will always have a mint-condition copy available!



2. As a ballastician, I must say that this book is a MUST HAVE for any professional in the field of exterior ballistics or the enthusiast with some knowledge of basic physics and high level mathematics. McCoy was a world renowned expert in the field of exterior ballistics throughout his 30 year career with the US Army Ballistic Research Lab (BRL) - this comes through in the pages of this book without a doubt. There are many excellent examples taken from McCoy's (and others) work with the BRL. All should take note, the book has many small typos peppered throughout both the text and figures. The errata pages can be printed off of several well maintained websites which can be found by searching on the title of the book.



3. This is a great book, but full of typos and edition errors of all types.
   The errata ( you can find it in Internet ) is 20 pages long.
   The book, as it stands now, is of very limited use.
   Better wait the Dover edition.



4. Certainly McCoy's book , Modern Exterior Ballistics, is the result of years of work at the Army's Ballistic Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Grounds. The book contains some excellent shadowgraphs of projectiles in flight. The historical background is alone worth the price of the book. The hard core computational capability of the modern desk top computer has been over shadowed by its use as an internet station, word processor, game platform etc. Nevertheless, most of the approximations given in this book are easily side stepped by a "brute force" integration of the equations of motion be readily and easily achieved with such software as MATLAB or TrueBasic and I am sure with C++ if that is your choice. The important point here is that most of the approximations given in McCoy's book are methods that for the most part have been entirely superseded by the capability of readily available computer languages. To employ such methods makes no greater analytical demands of the reader than, say, to follow and use the analytical approximations such as the approximation for flat trajectory. McCoy does make some concession to computer analysis with a BASIC program for projectile drag. However, on the whole the book is not quite modern, but more suited to computational conditions as existed in 1975. Unfortunately, with the passing of Dr. McCoy, the task of brings this otherwise good book up to 21 century standards would have to done by others.



5. This is ballistician's dream book. It describes all of the introductory and some advanced material pertaining to modern ballistics in wonderful detail, and the example problems are useful and illustrative. There is a wealth of information, such as drag coefficients and functions, form factors, and a beautiful derivation of the MPM yaw of repose that do not appear anywhere else in my experience. The experimental and computer generated plots are beautiful and informative.

   Unfortunately, the book is also full of typographical and other errors, such as having the wrong variable in a place in several equations, having variables simply missing from equations or from an explanation in the text, having the wrong headings in some of the tables, repeating figure numbers on different figures, or even having multiple missing words in some explanatory paragraphs that make the sentences into hard to interpret giberish. Some of the citations,for instance in Chapter 9, do not appear in the Bibliography at all (Chapter 9 has references numbered up to 16 in the text, but only 10 appear in the Bibiolgraphy).

   The bottom line: This is a GREAT BOOK if you are mathematically sound and don't mind deriving some of the equations yourself, and if you know enough to catch the errors and make the corrections. Don't get me wrong... I like the book a lot. It is well worth its price. Just be aware that you will have to work a little harder than usual to read and understand it.

   [...]

1 comments about Beyond the Bungalow.

1. I really enjoyed this book because it points out several historic house museums that I was not aware of and can now add to my must see list. This book covers those homes that are not technically bungalows but are still a part of the rich American Arts and Crafts movement.
   
   The text is a bit hard to work through but the author does have some wonderful ideas. There are roughly 50 different houses shown all from the exterior and about 25 have additional interior photos. Not all the homes are available to the public so it is a nice way to see inside some private homes.
   
   This is not a how to book but it covers its subject nicely.

5 comments about Hundertwasser's Architecture: Building for Nature and Humankind (Jumbo Series).

1. I fell in love with the work of Antoni Gaudi during a visit to Barcelona in the 1990's, and frankly wondered why his delightful ideas were never widely emulated. During a recent visit to the design studio of Metal Artist Brett Goldstone, Brett showed me a copy of "Hundertwasser Architecture" and I was immediately hooked! His revolutionary ideas on "human architecture" should be compulsory reading at every school of architecture and every city planning department! It's time we brought more life into our living and working environments; Hundertwasser's design and architectural concepts should at the very least be considered.
   
   Michael Locke, Editor "The Silver Lake News"
   Silver Lake Correspondent, "The Los Feliz Ledger"



2. Hundertwasser Architecture: For a More Human Architecture in Harmony With Nature Is an amazing look at Hundertwasser's structures and ideas about structure. For builders, designers, architects who believe in building structures which flow with both their environment and their function, this book is nothing short of inspirational. Many ideas for not only building and designing from the raw ground but also for retrofitting and improving existing structures. Hundertwasser's ideas that the buildings should "belong" to the users: trees, people's interactions with the space, allowing those who inhabit the building to have a bit of control of the building so they are committed to the structure and not just passing through are all expressed here. Designers of stucco boxes could benefit from his ideas.



3. I spent much of the 60s and 70s with posters of Hundertwasser's paintings on my walls. It was always clear that he was an architect, but one without any commissions. So when I came across this book, I was ecstatic. He's actually building! He is freeing us from the tyranny of straight lines, 90 degree angles, and an architecture divorced from nature. Some of his buildings are like something out of Willa Wonka and the Chocolate Factory!

   I'd love to live in a city filled with Hundertwassers rather than the neo-prison building that passes for architecture these days. And so would others -- rents at Hundertwasser buildings in Vienna fetch a huge premium. And he is regreening cities at the same time. I can't wait to go visit!

   This book is also wonderful for preteens -- it will stretch their minds about what is possible -- and give new reason to study the math and physics necessary to realize the cities of our dreams.

   This book was my Christmas present to myself (I also gave it to others), and it was the best present I got! Every time I open it, I want to sing!




4. The ideas in this book expolore the relationship of manmade structures to nature. Hundertwasser displays many of his creative solutions to keeping green spaces while still making spaces for people to live. He addresses the human side of sustainability by forming spaces that "make the whole person vibrate" with life.



5. This book about this extravagant architect is a very nice edition, including beautiful images and clearly explained background information. I regret not having bought this book from Amazon, though; I purchased it in Belgium, at a much, much higher price, and still I think it was worth it. Certainly a great addition to your personal art library. Buy it and enjoy!

No comments about Building with Steel: Details, Principles, Examples (Detail Practice).

5 comments about Mechanical and Electrical Equipment for Buildings, 9th Edition.

1. used as a textbook, but even if not would make an excellent companion to any elec mech class.



2. If you want to know more than most Architects and Engineers about how to design the guts of buildings this is the book to use. It's a fat guy though! Sometimes the text seems to weigh you down. Most architectural students consider it a sloug! But, once they graduate, they use it throughout their careers as design professionals. If you want to know how to develop a regional climatic response strategy for your building or development, calculate passive ventillation rates or heat gains and losses on unique configurations of wood, siding and insulation; size gutters or a rain water catchment system or plan for an elevator, this is the book for you.



3. This is the best reference for Architects and students studying mech. & elec. equipment



4. If you are an engineer engaged in the design of mechanical and electrical systems for commercial and institutional buildings, you may find this your most valuable reference for an overview of theory and best practices for the entire gamut of building systems.
   
   I did find a bit too much enthusiasm for environmentally friendly and energy-conserving new ideas. Many of these technologies are worth following but have economic results that will not serve your clients well.
   
   I am a professional engineer (leading my own firm) with 40 years of experience and have a huge library including the eighth and ninth editions of this book; it's one of my favorites.
   
   It's must reading for a new engineer because you will be able to understand the basics of areas that are new to you with an hour or two of study.



5. My part of this book (mechanical and plumbing) is designed to first show how to minimize the need for mechanical equipment by designing with the climate and site firmly in mind. First configure a building to optimize daylighting, solar heating, and various climate-appropriate passive cooling methods. Also, to store rainwater when appropriate. Then, proceed to choose and size the back-up equipment. In this way, designers conserve non-renewable energy, utilize natural (on-site) energy sources, and also help building occupants stay in touch with the outdoors. I believe that we'll tend to care more about a clean outdoor environment if we are kept aware of its condition.
   For a summary of this approach, read Chapter One. I hope you enjoy this book, even when it is your textbook! That was my object. Suggestions? I'm at jreyn@darkwing.uoregon.edu

No comments about More Bars & Restaurants (Architectural Interiors).