Study & Teaching Books

Architecture: Form, Space, & Order

Frank D. K. Ching

By: Van Nostrand Reinhold Amazon Marketplace: 27 new & used starting at $4.85

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Subjects -> Professional & Technical -> Architecture -> Study & Teaching

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 35 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

James 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

This is an invaluable reference for architecture students and professionals alike. Ching's illustrations are amazing and the depth of information presented is incredible. I highly recommend this book.

Ching books are great! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

It was wrapped and in perfect condition. It's nice to look at and gives inspiration through the illustrations.

Great price! Fast shipping. 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I can't believe how much cheaper I can find books online compared to what the college bookstores charge!

Great book 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Item was delivered in perfect shape and in a decent amount of time

Contents have helped in this last project a bunch

Great book

Great book with great insight. 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

I've had this book for a while now. It should be a staple for any young, budding architect and the principles contained within are examples of what make architecture different from engineering.

Great book by a great author.

Architectural Graphics (Architecture)

Frank Ching

List Price: $32.95 By: Van Nostrand Reinhold Amazon Marketplace: 14 new & used starting at $4.49

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 18 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Architectural Graphics, et al - excellent books, DECEPTIVE advertising 5 out of 5 stars.
5 of 10 people found this review helpful.

Get your act together Amazon or Wiley (I suspect Wiley) !!! (especially, note my final paragraph below)

1. This is NOT a hardback.

2. The "et al" is because this is NOT a single volume as suggested by the single ISBN 0471738263, but a COLLECTION of 3 PAPERBACKS - Architectural Graphics 4th ed ISBN 0471209066 (note different ISBN from that for the 3-volume set cited under only Ching's book title; 215 pages) by Francis D K Ching, Construction Drawings and Details for Interiors ISBN 0471109533 (246 pages)by W Otie Kilmer and Rosemary Kilmer, Interior Graphic Standards - Student Edition ISBN0471461962 (452 pages) by Maryrose McGowan AIA and Kelsey Kruse AIA for American Institute of Architects; overall total of 913 pages (NOT 944).

I have owned Ching's book since the first edition and it continues to be one of the best of the best. The Graphics Standards series is, of course, of biblical stature among all interested architecture and associated professionals. The Construction Drawings ... book I am unfamiliar with, though at a glance, it seems worthy.

Frustating thing is that I was especially interested in the prospect of a MAJOR significant enhancement of Ching's book - my take on Amazon's/Wiley's deceptive (or incompetent, to be more generous and kind) advertising. I already owned Ching's 4th edition and had no particular interest in the other 2 volumes, useful as they appear to be!

If only one of these volumes is of interest, any one of these 3 books would cost substantially less as an individual purchase. The price of the package of all 3 is probably a bargain, though I have not verified this.

You can do better Amazon and Wiley, so DO IT! This is sloppy work, which I have seen exemplified in other locations recently on your website; though, this is probably the worst I have seen (yet).

I resent the fact that this review is also being used at the Architectural Graphics (single volume only) webpage - where, removed from it's original and proper context, my comment appears to make no sense at all - as well as at the webpage where Ching's book title is deceptively (or sloppily) used to entice buyers to purchase a 3-book package (not explained at the webpage), when the buyer may only be interested in Ching's excellent book, thinking the much higher price is for a major revision of such (which it is not).

Fredric Lee McLaughlin, Architect

Editorial Review:

Ching's classic book on communicating ideas in architectural design clearly and effectively has been updated and expanded to include a complete guide to drawing equipment and materials, discussions on arrangingarchitectural presentations, and instructions and explanations on how to freehand sketch, shade, and use texture. The new larger format is easier to handle and store on a bookshelf. 1,000 line drawings.

Materials for Design

Victoria Ballard Bell, Patrick Rand

Amazon Price: $40.00 List Price: $50.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Princeton Architectural Press Amazon Marketplace: 26 new & used starting at $35.11

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

A great resource for technical info AND design inspiration 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I absolutely agree with the two previous reviews-- it is a seamless combination of technical info and aesthetics. The book was recommended in my Masters of Architecture program by the Construction-I professor and since then it has been circulating widely in the design studios. It is a great resource for material detailing AND design inspiration. Wa-hoo-wa, Victoria Bell, great job.

Editorial Review:

As architecture programs throughout the country break out of the classroom and adopt the holistic methods of design/build programs, the need for a textbook that bridges the gap between construction materials and design sensibility is sorely needed. Materials for Design is that book. Students must be taught how a choice of material affects the form and look of a structure; they must also learn how inspired design can inject any material with true personality and zeal. Broken into five sections-glass, wood, metals, plastics, and concrete-Materials for Design makes a thorough study of each material's properties, followed by a series of 10-12 case studies of that material put to imaginative use by today's brightest architects from around the world. There is no other textbook on the market that tackles material details so thoroughly while presenting lush, inspired color photographs, plan drawings, and detailed architectural diagrams.

Leed Prep: What You Really Need to Know to Pass the Leed NC V2.2 and CI V2.0 Exams

Holly Williams Leppo, Brad Saeger

Amazon Price: $75.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Professional Publications, Inc. Amazon Marketplace: 16 new & used starting at $75.00

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 2 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Whether you are preparing for the LEED NC or LEED CI exam, LEED Prep gives you a complete, concise review of the four subject areas covered on the exam as well as comprehensive summaries of each credit and prerequisite in the LEED NC and CI Rating Systems. LEED Prep will help you prepare efficiently with this easy-to-read synthesis of the most important information in the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED for New Construction Version 2.2 and LEED for Commercial Interiors Version 2.0 Reference Guides. Also included to supplement your review is an introduction to green building, a comprehensive glossary, and lists of commonly used acronyms and resources.

Make the most of your limited preparation time. Get the power to pass with LEED Prep.

Rapid Preparation for the LEED NC and LEED CI Exams Thorough, concise review of the four LEED exam subject areas Complete summaries of each credit and prerequisite of the LEED NC and CI Rating System 50 open-ended and short answer questions assess your knowledge of the exam topics Matrices designed to help you test your recall of the credits and prerequisites

Exam Topics Covered Knowledge of LEED Credit Intents and Requirements Coordinating a Project Team Implementing a LEED Process Verifying, Participating in, and Performing Technical Analyses for LEED Credits

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC®) did not participate in the development and/or publication of the LEED Prep, and does not participate in the development or administration of the LEED exam review courses. The USGBC is not affiliated with PPI. LEED and USGBC are registered trademarks of the U.S. Green Building Council.

Portfolio Design, Third Edition

Harold Linton, Steven Rost

Amazon Price: $24.75 List Price: $37.50 Usually ships in 24 hours By: W. W. Norton & Company Amazon Marketplace: 55 new & used starting at $19.99

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 20 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Great Starting Point for Gathering Ideas 4 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

First off, this is a great reference for people/architecture students who are starting up or refining their portfolios. It is packed with some excellent, helpful written guidelines and decent imagery of a wide variety of portfolios. The professional commentary/critiques of the case-study portfolios are worth the price of the book alone. I received the 2nd edition of the book 5 years ago as a gift as I was applying to architecture school (after I'd submitted my portfolio however!) and, after leafing through the book in detail at Borders, I picked up this 3rd edition today as I am preparing to graduate and enter the work force.

Now, with that out of the way...

Several of the negative complaints I've read on here have focused on the "poor presentation" of the portfolios and the quality of the images of them, etc. While those comments are not without merit or completely off-base, they are in fact quite silly with regard to the subject matter of this book. Linton is providing samples of portfolios that were created by various students who volunteered to have their work featured and the fact is that many of the portfolios are quite elaborate fold-outs, spiral bound books, or printed plates...there is really no way for the author to present the images of the portfolios themselves (not their content!) other than photographing them.

You can easily understand the IDEAS that are on display and how they are being graphically represented. That is the essence of what you need for composing your OWN portfolio featuring your OWN work. If you're looking for step-by-step instructions on how to create a slick portfolio, look elsewhere. I will say that the book would strongly benefit from more color imagery, but as for the reviewer who said they simply gave the book away because it was so disappointing and worthless, well, we don't see eye-to-eye on this one.

Editorial Review:

The architecture student's bible, revised, with expanded coverage of digital portfolios and seventy new illustrations. A portfolio is the essential tool for a job search, graduate school or grant application, or competition entry. This new edition of a bestseller continues to cover every aspect of portfolio planning and production, with increased emphasis on digital strategies, and it includes reviews of actual student portfolios by three industry professionals. 23 color illustrations.

Why Buildings Fall Down: How Structures Fail

Matthys Levy, Mario Salvadori

Amazon Price: $11.53 List Price: $16.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: W. W. Norton & Company Amazon Marketplace: 69 new & used starting at $4.28

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 14 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

A Good Book, but Outdated 3 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I'm hopeful that the authors will produce a new edition of this book, with the forensic explanations of the collapse of the World Trade Center towers explained in detail.

It is, nonetheless, a worthy sequel to Prof. Salvadori's great work, "Why Buildings Stand Up." It's best to buy both and read them in sequence.

It's also fun to cross the New River Gorge Bridge in West Virginia (as my son and I did last summer) and think about Galloping Gertie...

:)

Thrilling book 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

I'm a young Civil Engineer from Portugal. Some months ago I went to New York and I found this fantastic book. I've also bought the book "Why buildings stand up" which is, again, amazing. The descriptions are in such a simple way that even lay people can understand easily the functioning of structures.
It was a pleasure to read such interesting books.

Editorial Review:

Although modern technologies and new materials have greatly decreased the number of structural failures in today's world, buildings still fall down. Two world-renowned structural engineers take us on an enlightening guided tour through the history of architectural and structural disasters, from ancient times to the present. B/W line drawings.

THE ARCHITECTURE OF LIGHT: Architectural Lighting Design Concepts and Techniques

Sage Russell

Amazon Price: $58.50 List Price: $65.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Conceptnine Amazon Marketplace: 18 new & used starting at $51.00

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 19 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

Great book for designing light 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This is a great book that gets right to the idea of actual lighting design. It touches on a few technical aspects, but it does not weigh you down with a lot of information pertinent to making you an electrician. What I love most about this book is that it breaks down the design process into five easy steps. It helps to free you from preconceived notions, and teaches you to look at lighting as DESIGN as opposed to purely functional.

Editorial Review:

The Architecture of Light makes lighting design approachable. This vivid, image packed text of lighting concepts and techniques serves as the perfect companion for lighting design students and professionals alike. Built around a successful teaching curriculum, this text provides a logical step by step progression through the phases of conceptualizing, refining, drafting and presenting lighting design. Written by a practicing professional lighting designer who is also an award winning design instructor, The Architecture of Light presents a perfect blend of visual design tools and fundamental lighting knowledge. In addition to theory and discussion, The Architecture of Light also provides complete chapters of common lighting details, case studies and a catalog of specific lighting tools. Every architect, interior designer and design student deserves a working knowledge of lighting design and this single book makes it possible.

Becoming an Architect: A Guide to Careers in Design

Lee W. Waldrep

Amazon Price: $23.10 List Price: $35.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: John Wiley Amazon Marketplace: 56 new & used starting at $19.51

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 16 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Very good information from a wide range of voices about architecture as a career 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

One of my daughters is very interested in becoming an architect and this is an ideal book for her. I think any young person of even an undergraduate college student considering this career path will find this book very helpful.

I appreciate that the book asks and answers the most likely questions a young person will ask or should ask about the career. Even more I appreciate that the author has brought in a broad range of practicing architects to answer than and share their views. This range of opinions and suggestions is quite helpful. It also has the benefit of being interesting.

There are five chapters, the first provides some definition of what an architect is by talking about the wide range of things architects do, and helps the prospective architect think through if such a career is for them. The important skills of architects are also discussed.

Chapter two talks about the education of an architect and even gets back into childhood toys, books and activities. For the high school student considering this career they suggest which courses are most beneficial for the student. They also discuss the licensing, paths to various degrees and what they are needed for. Appendix B also gives a list of accredited architecture programs. There is also information about the application programs and academic enrichment.

Chapter three talks about how to gain experience as a student, how to get noticed, what hiring companies look for, and moving towards licensure. Chapter four helps the student design her career and what the options are. Chapter five lets the participants in this book speak about their wide range of views of the future of architecture. Appendix A provides a resource list for architects - professional organizations, institutions, community service, recommended reading, and websites.

All great stuff, very readable, and with lots of interesting illustrations and photographs.

Very good!

Editorial Review:

What do architects do?

What are the educational requirements for architects?

What does an architectural internship involve?

How does one become a licensed architect?

What is the future of the architectural profession?

Get the answers to these key questions in Becoming an Architect. This completely up-to-date guide to today's careers in architecture provides a clear and concise survey of the field and offers advice for navigating a successful career. Filled with interviews and insights from leading architects, the book covers everything from educational requirements and design specialties to registration requirements and the many directions in which a career in architecture can go.

The Eyes of the Skin: Architecture and the Senses

Juhani Pallasmaa

Amazon Price: $30.82 List Price: $35.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Academy Press Amazon Marketplace: 40 new & used starting at $22.75

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

what has been lost in architecture and why it should be back 5 out of 5 stars.
20 of 21 people found this review helpful.

During my 15 years of architectural education and some years of practice (both as architect and as 'explainer' of architecture) I have not yet encountered a book on architecture which has changed my view on architecture so dramatically.

Juhani Pallasmaa's book makes an excelent argument for retrieving in architecture that which seems to have been lost for a long time: the lived intelligence of the bodilly senses. In his book Pallasmaa gives an overview of the development of the occularcentrism which is dominating architecture (and pretty much every cultural aspect) in the Western world for centuries and goes on to show how this leads to an impoverment of the architectural experience (and with that the impoverment of our daily lifes).

The mix of theory, practice and convincing examples (ranging from architecture, art, cinema to literature and poetry together with the size (80 pages) makes the book easily readable, even for the less theoretical inclined reader. My advice: read it!

For those of you who are as impressed with this book as I am: there's another book by Pallasmaa with the title 'Encounters'(published by Rakennustieto Oy Rati, June 2005). This book features a collection of essay's which were written by the author over the last 20 years. This book is also about the phenomenology of architecture but, due to its size (app. 350 pages), gives a broader overview of the thinking and writing of Juhani Pallasmaa. It seems it is not available at Amazon but I hope they will put is on there list soon!

Editorial Review:

Since the book's first publication, interest in the role of the body and the senses has been emerging in both architectural philosophy and teaching. This new, revised and extended edition of this seminal work will not only inspire architects and students to design more holistic architecture, but will enrich the general reader's perception of the world around them.

The Eyes of the Skin has become a classic of architectural theory and consists of two extended essays. The first surveys the historical development of the ocular-centric paradigm in western culture since the Greeks, and its impact on the experience of the world and the nature of architecture. The second examines the role of the other senses in authentic architectural experiences, and points the way towards a multi-sensory architecture which facilitates a sense of belonging and integration.

The Timeless Way of Building

Christopher Alexander

Amazon Price: $40.95 List Price: $65.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Oxford University Press Amazon Marketplace: 54 new & used starting at $29.12

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 26 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Overkill of an Introduction to his Patterns book 2 out of 5 stars.
6 of 10 people found this review helpful.

He is a very whimsical writer. Take time to browse through the 'Search Inside' to see if you really need this long introduction. For content you can actually work with, check out his other book: A Pattern Language: Towns, Buildings, Construction (Center for Environmental Structure Series).

The Mystical Architect 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 3 people found this review helpful.

One of the most intriguing books I have ever read, The Timeless Way of Building is one part complexity theory, one part architectural and city-planning theory, and one part spiritual treatise. It makes a great contribution to any class on Aesthetics, and resonates with people far and wide. I wish this book were in every library in America.

Tao Te Ching of Architecture 5 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

In many ways, The Timeless Way of Building remains the best book by Alexander, as it is easily accessible to all readers and provides a wonderful, thought provoking look into building traditions. Alexander searches for examples of a more humane architecture that took its proportions from the nature of building materials and the context in which these structures were built. The book is evocatively illustrated with black and white photos and thumbnail sketches. It has a look and feel like that of the Everyman's Library edition of Tao Te Ching, and in a similar way represents the building blocks of architecture through an insightful series of meditations on place. Alexander built on this series with A Pattern Language and The Oregon Experiment, and has since come out with a new series of books on The Nature of Order, but for many this is all you need to appreciate the sense of balance and order Christopher Alexander finds necessary in the built environment.

Editorial Review:

This volume provides the opening work in Christopher Alexander's seminal trilogy on architecture (continued in A Pattern Language and The Oregon Experiment). Here he provides a fascinating introduction to the ideas behind the succeeding two books.