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How Buildings Work: The Natural Order of Architecture
We expect our buildings to do many stand up, shelter us from weather, keep us comfortable, provide clean water for drinking and clean air for breathing, dispose of our wastes, give us privacy and security, power everything from tools to toasters, and connect us with the world outside
through windows, doors, telephones, and mailboxes. They should be easy to move around in, and shouldn't require excessive expense to maintain.
But how does a building do all this? This is the question Edward Allen addresses so engagingly in the completely revised and updated second edition of How Buildings Work . Illustrated throughout with several hundred clear, sometimes whimsical line drawings, more than half of them from the author's
own hand, this easy-to-read work reveals virtually every secret of a building's how it stands up, keeps its occupants safe and comfortable, gets built, grows old, and dies--and why some buildings do this so much better than others. Everyone who has ever asked such questions as "why can't
they get the temperature right in here?" "why does my basement flood every summer?" or "can't they build buildings so I don't have to hear my neighbors argue every morning?" will find an answer here.
Drawing on things he's learned from the more than sixty buildings he himself designed, including his own house, Allen explains complex phenomena such as the role of the sun in heating buildings and the range of structural devices that are used for support, from trusses and bearing walls to
post-tensioned concrete beams and corbeled vaults. He stresses the importance of intelligent design in dealing with such problems as overheating and overcooling, excessive energy use, leaky roofs and windows, fire safety, and noisy interiors, showing, for example, how to use the structure itself to
mask troublesome noises such as the impact of rain, slamming doors, and the occasional creaks and groans caused by the push and pull of heat and humidity. And he illustrates how all buildings, from a backyard shed to the tallest skyscraper, are never at rest--they continually experience virtually
irresistible forces that would tear them to pieces if not taken into account by the designer.
Edward Allen makes it easy for everyone--from armchair architects and sidewalk superintendents to students of architecture and construction--to understand the mysteries and complexities of even the largest building, from how it recycles waste and controls the movement of air, to how it is kept
alive and growing. How Buildings Work will enlighten and entertain anyone interested in the way things work.
through windows, doors, telephones, and mailboxes. They should be easy to move around in, and shouldn't require excessive expense to maintain.
But how does a building do all this? This is the question Edward Allen addresses so engagingly in the completely revised and updated second edition of How Buildings Work . Illustrated throughout with several hundred clear, sometimes whimsical line drawings, more than half of them from the author's
own hand, this easy-to-read work reveals virtually every secret of a building's how it stands up, keeps its occupants safe and comfortable, gets built, grows old, and dies--and why some buildings do this so much better than others. Everyone who has ever asked such questions as "why can't
they get the temperature right in here?" "why does my basement flood every summer?" or "can't they build buildings so I don't have to hear my neighbors argue every morning?" will find an answer here.
Drawing on things he's learned from the more than sixty buildings he himself designed, including his own house, Allen explains complex phenomena such as the role of the sun in heating buildings and the range of structural devices that are used for support, from trusses and bearing walls to
post-tensioned concrete beams and corbeled vaults. He stresses the importance of intelligent design in dealing with such problems as overheating and overcooling, excessive energy use, leaky roofs and windows, fire safety, and noisy interiors, showing, for example, how to use the structure itself to
mask troublesome noises such as the impact of rain, slamming doors, and the occasional creaks and groans caused by the push and pull of heat and humidity. And he illustrates how all buildings, from a backyard shed to the tallest skyscraper, are never at rest--they continually experience virtually
irresistible forces that would tear them to pieces if not taken into account by the designer.
Edward Allen makes it easy for everyone--from armchair architects and sidewalk superintendents to students of architecture and construction--to understand the mysteries and complexities of even the largest building, from how it recycles waste and controls the movement of air, to how it is kept
alive and growing. How Buildings Work will enlighten and entertain anyone interested in the way things work.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published May 15, 1980
About the author
Edward Allen
111 books12 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
This is Edward^Allen, where ^=space.
Edward Allen has taught for more than thirty years at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Yale University, and the University of Oregon. He is the bestselling author of Fundamentals of Building Construction, Fifth Edition.
This is Edward^Allen, where ^=space.
Edward Allen has taught for more than thirty years at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Yale University, and the University of Oregon. He is the bestselling author of Fundamentals of Building Construction, Fifth Edition.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 26, 2008
I am really enjoying this book. The book breaks down all aspects of building an architect must consider. I think it is a wonderful book for any person who wants to eventually build and design their own home.
October 27, 2015
All you will ever need to know about the design and construction of buildings, informative and useful to the layman, inspirational perhaps to those who wish to broaden their interest in architecture and how we live.
January 21, 2017
A good companion (which also can be used as reference guide) to accompany you to go from basic to advance design guides. This one has helped me a lot from my 2nd year to the last of my Arch Degree.
Recommend!
Recommend!
May 24, 2009
Good diagrams. clear writing but could be more concise on the topics.
August 12, 2014
درک کلی از تمام مبحث های مرتبط با تنظیم شرایط محیطی، ساخت، سازه، تاسیسات، ایمنی، نگهداری و ... ساختمان ارائه می دهد. که البته با توجه به حجم کتاب، هر فصل شامل اشاراتی سطحی اما کاملا مفید می باشد.
February 16, 2015
Super awesome. A great book for beginners wanting to know more about design and construction of houses
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews