5 comments about Mechanical and Electrical Equipment for Buildings, 10th Edition.

1. As a resource librarian in a mid-size design (architecture) firm, building and maintaining a reference library is one of my responsibilities. I normally wait until I get a request for a book before I review it for inclusion since there is so little space for "real" books. This book was requested so that a designer could study for her registration exam. She gave it a glowing review and said it had been mentioned on the exam blogs as one of the must-reads. It also seemed to have, in one place, all the information a practicing architect would need to design with or around mechanical systems, as well as provide the framework and vocabulary to talk to consultants.



2. This book was used as a text for two of my classes in my third year of architecture schooling. It is extremely useful, with lots of descriptions and helps you to understand more than just the structure of the building. Lighting, plumbing, all the different systems, etc. It has been very useful and I recommend it as a great reference.



3. I came across this book preparing Architectural Registration Exam (ARE).
   I have to say that this book is an essential for architects
   who are preparing MEP (Mechanical/Electrical/Plumbing)section of the ARE.
   
   The book is divided into basically nine sections.
   
   1. design context
   2. thermal comfort
   3. illumination
   4. acoustics
   5. water/waste
   6. fire protection
   7. electricity
   8. signal equipment
   9. transportation
   
   It describes various systems of each section with pretty
   accessible narrative.
   Abundance in graphics and diagrams is very helpful.
   The book is extremely helpful in understanding where each
   kit of parts fit into the overall building systems.
   
   For instance, I heard about AHUs/ cooling towers/ refrigeration
   cycle/ boilers/ duct systems/ etc. , but I never knew how
   they fit and interconnect to one and another. The book, being
   encyclopedic in its contents, really helps to overcome that.
   
   The book also pays particular attention to the "sustainable"
   agendas and strategies.



4. I was searching for a good general description of central plants. The impending installation of 1000 ton chillers, cooling towers, electrical conversion to primary service, multiple emergency generators, paralleling gear, etc. This book didn't fit the bill. The 9 pages on central plants for HVAC were a disappointment. From the title , I expected more on MEP and didn't expect the book to be more about illumination, color,acoustics etc. My fault, not the book.



5. This almost 1800 page treatise on mechanical and electrical design as it relates to architecture is one of a kind. It is not an artistic book on the subject, although some artistic ability is always needed in any aspect of building design. Instead it is a very technical book that shows how the architect must be part electrical engineer, mechanical engineer, electrician, physicist, plumber, safety specialist, and transportation engineer in order to design the modern building. And to top it all off, you need to be knowledgable of current mechanical and electrical equipment - their specifications and their costs.
   
   The book has plenty of examples with step by step instructions on how to perform various subtasks. Many of these examples contain numerical calculations, so it will help if you have had freshman engineering physics, especially in the sections on illumination, acoustics, and electricity where calculations, tables, and equations abound.
   
   The book is broken into nine parts encompassing nearly every technical decision involved in designing a modern building. The first section is an introductory one on the context of design. That is followed by sections on thermal control, illumination, acoustics, water and waste, fire protection, electricity, signal systems, and finally in-building transportation. A lengthy appendix contains a great deal of supplemental information, including climate data for various parts of the United States, solar geometry, sound transmission data, and a listing of software that can be helpful in performing the tasks discussed in this book, and how that software can be obtained.
   
   I highly recommend this book to aspiring architects and also to civil engineers that are interested in the construction of modern buildings. It's been the flagship book on the subject for seventy years in its various editions, and probably will continue to be so for the foreseeable future.

5 comments about Hotel Design, Planning, and Development, New Edition.

1. I was assigned to teach at the Master Degree class on "Facility Management" subject focusing on Hotel Facility. I have gone through several books regarding hotel design. I think this book is the best of all. Any designer who reads this book back to back will certainly understand the whole concept. It is not only about how to design the hotel as an architecture piece, but the reader will also understand the hospitality business. This book also covers the design and management issues of related topics such as "Restaurant", "Entertainment Venue" in the hotel. It is the 'must have' for all architects who want to design a hotel efficiently. It can also be a good book for anyone who is in the hospitality business and currently in charge of renovating or upgrading the hotel space; or the hotel's representative who need to communicate with architects or interior designer. This book can be the great tool to evaluate the result of the hotel construction project or even to 'correct' it. The tables and formulas for space calculation in this book are easy enough for anyone to understand. This book can be of great use to all building design professionals. It can also be a valuable one for any people who is interested in hotel business.



2. The work of hotel design and planning is different from other architectural works; it requires an indepth understanding of hotel business. Therefore, the hotel architecture became one of the toughest job for architects. (Another job is the hospital architecture.)
   
   However, this book proposed design guidelines for a hotel fit to the business pattern. First, it explains various types of hotel properties. Second, it shows not only design guidelines for facilities but also planning approach methods for location selecting and size determination. Finally, if you read this book, you can consider efficient management system of the property from the early phase of design.
   
   Among numerous books on hotel architecture, I think this book is the most outstanding resource.



3. I am an Interior Design student and found this book very helpful in completing a hospitality design. It provides a breakdown of the areas of the hotel, the different types of hotels, and the type of customers that use them. It really helped me in laying out the floor plan. There are also some awesome color pictures of fabulous hotels in the world. I highly recommend for anyone interested in hospitality design.



4. This a book that be should always be close to you if you work in the hotel development industry.



5. I found this in the Rizzoli bookstore and had to slit the shrinkwrap to see what the book was like. Then sat down in a soft chair to browse through it but after a half hour decided it made more sense to just buy it and read it at home. Not disappointed. The book covers everything in great detail - lots of text - with pictures of hotels from the Chilean Andes to London and Paris and New York. A "must have" for people interested in travel and hotels and architecture.

1 comments about Interior Design Visual Presentation: A Guide to Graphics, Models & Presentation Techniques.

1. Awesome book. Great for all interior design students. Great for your library. Makes learning how to do models, etc., much easier than trying to learn from your instructor's brief instructions.

No comments about The Vertical Garden: From Nature to the City.

5 comments about In the Pink: Dorothy Draper--America's Most Fabulous Decorator.

1. This is an interesting book but the items reproduced therein are no so great. The photos of the ballrooms/hotels are great and that's where Draper was at her best - in grand spaces. It's difficult to imagine men living in these highly styled white baroque plaster rooms in more common-sized apartments with dizzy graphic prints and maneating flower motives. Still, if you like that kinda thing, find it on sale.
   
   Stylemaven



2. A sensational look at the life and stratospheric career of the extraordinary Dorothy Draper. Written by her assistant who inherited the company, Carleton Varney has written about Draper's life and career like no-one else could have. Draper had such a unique style that has inspired the likes of Kelly Wearstler to this day. Unfortunately one of her most important design signatures, colour - and lots of it, is not done justice or captured accurately in the mostly black and white photos in this book. This is a great book if you are interested in the life and career of one of America's most important and charismatic decorator's, but if you are hoping for reference for her design and trademark colours then you may be disappointed.



3. Although I like Neo-Baroque even more than the next guy, this book tends to lend creed to the saying "A lot is too much". The tongue-in-cheek style of Ms Draper is more appropriate to resorts where people want to have fun than to residences where the owners would undoubtedly get tired of looking at it day to day, and fortunately hotels and restaurants seem to be the most common clients. I liked the black & white photos, thinking them more interesting than the color illustrations with the garishness being a distraction. The title of "America's most fabulous decorator" would be arguable at best, but certainly Dorothy Draper had talent to please the general public of the mid-century. This book is recommended for those interested in the history of interior design.



4. As one of the previous commentators stated, this book is a wonderful book in terms of historical significance to the Decorating/Interior Design field, but this book is certainly not a "how to" book on decorating. Therefore, if you are looking for a basic "how to decorate" book, then this book may not be a way to go.
   
   HOWEVER......
   
   If a person is buying this book as an historical reference book to their home decorating (or interior design) library, then this book would be a wonderful addition.
   
   For example, if I were a person majoring in a form of home decorating field, then this book would be of tremendous value. WHY?...because so many ideas that Dorothy Draper implemented are still being used today or still inspiring home decorators today!! (eg: if you were to look at Jonathan Adler's current design concepts, you will see alot of Dorothy Draper's influence in Jonathan's work). Thus, Dorothy Draper's influence to the home decorating field is truly immesurable.
   
   This hardback book is large in size.The photos are amazing. Most are in black-and-white since that is how the photos were orignally taken. But still,....the author describes the colors that would have been used in the book's B&W photos, and THAT helps the reader so much! I could certainly visualize what the B&W photos would be like in color, thanks to Carlton's wonderful descriptions.



5. When High STYLE was "in-style" Dorothy Draper was the queen of design... Every page reflects her understanding of space, light and perfection!!! This isa great read for the design professional as well as the casual reader. Her life story and her work are inseperable - she loved beautiful things and had an un-erring eye for the dramatic. "In the Pink: Dorothy Draper --America's Most Fabulous Decorator" is a visual treat as much as it is a fun read! As an iterior designer I see her design principles are as easily applied today as it was in the age of glamour. I would give it a 5!!! all across the board.

3 comments about Design for the Other 90%.

1. I was already familiar with the catalog, but needed additional copies. I was pleasantly surprised to find the Amazon selling price was even lower than at the venue. The catalog contains links and resources to follow-up on all the displayed items and their authors.
   
   The shipping time was relatively long, but express shipment outside the US would have been too expensive.



2. "Design for the Other 90%" was published for the exhibition of the same name at the Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum at the Smithsonian. More like a review of an exhibition than a definitive text, the book is a nice brief review of some very interesting designs that are useful all over our planet. The book does not seem to be intended to teach you how to build, but rather to inspire you to think about building differently.
   
   The book contains a collection of inventions - most of them quite simple. Examples are a "pot-in-pot" cooler which uses evaporative cooling to keep food from spoiling, a portable water filter for drinking water, a communal solar-powered kitchen, a gravity-powered drip irrigation system, and small-scale photovoltaic lighting. There are many more interesting ideas within these pages.
   
   You won't learn the details of construction from this book, but you will be stimulated to think more broadly about designs that are useful for the majority of humans on our planet.



3. Excellent book. Besides many, many good ideas, the concept of Designing for the other 90% of the population is inspiring. If you've ever seen how people in developing nations live, you know how important and needed innovative ideas like these are.
   
   In the lines of "Poverty is our greatest common enemy", if people started designing products like these to help improve the lot of the rest of the world, the larger part of the world's problems would be solved.
   
   The only thing I'd like to see in this book is more good ideas..

5 comments about Tricia Guild Pattern: Using Pattern to Create Sophisticated, Show-stopping Interiors.

1. inspirational and pleasant! an eye candy, a page turner, I could not get enough! Pages filled with interiors variations from vintage cottage to modern with a chock of color. Unexpected combinations of textiles and wall hangings mixed with truly amazing architectural details. the book is the celebration of eclectic style. Almoust every page shows a fantasy home, created with such ease, charm and playfulness - it's contagious.



2. This book is eye candy offered at a great price! Wonderful photography, colors, and graphics.



3. Out of all the books from Tricia Guild, this one is her very best, I think! I am a huge fan!!!



4. You will not want to put this book down! If only I could magically transport myself to one of Tricia Guild's ethereal spaces...I would never want to leave. Opening this book is like taking a journey...it's an adventure in sumptuous fabrics, luscious colors and tactile textiles. Her patterns are romantic yet whimsical, and she masterfully juxtaposes modern and antique elements and motifs with themes of flowers and nature accented with candy colors! This book appeals to feminine sensibilities!



5. This book is absolutely gorgeous, inside and out. Rich and colorful, it's a feast for the eyes! If you design interior spaces or home textiles, this book will be an especially great addition to your collection.

4 comments about Vintage French Interiors: Inspiration from the Antique Shops and Flea Markets of France.

1. This is exactly what the title says.....The book takes the reader from specific flea market or antique area in France. There are addresses, phone numbers and web sites. Several interesting catagories of Flea Market finds are examined such as vintage school posters or handmade tools. The book is divided into areas of France describing the true finds of each region. Great chapter on Isle sur le Sorgue, the altimate French antique treasure trove. I almost didn't open the book because of the bad revirews from people who were expecting a "decorating" magazine. A great addition for those of us who love Fance....great photos too!



2. Having pre-ordered this I was a little apprehensive about its contents, despite its promising description and cover. I was not disappointed! It took me on a nostalgic trip to the flea markets of Paris I had visited and wetted my appetite to visit more. I love the slightly shabby brocante featured and the imaginative displays provide inspiration. The title could be a little misleading; however, the subtitle gives an accurate description of the books contents.



3. I buy LOTS of books on interior design and decorating. I pre-ordered this book with high expectations - after all, its title is "Vintage French Interiors." A better title would have been "Junky Stuff from a Flea Market that Could Be From Anywhere." The "Vintage" part is correct if you are interested in old, rusted, chipped, broken, junky "vintage" items. As for the "French" part, there is really nothing that stands out as "French." It looks just like stuff from any American Flea Market. And, what is really disappointing is the "Interiors" part of the title. These are not photos of "interior" rooms using "vintage French" items. It is just a collection of close-up shots of items displayed at a Flea Market.
   
   I am highly disappointed and, hopefully, have learned my lesson on pre-ordering. If you are looking for photos of gorgeous rooms filled with French ambiance, look elsewhere.



4. The title of this book is misleading, there are no photos of vintage French interiors. Just chapters showcasing different French flea market vendors booths and by the looks of things the pickings are pretty slim. I knew I was returning this book when I saw the photo of the rubber pig toy. A lot of 60's and 70's items that you can find here in the states. If you want a great book buy "The New French Decor-living with timeless objects", 110% better eye candy.

5 comments about Estimating for Interior Designers.

1. Learn for yourself the secret formulas to determine how much material and what it will cost for that exotic carpet, exuberant wallpaper or snazzy fabric that would look as good on your windows as on your so-custom pillows. I always wanted to know and now I do know the basics of determining how to measure and what it means to do your own estimating for costs of goods and services in the design world.
   
   The text is straight-forward and thorough---but not completely without fault as I detected proofreading errors in spelling and some mathematical miscalculations. This is first and foremost a primer and introduction to the art of calculating carpet, wallpaper, upholstery and paint estimation.



2. The information has dated photos and not comprehensive. No charts, and estimates in developing concepts and designs based upon square footage. Where is the estimating for budgeting purposes? Ok for the library and for soft goods.



3. There is a wealth of information in this book for estimating for designers or decorators (often the big distinction between the two amounts to the amount of money and time spent on an education, not in practice!). My biggest complaint with this book is that it is not really set up as an easy quick reference. I can get quicker info on the internet.



4. PLEASE know the difference between a desorator who selects fabrics and finishes only and a designer who most often creates full sets of construction documents for their clients....including but not limited to, demolition plans, construction plans, electrical plans, lighting plans, life safety plans, millwork, wall and ceiling details, cross sections and elevations...etc.
   
   THIS BOOK IS MISSLABELED AND GIVES DESIGNERS WHO HAVE BEEN IN SCHOOL FOR 5 1/2 + YEARS A TITLE OF A DECORATOR WHICH BY NO MEANS IS THE SAME!!! This book is for decorators, not designers.... do not be mislead....check out the table of contaents before purchasing!



5. Amazon is so quick and easy and it was really helpful to get the book within the same week I ordered the book. They really took the stress out of "when am I going to get my book, am I going to get it in time for class?"

5 comments about Landscape Graphics.

1. Though the book was published in 2002, the graphics may seem a bit dated in our digital age, but the book is an excellent source of skills and design treatments needed in landscape design. Lettering and symbols are very helpful. The book is consistent with college level instruction and is recommended reading.
   
   Dan Halsey
   [...]



2. This book is an absolute must-have for the beginning landscape designer/architect's personal library. As a fifth year landscape architecture student, my book is in wretched condition due to the fact that I refer to it constantly, more than any other book I own. It will continue to be useful to me for years to come.



3. Lots of good ideas with which to practice or trace. Definitely a particular style, but still somewhat general. One could easily devlop their own style from this. And more than likely, you're probably required to get this book if you're reading this. Best of luck!!!



4. This book covers almost every aspect of landscape sketch and graphic. It is good for you if you want to learn hand sketch, it is also good for you if you want to create nice CAD drawings. Many of the tree /shrub symbols in both plan views and elevation views are nicely done, they can inspire you to create nice computer blocks for trees and shrubs for plans and sections and elevations.
   
   It covers graphic language and design process, basic drafting, lettering (nowadays almost everyone can do nice hand lettering fonts with computer, but this book is still good for assisting you to select lettering fonts or create your custom fonts in computer), freehand drawings and conceptual diagrams, presentation plans, section-elevations, graphic symbols files for elevations and perspectives.
   
   All the sketches, plans, sections, elevations and perspectives are nicely done. They can be good samples for landscape architecture students, garden design students, architects, landscape architects, urban planners, and seasoned designers.



5. For beginning drawers in the landscape architecture field, this is a great reference book. Lots of graphics from which one can begin. It's hard to beat the price too.