Why Buildings Stand Up: The Strength of Architecture

by Mario Salvadori, Saralinda Hooker, Christopher Ragus

Here is a clear and enthusiastic introduction to building methods from ancient time to the present day, illustrated throughout with line drawings. In addition, Mr. Salvadori discusses recent advances in science and technology that have had important effects on the planning and construction of buildings.

B/W line drawings

Genres: Architecture, Engineering, Nonfiction, Science, Reference, History, Construction

311 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1980

Reviews

[Frank Stein · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book gives what it promises, a succinct description of the structural and engineering principles behind building, along with a few histories of major landmarks. The book will explain to you the difference between the dead loads (the actual weight of the construction materials), the live loads (the people and furniture and equipment that move in or on a building), and the dynamic loads (such as wind, thermal warping, earthquake stresses, etc.), along with how engineers compensate for each. It will explain the differences between compressive and tensile forces, and how some materials, such as stone or concrete, are great at compressive stress (up to hundreds of thousands of pounds per square inch), but have very little tensile, or stretching, strength (which is why reinforced concrete, with added steel, provides so much more stability, since the steel adds tensile strength). It will explain to you why flying buttresses in Gothic Cathedrals take the outward thrust caused by the compressive force of the roofs and buildings and turn them into downward compression, by using a straight line out to follow the stresses and a powerful arch to absorb the dead load of the materials themselves, along with towering pinnacles which help press the materials downward further and prevent their buckling outwards.

The canned histories of the Eiffel Tower, the Brooklyn Bridge, the Pyramids and so on are a little lazy, and often contain significant errors, and some of the structural principles could be more clearly explained or organized, but overall I learned a lot from this book, and would recommend it to those interested in learning the basics of the engineering that surrounds us.

[Lee Fritz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Our intro to structures class references this book (along with its "fall down" companion) as recommended reading, so I thought I should know what it says. Periodically insightful, the book walks through history explaining architectural developments through the lens of structural and technological advances.

At times the author has utmost respect for the engineering profession, which is a nice change of pace from many coordination meetings. The book falls short in two ways. First, the intro and conclusion to each chapter stick out as the author attempts high art with his vocabulary and prose in an otherwise down-to-earth explanation. Second, toward the end of the book the technical descriptions of geometry (hypars, etc) were too wordy and came off as showy.

There will be sections I'll return to for class examples and in that respect the book is a success.

[Canard Frère · Rating 4 out of 5]

Livre très didactique sur des concepts qui sont pourtant à première vue assez rébarbatifs (compression, flambement, transferts de charge et autres problèmes structurels), l'auteur se permet même par moment quelques envolées poétiques.

[Dvd (#) · Rating 4 out of 5]

il libro divulgativo che avrei voluto scrivere io...

...ma che ha già scritto Salvadori...scritto benissimo, intuitivo, appassionato, comprensibile quasi da tutti pur parlando di concetti che così facili proprio non sono...applausi!

[Doyle Mclendon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book for a class I was takeing. It's easy to read and offer alot in way of structures from a historical context.

[Petras · Rating 3 out of 5]

Man patinka paimti į rankas knygą apie tokią temą, apie kurią ničnieko nenutuokiu. Mario Salvadori „Why Buildings Stand Up“ – apie statinių konstrukcijas ir inžineriją, ji paprasta žmonių kalba paaiškina, kaip statomi tiltai, kupolai, ant ko laikosi stogai ir kodėl pastatai negali būti bet kokio aukščio bei ploto. Jei iki tol buvau tik kažką girdėjęs apie arkos veikimo principus, tai perskaitęs „Why Buidings Stand Up“ jaučiuosi suprantąs žymiai daugiau.

Skaitydamas įvairių pastatų istorijas sužinojau daug įdomių dalykų: ir tai, kad piramidės nėra tiesiog vienas ant kito sudėti akmeniniai blokai (jie sudėti tam tikru, link centro palenktu, kampu, kad nevirstų ir nebyrėtų išorėn), ir tai, kad plokštuma, išlenkta į balno formą gali atlaikyti žymiai didesnį krūvį. Daug detalių, nemažai paprastam nebaigusiam architektūros mirtingajam suprantamų brėžinių.

Vienintelis priekaištas šiai įvadinio stiliaus knygai gali būti tai, jog ji rašyta dar prieš man gimstant. Ir nors nuo 1980-ųjų fizikos dėsniai tikrai nepasikeitė, konstrukcinės medžiagos tikriausiai stipriai patobulėjo. Gana keistokai atrodo ir knygoje peršama mintis, jog ateities konstrukcijos bus pripučiamos suslėgto oro, lyg pilys, ant kurių šokinėja vaikai: juk tai lengvos ir itin tvirtos konstrukcijos. Matyt, ši mada gana greitai praėjo. Bet bendrai vertinant, džiaugiuosi perskaitęs.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un bel libro. Fa un excursus tra le diverse tipologie strutturali che si usano per le costruzioni, trattandole dal punto di vista statico. Non credo sia adatto a chi non mastica la materia o è solo un appassionato di architettura, come invece viene affermato all'inizio del libro, per cui potrebbe risultare un po' complesso a chi non è addetto ai lavori, ma comunque molto interessante.

[Bob · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a ¨review of structures, their principles and the monuments they support¨ (p. 259) the book is very readable, and the author´s explanations (totally non-mathematical) are easy to follow and remember. While the principles remain unchanged, materials and techniques have changed a lot since the book´s 1980 publication date. Information about well-known monuments like the Eiffel Tower, the Pyramids of Giza, Hagia Sophia, the Duomo in Florence and the Cathedral of Beauvais are interesting and well-presented.

[Naing ThetAung · Rating 4 out of 5]

The inner twining of aesthetics and structural requirements, one can’t construct the one either lack of it
The introduction for the basic needs to understand is perfect by the way

[Leandro Llorente · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gives a good foundation on understanding of form and strength of material.

[Barry O'sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Introduction to structures, must read

[Ricardo Arrechea]

required reading for one of my university courses. Recently found it among my books and donated it.

[Katja Labonté · Rating 5 out of 5]

4,5 étoiles. Je ne suis pas du genre à aimer le béton et les outils, à construire, ou à aimer les informations techniques. Néanmoins, j'ai trouvé ce livre très agréable. Il y avait un ou deux chapitres assez ennuyeux; et de nombreuses explications m’ont passé par dessus la tête. Mais il y avait aussi de belles descriptions des cathédrales, des ponts, des gratte-ciels, etc. Les diagrammes étaient utiles et bien faits aussi. Les chapitres consacrés à des structures spécifiques (telles que la Tour Eiffel, le pont de Brooklyn, Hagia Sophia, etc.) étaient très intéressants et bien pensés. Cela a suscité en moi un léger sentiment d’intérêt et de respect pour les structures. Je ne suis pas d'accord avec tout ce que dit l'auteur, mais je recommande vivement ce livre.

« [Eiffel,] c’était un génie. Que peut-on dire d’autre d’un homme qui produisit 1 300 m2 de dessins pour la tour Eiffel — dessins qui exigèrent 15 000 pièces de structure et 2 500 000 trous pour les rivets — et qui sut assembler cet immense puzzle sans la moindre erreur ? D’un homme qui éleva une tour de près de 7 200 t sans qu’il arrive un seul accident à ses 250 ouvriers (et 250 ouvriers seulement) ? Qui promit et termina la tour en deux ans deux mois et cinq jours, juste pour l’ouverture de l’Exposition universelle, bien que la construction ait été retardée par les innombrables querelles avec la commission de contrôle et plusieurs grèves des ouvriers ? D’un homme qui estima le coût de la construction à 1 500 000 $ et parvint à économiser 5 % du budget prévu ? »

———————

4.5 stars. I'm not one for concrete and tools, building, or technical information. Nevertheless, I found this book very enjoyable. There were one or two chapters that were quite boring; and many of the explanations went over my head. But there were also some nice descriptions of cathedrals, bridges, skyscrapers, etc. The diagrams were helpful and well done too. The chapters on specific structures (such as the Eiffel Tower, Brooklyn Bridge, Hagia Sophia, etc.) were very interesting and well thought out. It kindled in me a slight sense of interest and respect for the structures. I don't agree with everything the author says, but I highly recommend this book.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've worked in the trades for years which probably accounts for why I'm always looking up when I enter a large auditorium, entrance hall, or any structure with vertical heft.

Salvadori examines classic structures of the west, from antiquity through the medieval and baroque periods, illustrating his concise primer on structures (beams, columns, loads etc) many are familiar with.

The final chapter is dedicated to the semiotics of structure. He notes that aesthetics of architecture are dynamic and what is first perceived as controversial or unorthodox quickly becomes the norm. He mentions the controversy which surrounded the construction of Paris' Eiffel Tower by way of example. The semiotics of the structure offended many. Within a few short years however, the tower became the iconic image of Paris despite the fact that its structure conceded nothing to decoration.


Those readers who are struck by the work of Helmut Jahns, Frank Geary Pablo Solieri or FLW, will no doubt have their own views of what a building communicates.

[David Chen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Book Why Buildings Stand Up by Mario Salvadori is a very stunning book. It talking about different kinds of buildings, the discovery of the buildings, how they 1st started building them, and many others. 1 of the most important thing about building tall buildings is that we need to know the strengths in them and the weakness. We need to make sure that the building is strong so it doesn't collapse and kill innocent people. The history of buildings are very old and are still used today. They may be different types of materials of a building. It doesn't always have to be metal, steel and old. It has different shapes which tells the structure of the shape and how it effects the surroundings. The author Mario Salvadori to be is an amazing author that writes all of these. He explains the structures of the buildings, and a lot of explanations on the history of the buildings. I highly recommend this book to any high schools that has the program of BCSM because this book allowed me and my group to get in and present.

[Barbara · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'll admit upfront that I only got halfway through this book and I'm labeling it as "read" because I can't make myself pick it up again. It had been recommended to me by a student, so I excitedly asked my class this past semester to purchase and read it. Bad mistake. I don't like to say this, (and I probably wouldn't if the author were still alive), but Salvadori can take even the most interesting concepts and make them boring. My class was too polite to say much, but when I'd ask the students privately about the book, they would admit as how it was incredibly boring. (I'm still scratching my head about why that one student loved it, but he's an engineer's engineer--maybe that's why.)

Plenty of information about how buildings stand up--a more interesting read than a phone book--that about sums it up!

[Javier H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uno de los libros más curiosos que he leido nunca. Explica de forma muy amena como funcionan los edificios y en general cualquier cosa construida, casas, puentes, teatros, estadios etc. Es un libro que me ha hecho pensar lo poco que sabemos sobre los edificios que vemos todos los días o en los que vivimos y trabajamos.

Habla de edificios antíguos como las pirámides, el partenón o la caderdál de Chartres pero también de modernos como el puente de Brooklyn o la torre Eifel. Me ha hecho entender como funcionan los domos y querer viajar a Estambul. Cada vez que veo un edificio curioso me acuerdo de este libro.

También habla por cierto de porque las vigas de los edificios tienen la forma que tienen y de los materiales que se usan para hacer los edificios.

Completamente imprescindible para cualquier persona con un mínimo de curiosidad.

[Nik · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book does a good job of introducing the basic principles of structural engineering with few if any equations or highly technical jargon. I enjoyed the range of types of architecture covered, and learned something about thin concrete structures and shells. The writing is for the most part commendably direct and easy to understand, though there were a few instances where I found myself skipping forward a few paragraphs. In all this is a good primer for someone interested in pursuing a career in engineering/architecture, as a refresher for an engineering student, or simply an enjoyable read for the engineering-minded.

[Joni Baboci · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why buildings stand up is an interesting account of the science of construction in a historical perspective. It is really easy to read even for a person with no background in architecture or engineering while at the same time being fun since the theory of building is continuously supplanted by awesome historical examples. While the book is a bit dated, it still is informative and information packed since it mostly discusses the theory behind structure explaining the main concepts which can be extrapolated in understanding recent advances in structural sciences.

[Dana Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coming from an architecture student who understands the principles overviewed in this book, it was still very interesting. This book is intended as a large overview of the physical principles that are at work in a building such as forces, moment, deflection, shear, weight distribution, etc, as well as multiple building systems, ideas and designs. It is well written and easy to understand. Includes great illustrations and historic examples of architectural styles.

[Munthir Mahir · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book is outdated. Didn't mind the fact, having the objective of learning about the fundamentals and basics of structures and building. However, the book is so unstructured and disorganized. The schematics and drawings are hard to read and are visually complicated. The historical contexts and references seem to be more of fillers rather than logical and practical references.
The book does cover the fundamentals and basics though a study/reading companion book is in order.

[Damian · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great introduction to architecture, and answers questions you may have thought of concerning how some of the most famous buildings and structures actually hold together and dont come crashing down. What's funny is that you may not want to know how poorly some things are built. Pyramids, Eiffel Tower, mathmateical calculations if you feel so inclined.

[Don · Rating 4 out of 5]

A layman's book about the fundamentals of how buildings, which includes bridges, stand up. No too technical and full of informative line drawings. I found it fascinating. I have never really trusted reinforced concrete. I do now that I understand how it transfers weight. And now I can truly appreciate, as well as name, a hyperbolic paraboloid.

[Robert Fritz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book because my engineer son uses it in a class he co-teaches at the School of the Art Institute. The class is for graduate students in architecture to learn a bit about what goes into engineering their creations. The book does a great job of sharing the history of materials used in building... from the pyramids to contemporary structures.

[Kelan Steel Lowney · Rating 3 out of 5]

At times a bit too vernacular, but chock full of cool information. I really like the phenomenon by which, once someone learns something, s/he can't help but see the world differently. Whenever I look at waffled concrete ceilings, I will always see them in light of this book.

[EAL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite excellent. Not sure what to make of the author's attitude toward engineers, but for a complete novice this book was accessible. I cannot judge how thorough the author's treatment of the subjects was; it felt solid. Recommended.

[dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

fantastic. not recommended for everyone, but if one is structurally inclined, at all, this is an extremely well-written book. interesting anecdotes and examples, not too technical, but mature enough that i wasn't bored.

[Culli Sheerfrost · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good for anyone who teaches or would like to incorporate STEM principles in teaching. Very basic and comprehensible architectural laws. Classic and would recommend to any STEM instructor for adding hands-on models to train the brain in architectural tenets.

[Francisco Reivax · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is one of the few books that turned me on to take all my elective classes in the field of Architecture while I was doing my MFA/Sculpture at Parsons School of Design in New York City.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terrifyingly informative.