No comments about Understanding Sustainable Architecture.

1 comments about Complete Book of Framing: An Illustrated Guide for Residential Construction (Complete Book of Framing).

1. A former US Secretary of War spoke longly once of the known unknowns and the unknown unknowns, etc. This book has all knowns and unknowns, and more.
   
   I especially like the writer's philosophy of education. He shows us clearly, carefully and with great good humor how to organize and plan and teach and assign and supervise a work crew folowing an architectural plan. For me working alone and until now making it up as I go along based on old memory and mediation technique, this is more than I can now imagine I need to know; but as a teacher it shows me just the best way to teach and to manage my classroom. Read this section as well, especially as he hides a lot of his best secret tips in the boxes here.
   
   As a bilingual teacher, I also love his bilingual section of terminology, very complete, with only a very few inventions and one arguable mispelling. The v and the b are pretty much interchangeable in Spanish, and I had always spelled his bisagra with a v (as they say v de vaca instead of de burro) having learned this usage in hardware stores in Nicaragua twenty years ago. Maybe it is a regionalism. It's enough to drive me to my huge Dictionary of the Spanish and English Languages , Seone's Neuman and Baretti, which does spell my visagra with a B! Oh well, in Guatemala a quarter century ago I used to see roadside signs in the mountains offering "serbesas vien frias").
   
   In any case, I am glad to know this previously unknown, and with most people actually working in America now talking Spansh this section is very useful, recognizing the reality of our contemporary work crew.
   
   What I know of building I learned some thirty five years ago from an old Italian carpenter who had built the city of New York, with work crews using every European language you could find, including axe-wielding Swedes who eschewed the saw for their sharpened axes, boards at a time. I did not acquire that skill from him but others, and so have been behind the times until meeting this book.
   
   What we then might have considered overbuilding and especially over-nailing are now code. The great part of this very new book is it presents the latest International building code and practices, and nailing patterns which make up for our modern inferior wood, which my Italian master would have rejected as too wavy, too green, too knotty and especially too light. Toe in nowadays four nails and then a nail zig zagged every two feet. Makes good sense. Get'er done.
   
   Really this book contains a wealth of information valuable to any level of user, from the brand new beginner to the journeyman, as advertised. By this book you can train a crew. And it is not written in any kind of useless, cutsey "For the complete idiot" style, but professionally with deep wisdom and knowledge and experience. This man Scot knows what he is talking about, and shares it all, clearly, comprehensively, in a way you can immediately use and with clear illustrations. This man is an excellent teacher.
   
   For example from the section entitled "Teaching Framers" he presents everything any teacher ever need sto know (beside content):
   
   "You have to take training seriously if you want your framers to take learning seriously. You are a teacher whether you want to be or not. The only question is whether you are a good teacher."
   
   "Good teachers have confidence in their knowledge and an understanding of those working for them. Remember:
   "A picture is worth 10,000 words
   "A demonstration is worth 100 pictures
   "Tell your framers what you are going to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you told them. Repetition makes learning easier.
   "It is important that framers understand the structural significance of their work (p. 276)."
   
   This is the golden secret of any and all pedagogy, including Paolo Friere's Pedagogy of Hope. Do not worry if your knowledge of the content is lacking; this book contains all necessary knowledge. It is complete. It shows me the latest and most useful way to frame, and more, inclduing such needed tasks as the hanging of exterior doors and nail-flange window units. Get this book and you may need no other, and will at least enjoy a great read with a wonderful, kind and knowledgeable companion. Read it.
   
   This makes an excellent follow-up to this author and master carpenter's six year old Builder's Essentials: Framing & Rough Carpentry.
   
   One more personal story: My father's father was an Irishman who worked melting the tar for roofing Boston; he was the kettleman who sent up buckets of "hot" by ropes to pour on the roof. My father after the war went to work with him, but confused him as my father called down to his father, "Please send up another bucket of hot." The others quickly replaced my father as his father could not understand this polite and respectful request, and instead shouted down the obscenities upon my grandfather in terms he could comprehend, to which he was accustomed.
   
   Scot here writes: "The words please and thank you can make a framer feel much better about working for you. It is an easy way to let him know that what he does is important and appr4eciated (p. 264)."
   
   I have learned much from this thick book and am certain you will, too.

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!

1 comments about Le Corbusier. Architect of Books.

1. While this book would be a valuable addition to one's library on Le Corbusier, it doesn't shed any new light on Le Corbusier's passion for publishing. Ever since L'Esprit Nouveau, Le Corbusier worked actively to get his vision of a New Architecture in print. This was a journal he co-published with Amedee Ozenfant in 1920 that captured the spirit of the modern movement both in art and architecture. Towards a New Architecture became the seminal work of the Modern Movement, and the publishing of The Athens Charter, arrived at the second meeting of the Congres Internationaux d'Architecture Moderne or CIAM. provided an even clearer picture of how Le Corbusier envisioned modern architecture. He worked closely with Birkhauser Publishing Company of Germany to produce an ongoing monograph of his work, which eventually culminated in 8 volumes, that is highly valued by contemporary architects.

No comments about Dream Homes Washington DC: An Exclusive Showcase of Washington DC's Finest Architects (Dream Homes).

2 comments about Microclimatic Landscape Design: Creating Thermal Comfort and Energy Efficiency.

1. This book has a very simple to understand approach to teaching about site design. Although it is a textbook layout...it is a quick read, with lots of images and diagrams and great breakups of points within the chapters...just an absolutely enjoyable format with lots of interesting information. I would recommend this book for anyone who is even considering any kind of landscaping...whether it's on their own home, or on a large construction site.



2. This book was an interesting read. However, I felt like the authors were torn between speaking to a scientific or a more general audience. I believe the book was written for a general audience but there were some algebraic equations in some chapters which I thought might lose some people. I personally was looking for a more scientific book on the subject and so was a little dissapointed by the water-down and sometimes repetative language.

No comments about Ideas: Interiors (Ideas).

2 comments about Catalytic Formations.

1. Ali Rahim has once again shown the future of Architecture and where it could possibly be.



2. just look inside the beauty of computional architectural design and you will see endless forms and inspiring curves

No comments about New Transport Architecture: Travel Hubs in the 21st Century.

1 comments about Micro: Very Small Buildings.

1. I bought this book after I spied it at a local bookseller, then hopped on to Amazon.com to order it. It basically covers all formats of different compact spaces for use privately, public, accommodation and interactive. It's a great little book and with a lot of conceptual and cleaver ideas for small spaces. Some of them are way out there and others are practical, but I would definitely recommend this book if you are in to architecture, design, art, landspacing etc as it highlights and looks at humans and their interactions with their environment. It's divided in to section with a one page introduction for each structure accompanied by full page photographs.