Product Description
2008 Silver Award Winner, Architecture Category, Independent Publisher Book Awards. and Winning entry, General Trade Illustrated Category, in the 2008 New England Book Show sponsored by Bookbuilders of Boston.

This is a book that students of architecture will want to keep in the studio and in their backpacks. It is also a book they may want to keep out of view of their professors, for it expresses in clear and simple language things that tend to be murky and abstruse in the classroom. These 101 concise lessons in design, drawing, the creative process, and presentation—from the basics of "How to Draw a Line" to the complexities of color theory—provide a much-needed primer in architectural literacy, making concrete what too often is left nebulous or open-ended in the architecture curriculum. Each lesson utilizes a two-page format, with a brief explanation and an illustration that can range from diagrammatic to whimsical. The lesson on "How to Draw a Line" is illustrated by examples of good and bad lines; a lesson on the dangers of awkward floor level changes shows the television actor Dick Van Dyke in the midst of a pratfall; a discussion of the proportional differences between traditional and modern buildings features a drawing of a building split neatly in half between the two. Written by an architect and instructor who remembers well the fog of his own student days, 101 Things I Learned in Architecture School provides valuable guideposts for navigating the design studio and other classes in the architecture curriculum. Architecture graduates—from young designers to experienced practitioners—will turn to the book as well, for inspiration and a guide back to basics when solving a complex design problem. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (47)

101 things that make you think (about space and design)
This book is best read slowly, as in one "thing" a day, or even a week. It's a nice jumping-off point for taking each idea and running to the web for more info and search for architecture that confirms each point. Makes an excellent gift.

Fantastic Collection of Wisdom
I do not have any real design sense, I can't draw, and I don't know anything about architecture - but still I love this book.I'm a software developer, and I'm constantly amazed by how many parallels exist between the software design that I do and the more concrete, physical design that architects focus on.

Some of the entries in the book are architecture-specific, but for the most part thisbook is just absolutely packed with wisdom about design in the abstract.I keep it on my desk at work and flip through whenever I have a down moment.101 Things I Learned in Architecture School always leaves me with something to think about, and I'm sure it makes me a better developer.

Good for a giggle - not a very heavy book.
As I said this is not a heavy book. Very approachable for students and will introduce you to all the terms that professors are going to say. Great for a giggle after you graduate and look back at all of the silly things that you learn, do and worry about in architecture school.

101 Things I Learned in Architecture School
I have a BA and MA in art but always felt like I was a missing something...the structure that grounded the imagination. I enjoy building/remodeling and, because of my ability to conceptually understand how forms work together, my husband always said I was an Egyptian architect in a past life and probably worked on the pyramids. This little fun-to-hold book is the answer to my prayers. It puts in words concepts I already subconsciously understood, but didn't realize were architectural in origin; like #34 "Frame a view, don't merely exhibit it" (as a designer, work to carefully shape, size, and place windows such that they are specific to the views and experiences they address). This is my new favorite book - bought the first copy in San Francisco at the DeYoung Museum gift shop - liked it so much I bought three more as gifts.As a professional event planner - I've already applied some of the 101 tips to the design of my tented installations. No need to spend years in architecture school to learn the theories of architecture - this is a great source of easy-to-understand information as well as a great value...and, the physical design of the book is like holding a little piece of sculpture.This may be the smallest most important book you ever buy.

101 things i learnt in architecture school
it's a great little thing for anybody who studied architecture and knows something about architecture student's life ... ;) perfect as a memento from an architecture school. ... Read more

Product Description
Does it seem you’ve formulated a rock-solid strategy, yet your firm still can’t get ahead? If so, construct a solid foundation for business execution—an IT infrastructure and digitized business processes to automate your company’s core capabilities. In Enterprise Architecture as Strategy: Creating a Foundation for Business Execution, authors Jeanne W. Ross, Peter Weill, and David C. Robertson show you how.

The key? Make tough decisions about which processes you must execute well, then implement the IT systems needed to digitize those processes. Citing numerous companies worldwide, the authors show how constructing the right enterprise architecture enhances profitability and time to market, improves strategy execution, and even lowers IT costs. Though clear, engaging explanation, they demonstrate how to define your operating model—your vision of how your firm will survive and grow—and implement it through your enterprise architecture. Their counterintuitive but vital message: when it comes to executing your strategy, your enterprise architecture may matter far more than your strategy itself. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (47)

A Compelling Case for Enterprise Architecture Now!
"Enterprise Architecture As Strategy: Creating a foundation for business execution" presents a compelling case for adopting, advancing, and maturing Enterprise Architecture as a key component in the business strategy.This tightly-written book provides actionable guidance without being overly prescriptive.Jeanne Ross, Peter Weil, and David Roberson base their guidance on extensive business research, academic study, and statistical analysis of real-world business results.The authors illustrate their findings through readable business case studies that business professionals will appreciate.
The authors make a clear case that companies adopting enterprise architecture to build their foundation for business execution can achieve stellar results, and avoid the undesirable consequence of agility-favoring natural selection in the marketplace.They provide a concise and understandable framework for building the foundation for business execution, and remind us to apply patience and provide support while we build architecture maturity and learn from each step in the framework.
The authors set the high-watermark for enterprise architecture books.They reveal how enterprise architecture is at the nexus of business and technology, and how it can and should be used to align IT with the business operating model.This alignment builds synergy throughout the organization.Though not said in as many words, the point is clearly made that even professionals in the IT department must consider themselves as business professionals first and foremost.They are business professionals who know and apply information technology to enable business capabilities.
I highly recommend this book.
__Joseph Starwood

EA AS GUIDE TO OUTSOURCING
I dont need to read this book to learn EA. as one of the chapter title, EA guide to outsourcing, I would just hire somebody to draw up an enterprise architecture for my client.

A Must Read for Executives and IT Leadership
The authors make a solid argument that an Enterprise Architecture is a "foundation for execution" that supports the company's strategy. Four stages of maturity are discussed in detail with helpful case studies. A fifth level of maturity is offered up as a vision for the future.

Senior executives and managers across all functions of an enterprise should read this cover to cover. IT management will benefit from the series of questions presented, fueling the discussions between IT and functional leadership. This book certainly helps guide the dialogue which leads to the development of roadmaps for technology, data and processes.

The result of a clearly articulated and well understood enterprise architecture is a foundation for evaluating investments and architecting future systems.

Great book! Perfect condition.
Excellent book with well-written material applicable to any organization considering Enterprise Architecture as a way to align IT with their business strategies, or who are seeking a better understanding about what Enterprise Architecture is...and isn't.

AE for anyone
This is an excellent book. I enjoyed reading it. It presents to me a top level, complete plan, and examples with use cases of how to implement an AE regardless of business segments.

Great Book. I am look forward to the next one depicting this year (2009) and the last two years.
... Read more

Product Description
The Achitecture of Happiness is a dazzling and generously illustrated journey through the philosophy and psychology of architecture and the indelible connection between our identities and our locations.One of the great but often unmentioned causes of both happiness and misery is the quality of our environment: the kinds of walls, chairs, buildings, and streets that surround us. And yet a concern for architecture is too often described as frivolous, even self-indulgent. Alain de Botton starts from the idea that where we are heavily influences who we can be, and argues that it is architecture's task to stand as an eloquent reminder of our full potential. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (52)

This Is a Nutty Book
I'm glad I bought it, and I'm glad I read it.

It's such an odd piece, really.The author is primarily known as a fiction writer.So all of those novelist word picture tricks are used to pass his thoughts on to us about how architecture goes about making us happy.

The person who recommended this book to me must ride on a higher mental plane than I do.I didn't think the premise needed documentation.

Falling short in conveying the message
Although I sympathize very much with the intentions of the author in educating us on some basic elements of architecture very much appreciated by many of us, I find the shortcomings of the book annoing. Such a book would benefit tremendously by having more and better illustrations. Also at times I find the text too elaborate and off track, especially in the first chapters.

Not a page turner & not deep analysis
I have read most of the customer reviews listed on Amazon - unfortunately only after I finished reading the book.I am impressed with the quality of authors of those reviews.I can not say I am knowledgeable about architecture.Yet that was precisely why I bought this book.To get more insight.

What I found, however was a compilation of one man's opinions about architecture.Whether he likes this or that.

I am finding De Botton a hard to read man.I think there is too much trying to make "perfect" sentences.However because it's not done on a perfect level, it gets tiring to read.I contemplated a lot whether I should stop the book after mere 50 pages.But I had to finish - God only knows why - so I pushed myself.There were maybe few points which I got from the book.But all in all it was a waste of my time to finish it.Sorry Alain!.

Should have been 5-star
I would have rated this book 5 stars had the photos been in color. The text/prose was marvelous and well reviewed by others, certainly worth 5 stars. The photos, which occurred on almost every other page well-illustrated the author's points made in the text. All would have been perfect had the photos, at least some, been in color.

The book is beautiful: exquisitely bound, thick pages, vibrant purple cover, colorful and attractive dust jacket - so many things that appeal to those who are drawn to the sensory aesthetics. I was so disappointed in the lack of color within the pages. The exterior exuded, promised as much beauty within.

Alas, the text and prose don't disappoint, so this is consolation. Lack of color within the pages might seem a minor point, but to me, black and white photos on every page dulled my senses, and I grew bored. Details were obscured with the varying shades of gray, but with color, details would have been more prominent on the small pages of this 8 in x 6 in book.

Alright, I'm done beating a dead horse. Great prose, hate the black and white. The book deserves 5 stars, but with no color photos, I can only give it 3 stars.

We are Different People in Different Spaces
Spaces change who we are.

This ideas is expressed by de Bottam this way: "belief in the significance of architecture is premised on the notion that we are, for better or for worse, different people in different places -- and on the conviction that it is architecture's task to render vivid to us who we might ideally be."

So we should think carefully about where we spend our time. Intuitively we seem to seek in architecture what is missing in ourselves, or what will balance us, or make us whole.

de Botton quotes German philosopher Novalis who said, "In a work of art, chaos must shimmer through the veil of order". This seems to be an overriding theme of the book, the balance of order and disorder.

Orderly architecture combined with the chaos of daily life is humanizing and pleasing. However, if the architecture is itself disorderly then the addition of life's chaos creates that environment described by de Botton as producing "disorientation and frenzy".

And more generally, "we are drawn to call something beautiful whenever we detect that it contains in a concentrated form those qualities in which we personally, or our societies more generally, are deficient. We respect a style which can move us away from what we fear and towards what we crave: a style which carries the correct dosage of our missing virtues."

We also find beautiful that which is stronger than we are and admire structures of strength and substance.

These are interesting and provoking ideas and de Bottam's writing is for the most part clear and rich, often seemingly unusually enlightened.

How do we test these ideas? I suppose by going into different spaces and seeing how they affect us. I was inspired to look at buildings differently and more directly in the future, and increase the order in my own live. ... Read more

Product Description

The Ultimate Real-World Reference for Revit Architecture

This comprehensive guide has been completely updated to provide the most modern, detailed, and in-depth coverage of Autodesk's leading building information modeling software. This packed new edition features clear discussions of core topics that are reinforced by compelling examples and tutorials to guide you to Revit Architecture mastery.

The expert authors use real-world workflows to show you how to immediately implement and use Revit Architecture 2011 with spectacular results. They delve deeply into every crucial topic, including how to most productively use the interface, how to create fantastic building designs with Revit, and how to produce solid documentation. They also explore such advanced topics as using Revit Architecture during construction and how to leverage the API.

Coverage includes:

• A thorough, complete overview of the Revit Architecture tool chest

• Advanced modeling and massing using the Family Editor

• Designing simple and complex walls, curtain walls, roofs, floors, stairs, and railings

• Preparing your designs for presentation with color fills, animations, visualizations, and more

• Using the Revit API to create custom applications

• Performing various types of sustainable design analysis

• Advanced topics not covered anywhere else, including modeling for construction, and Revit for film and stage

• Other critical coverage such as managing Revit projects, family creation, office standards, and more

Quickly Become Productive Using Core Revit Features and Functions

Document, Detail, Annotate, and Present Your Designs

Improve Your Workflow with Worksharing and Collaboration

Explore the Essentials of Sustainable Design

Prepare for the Revit Architecture 2011 Certified Associate and Certified Professional Exams ... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

Best Mastering Book by Far
I order this bookto help me understand Revit. This book has gone above and beyond. I am very happy and would purchase it again!!!

Up to expectations
The book provides real life examples for work flow and deals issues met in everyday processes. It gives important guidance as to the cross platform use of data so that things would happen easier.
Finally shows how no software is still enough to pull off the whole of the design, either because of design philososphy or because of company tactics. It is much better though even for beginners as similar books tend to present the possibilities of a software instead of helping the user. I would definetly reccomend this to coleagues.

This is THE Revit guide
It's my third revit guide and this book is perfect if you want to understand more of Revit and get what comes "out of the box". The chapter on stairs and railings is worth a book by itself, simply wonderful!

Awesome book for people who know the basics!
I am 31 yrs old and am an advanced user of CAD. I first got introduced to Revit in version 11 and drew up a simple plan. I found it frustrating at first cause I didn't know how to do simple things like detail a section dwg so I wasnt sure I could handle a "real" project.

Well, with this book I now feel comfortable taking on a full blown job.Its very informative in many ways and a perfect guide for anyone who knows the basics.

I look forward to using this book as a guide and I enjoy reading it also because I feel like I'm actually learning something new!

The only thing I didnt like was the fact that the illustrations were in black/white and sometimes the authors reference colors when explaining something (i.e. datum colors, selected/unselected objects)....so it doesn't really make sense in that aspect.

Keep this book close
Since becoming immersed in the world of Revit, this book has been indispensable as a source of information in my daily routine.Not only has "Mastering Autodesk Revit Architecture 2011" helped me with the nuts and bolts of working with Revit, but also has shown me how to establish a productive workflow with Revit.

For me, "Mastering Autodesk Revit Architecture 2011" is an excellent bridge between textbook like tutorials and the real world. By showing how Revit changes and improves the design process by using real world examples, you can immediately see how the details you learned in class apply to the overall design picture.

By encapsulating the details of "How" you use Revit within the broader picture of "Why" you use Revit the authors are teaching both the ins and outs of the software as well as helping the user establish a productive workflow that will make them, overall a more effective designer.
... Read more

Product Description
A superb visual reference to the principles of architecture

Now including interactive CD-ROM!

For more than thirty years, the beautifully illustrated Architecture: Form, Space, and Order has been the classic introduction to the basic vocabulary of architectural design. The updated Third Edition features expanded sections on circulation, light, views, and site context, along with new considerations of environmental factors, building codes, and contemporary examples of form, space, and order.

This classic visual reference helps both students and practicing architects understand the basic vocabulary of architectural design by examining how form and space are ordered in the built environment.? Using his trademark meticulous drawing, Professor Ching shows the relationship between fundamental elements of architecture through the ages and across cultural boundaries. By looking at these seminal ideas, Architecture: Form, Space, and Order encourages the reader to look critically at the built environment and promotes a more evocative understanding of architecture.

In addition to updates to content and many of the illustrations, this new edition includes a companion CD-ROM that brings the book's architectural concepts to life through three-dimensional models and animations created by Professor Ching. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (43)

Book review
I needed this book for an architecture class.It arrived quickly and in great condition.

Chingy Ching
what i don't understand is how you can give any book but this book especially, anything below 5 stars. Ching seriously BREAKS it down! I got most of my ching books my freshman year of architecture school and you couldn't pry them from my hands. They are sooo helpful especially architectural graphic along with Form, Space and order. No one pursuing a career in architecture in their right mind, not have ching in their library arsenal.

good review of the basics
This gook is a great value if you are new or just a beginning your career and want to get some nice perspective fast.I know that some reviews here indicate that this book is not the right book for architects.and i can understand their point of view, because they were expecting something the book didn't give.as a matter of face i was dissappionted too when i 1st got the book, but now i know it's a real treasure and definately a must-have for architects and new designers.
This book is the greatest illustrator of buildings throughout time, not in pictures but in beautiful sketches, from different angles and with a brief explaination of the design concept...it helps if u r studying history of arhitecture and u want to know the architects and their works.

Fabulous!
This book is a must for anyone studying drawing, drafting or architecture.Fantastic detail and examples.

A Jewel!
By Jewel I mean, it's worth your time and money.Learn the meaning of structures and a little arch history from the author.
Need to get a quick course in the form and space of architecture.here ya go.Other learning is needed after this.I wanted
to build 3d set extensions.This book gave me a feel for the forms and how they make people feel.

I recommend. ... Read more

Product Description
Noted software engineering expert, Martin Fowler, turns his attention to enterprise application development. He helps professionals understand the complex--yet critical--aspects of architecture. Enables the reader to make proper choices when faced with a difficult design decision. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (69)

PEAA is the Manifesto of Today's Enterprise Engineer
I've had this book on my wishlist for over 2 months. It's one of those things where I wait and see if I can afford it later, and then later turns into 2 months later. Let me tell you that I feel ridiculously foolish for leaving this on my wishlist for more than the time it takes to ship. If your job is in any way related to software development, you need to read this book NOW.

Surprisingly I already knew a lot about what was in this volume, but in hindsight, it was an incomplete jigsaw puzzle with the pieces laying around everywhere. To complete the analogy this book gave me the picture, of the puzzle, so I knew how the pieces should look when they fit together. I will be reading this book a second time just to burn the concepts into my brain.

As far as the literary quality, it's not dry like some references, but it's not overly exciting. If you're accustomed to reading tech ref documents and white papers then any book, like this, is disneyland in comparison. The authors organized it well, and it delivers the information in a powerful way, with lots of diagrams and code specimens to illustrate the concepts.

I'm glad this book was recommended to me, but I get the feeling that most professionals in my industry have read this volume, so it's an important thing to read.

A Classic
This is required reading if you are doing enterprise development.Even for it's age, POEAA is still THE foundation of the patterns that will be used daily.Some of the material, particularly the object-relational mapping patterns, will be a little to low-level to actually be practically useful (considering the existing frameworks available today) - but still it provides a good background on how this stuff actually works.That is - you probably won't need to implement your own Unit Of Work, but it's still essential that you understand the motivations of the pattern and the problems it solves.

Good read and reread
The patterns in the Book are not new, they are known by any average coder with few yrs of exp. How ever the book is a very coherent collection of patterns and still (in 2010) remains very relevant. But the book can use little updating in few areas like with ASP.Net MVC - .Net now supports MVC, services both in Java and WCF etc.

Very good read(reread)
The patterns in the Book are not new, they are known by any average coder with few yrs of exp. How ever the book is a very coherent collection of patterns and still (in 2010) remains very relevant. But the book can use little updating in few areas like with ASP.Net MVC - .Net now supports MVC, services both in Java and WCF etc.

Kindle Edition misses all figures/diagrams
The Kindle Edition does NOT include any figures or diagrams. Quite an unpleasant surprise when reading passages like "The easiest way to see the difference is to look at the sequence diagrams for the two approaches (Figures 2.1 and 2.2).", clicking on those links and only finding a bare caption with no figure whatsoever. I contacted Amazon's customer service about this, and they replied with a mere "Occasionally, conversion to digital requires modification of content, layout, or format, including the omission of some images and tables". It would be great if Amazon worked together with the publishers to make it clear when there is missing content somewhere in its product page. Paying almost the price of the hardcover to end up with an incomplete product is unfair to say the least, and overall a bad experience for the reader. ... Read more

Product Description
This book defines over 5,000 terms relating to architectural design, history, and technology. It is the only dictionary that provides concise, accurate definitions illustrated with finely detailed, hand-rendered drawings, each executed in Mr. Ching's signature style. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Fantastic guide to architecture for the non-architect
This is a practical straight forward guide to Architecture for the non-architect.Also of use to those interested in building design and architectual history.

Easy understand dictionary for architectural student
Vision is better than a thousand words. This graphic book makes you very easy to understand the architectural vocabulary. Not only good for student but also good for architectural practicer.

Most USEFUL Book on Architecture EVER!
My husband bought this book for me when I decided to go back to school to study architecture, and it has turned out to be sooooo helpful.I have usedit in every course I've taken; it makes studying for tests so much easier.It has a fabulous index so you can find what you are looking for right away, and the illustrations and page layouts are great.This book is a must for any architecture student.I really can't recommend it highly enough.

The Visual Dictionary of Architecture
As with other materials by Francis D.K.Ching, the illustrations are not only clear and precise but aesthetically pleasing. It is a pleasure to read through the material for a comprehensive understanding of architectural concepts, presented in an historical perspective which clarifies the how and why of modern day building technology.The Visual Dictionary of Architecture
is an invaluable reference for the student and architectural practicioner as well.

Easy to use and read and understand
Somewhere near the very beginning of my lecturing career, I showed a slide onscreen and was trying to point out a unique feature of a home. Gesturing toward the screen I said, "that thingie over the window..."

I was mortified. What a dreadful mistake for a "professional" lecturer to make!! Since I planned to give many more lectures, I came home and bought this book from Amazon.

When the parcel arrived, I quickly opened it and was delighted to find the easy-to-read drawings. Ching makes the most complex architectural graphics easy to see and understand. Using this book, I gave myself a crash course on "basic architectural terms" and since then, I've given 200 lectures and never used the word "THINGIE" again!!

Rose
author, California's Kit Homes
and "The Houses That Sears Built" ... Read more

Product Description
The era of seemingly unlimited growth in processor performance is over: single chip architectures can no longer overcome the performance limitations imposed by the power they consume and the heat they generate. Today, Intel and other semiconductor firms are abandoning the single fast processor model in favor of multi-core microprocessors--chips that combine two or more processors in a single package. In the fourth edition of Computer Architecture, the authors focus on this historic shift, increasing their coverage of multiprocessors and exploring the most effective ways of achieving parallelism as the key to unlocking the power of multiple processor architectures. Additionally, the new edition has expanded and updated coverage of design topics beyond processor performance, including power, reliability, availability, and dependability.

CD System Requirements
PDF Viewer
The CD material includes PDF documents that you can read with a PDF viewer such as Adobe, Acrobat or Adobe Reader. Recent versions of Adobe Reader for some platforms are included on the CD.

HTML Browser
The navigation framework on this CD is delivered in HTML and JavaScript. It is recommended that you install the latest version of your favorite HTML browser to view this CD. The content has been verified under Windows XP with the following browsers: Internet Explorer 6.0, Firefox 1.5; under Mac OS X (Panther) with the following browsers: Internet Explorer 5.2, Firefox 1.0.6, Safari 1.3; and under Mandriva Linux 2006 with the following browsers: Firefox 1.0.6, Konqueror 3.4.2, Mozilla 1.7.11.
The content is designed to be viewed in a browser window that is at least 720 pixels wide. You may find the content does not display well if your display is not set to at least 1024x768 pixel resolution.

Operating System
This CD can be used under any operating system that includes an HTML browser and a PDF viewer. This includes Windows, Mac OS, and most Linux and Unix systems.

Increased coverage on achieving parallelism with multiprocessors.

Case studies of latest technology from industry including the Sun Niagara Multiprocessor, AMD Opteron, and Pentium 4.

Three review appendices, included in the printed volume, review the basic and intermediate principles the main text relies upon.

Eight reference appendices, collected on the CD, cover a range of topics including specific architectures, embedded systems, application specific processors--some guest authored by subject experts. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (23)

Terse
It's quite terse and needs many more diagrams for better visualization of difficult concepts. It's a book more for those who like reading theory and don't need a lot of examples.

Required
I needed this book for a class, and so far is has been pretty good.The topics are well explained, and the material is presented in a understandable fashion.

The bible... Nothing like others.
For those who have never read this book, I'd emphasize that this is not a computer architecture book that explains some basic stuffs. Instead, this book focuses more on the performance aspect of the computers and I'd say this is the ONLY worthwhile book that discusses from that viewpoint. So, if you are to study the computer performance, your choice is either reading this book or reading tons of papers published by researchers or both. It means you must have a good understanding on the computer architecture before reading this book.

My only complaint is that though the book is available only with paperback now, they didn't reduce the price. It's still worth the price, though.

Solutions to Case Study Exercises contain lots of errors
I'm very surprised, nobody is talking about the fact that the Solutions to Case Study exercises contain errors. The answers to chapter 4 exercices are a very disaster. Students just like to jump to the solutions (I do too). Please be aware

This book was good
I have been trying to return this book because a get confused and i didn't need this book. Can you tell me where i can send back the book please?

Though this book is really good.

Thank you. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
Profusely illustrated with fine instances of architectural experimentation through the centuries, Experiencing Architecture manages to convey the intellectual excitement of superb design. From teacups, riding boots, golf balls, and underwater sculpture to the villas of Palladio and the fish-feeding pavilion of the Peking Winter Palace, the author ranges over the less-familiar byways of designing excellence.At one time, writes Rasmussen, "the entire community tool part in forming the dwellings and implements they used. The individual was in fruitful contact with these things; the anonymous houses were built with a natural feeling for place, materials and use and the result was a remarkably suitable comeliness. Today, in our highly civilized society, the houses which ordinary people are doomed to live in and gaze upon are on the whole without quality. We cannot, however, go back to the old method of personally supervised handicrafts. We must strive to advance by arousing interest in and understanding of the work the architect does. The basis of competent professionalism is a sympathetic and knowledgeable group of amateurs, of non-professional art lovers." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Experiencing Architecture Book Review
The book was in great condition and it arrived when I expected it to arrive. The book contains elements to architecture that you cannot find absolutely any where else. It talks about experiences and ways that structures can bring out human emotions and feelings that one cannot register by simply entering into a building. Though this book explains what happens when you are in a building that evokes emotion. Its great.

Experiencing Architecture
7/09 Steen Eiler Rasmussen's "Experiencing Architecture" was my introduction to Architecture in the 1st semester of my 1st year (1964) in Architecture School. We were also assigned Robert Venturi's"Complexity and Contradiction in Architecture" during my 2nd sememster. While I do appreciate Venturi's work, I am still scratching my head over his maiden literary effort. Rasmussen's straight forward explanations and illustrations of form, space, volume and light sank into my eager but confused brain. It helped me understand what Architecture meant as an expression of civilization and culture. When I had the opportunity to teach an introduction to Architecture after I graduated, I was warned that Rasmussen's work required a college level mastery of English. If reading comprehension is a challenge, be forwarned.

Great introductory book on architecture
This book was required reading for my introductory class on architecture.I was debating whether I should be an architect or not and this influenced me to pursue it. It is one of those rare theory books that I had fond memories of reading.Rasmussen, unlike most writers, is very even handed in his presentation and doesn't steer the reader into any particular style.He provides the reader with a clearer understanding of architecture and the role of architects in shaping the built environment.

Experiencing Architecture
Experiencing Architecture, 2nd Edition
In spite of it's age the book is still like a bible for people interested in architecture and used a lot in education. The language is not too complicated, its not too technical and there are a lot of simple but good illustrations.

experiencing architcture
I like this book very much, while reading, you feel like being on the place that is described and feel the architectural sensation. ... Read more

Product Description
“This new edition is brighter, shinier, more complete, more pragmatic, more focused than the previous one, and I wouldn’t have thought it possible to improve on the original. As the field of software architecture has grown over these past decades, there is much more to be said, much more that we know, and much more that we can reflect upon of what’s worked and what hasn’t—and the authors here do all that, and more.”

—From the Foreword by Grady Booch, IBM Fellow

Customer Reviews (10)

The Best Just got Better....
This book is the bible of documenting software architectures.It is a mandatory read for all software architects.It should also be read by the various stakeholders who have invested in a software architect so they have some idea about what their investment should be accomplishing.

This version includes a lot of new content.It includes new architectural styles for SOA, database models, and multi-tier architectures.

The authors have expanded the epilogue which is the comparison of Views and Beyond to other documenting approaches.It now includes comparisons to ISO/IEC 42010 - ANSI/IEEE Std 1471-2000, the RUPs 4+1, Rozanski and Woods Viewpoint Set, agile projects, and DoDAF.

The book now includes 3 appendixes.One on UML, SysML, and AADL.Each is an overview of the language.

They have improved templates based on experience gained since the first version of the book.

The book's example is now on line.It documents a Web-based service-oriented system.

This book shows you how to communicate with your stakeholders and how to address quality attribute requirements like no other book out there.I am not saying it is the best book out there, I am saying it accomplishes what it tries to teach.It creates a view of a great method of documenting architecture.It then provides a cross reference with some other great methods of documenting software architecture in the epilogue I mentioned above.

It is a must read for any architect that takes there job serious.It will add a wealth of knowledge to your arsenal of tools.

Rich book that deserve to be read
I had to read this book in a software engineering course. Usually, those mandatory books that student must buy for their course are finally mostly used as reference or additional documentation. In this case, this book was as much important as the entire class. It covers a wide range of topics selected by the teacher and even more.

This book is hard to read because there is a lot of important concepts and ideas in every single chapter. View types, styles, some basic tactics, how to choose what to include in a view, how to present your document, how to combine views, etc.

The only annoying point is that they wrote many times in their book that a View must come with a key to explain its notation. However, we can find many of theirs example of a view that haven't any key. But except for these errors, it is an excellent book.

A master guide on Architecture Documentation
Documentation is one of the main duties of a Software Architect. A master design, poorly documented, will most probably be poorly implemented. This book is an excellent guide to create long lasting documentation that effectively conveys your design and helps guides your project from conception all the way to maintenance.

It gives great insight on how to successfully target your different audiences and explains in a clear and concise way a lot of the terminology used in the most widely adopted architectural styles.. The way the documentation packages are explained and organized creates a convenient and easy to follow catalog, allowing your stakeholders to employ your documentation as a reference that they keep visiting over and over again throughout the entire life-cycle of your project.

The book is also organized in a way that it can be used as a reference book by the Architect or as a documentation companion for developers and business users; there are different "paths" through the book, targeted to different audiences and conveniently outlined on the preface.

I can't wait for the second edition to come out! (already pre-ordered)

Easy to buy
I live abroad USA and Received rhe problems without problems. For me this is a good choice to buy books that doesn't translate yet.

JoseWilton - Brazil

The best thinking on documenting software architecture
Simply put, I think this book represents the best thinking about documenting software architectures. You can find other books that include different aspects covered in this book (documenting views, 4+1, ANSI/IEEE-1471-2000, etc). However, you will have a hard time finding a book that pulls it all together, provides the rationale and includes the "beyond" part which discusses other approaches to documenting software architectures and how they relate to the "Views and Beyond" (V&B) approach. For instance, the book discusses how to use V&B to comply with ANSI/IEEE-1471-2000. ... Read more

Product Description
Architecture that is meant to have a sensuous connection to life calls for thinking that goes far beyond form and construction. In his texts, Peter Zumthor articulates what motivates him to design his buildings, which appeal to the visitor's heart and mind in so many different ways and possess a compelling and unmistakable presence and aura. Now in its third edition, this book has been expanded to include two new essays: "Architecture and Landscape" deals with the relationship between the structure and its surroundings, with the secret of the successful placement and topographical integration of architecture. In "The Leis Houses" Peter Zumthor describes the genesis of two wooden houses in the town of Leis in the Swiss canton of Graubunden, thus thematizing the special challenge of integrating contemporary architecture into a traditional architectural context. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Pursuit of the Essential
The book is an excellent intorduction to Zumthor's architecture. His pursuit of "the essential" in architecture is explained simple and clear. In seeking 'factual truth' in architecture, Zumthor explains what matters to him in his consideration of "specific" contexts and issues and corresponding architectural answers. This book let me better understand why his buildings exude such extraordinary aura and where his ideas may stem from. It's highly recommended.One of the real masters in architecture today certainly understands how the tactile presence of the book (how it is made with care) can give readers a pleasure or even a sensation. And, it makes me think that the content of the book is represented in a physical presence of this cloth-bound book. In the book, Zumthor talks about his desire to design a building that takes on its own life afterwards without any rhetoric or any further explaination to make one appreciate his architecture. The book itself seems to be doing just that. It may be something digital readers can never deliver to us.

the intensity of silence
In many ways, the reading of this book reminded me of the writings of Louis Kahn: both explicit and metaphorical reflections on the inner complexities of the apparent simplicities of daily life. The selections of almost inscrutable photographs, extreme close-ups of sections of Zumthor's house, act as as another way to explore the intensity of the artist's and his art's soul. All along the book, and in a very poetical manner, phrases seem to be left hanging unfinished, as for one's own mind and sensibility to put together the pieces of and intriguing and inspiring puzzle that remains open and to be developed by the reader. While the voice of a master is always heard, the message is delivered with the subtlety of his work, as for the reader not to feel forced into a way of thinking, acting or perceiving, but invited to stay with eyes, mind and all senses open to enjoy the pleasures of life and the possibility to contribute to them by one's own minor but never meaningless actions.

Source of Rationality
It reflects the knowledge of a big architect that Zumthor is, one thousand words that make you learn a diferent way to look at things and to create a rational way of thinking about architecture.

Stop reading reviews and start reading this book.
Zumthor is incredibly talented... there is quite some difficulty in not only creating simple, beautiful, natural and intentional architecture, but also something even more difficult in relating it verbally. Thinking Architecture does an amazing job at that. This is a book you could return to every few months, and it will re-awaken your senses to the architectural world around you, as well as your memories and experiences with those environments. Zumthor truly does give an excellent source of thoughts and events in this book. Extremely recommended, "Atmospheres" as well!

A different way of "thinking architecture"
As an architecture student, I found this book very very interesting, because Peter Zumthor has a different way of "thinking architecture". His own way. A way in which I had never thought of it, so it actualy opened my mind for some aspects that are not so frequent in the learning of architecture. ... Read more

Product Description
Learn Revit Architecture step by step with this project-based tutorial

Revit Architecture is the leading Building Information Modeling (BIM) software for architects and others in related fields. Written by renowned Revit trainer Eric Wing, this simple, yet engaging tutorial teaches you the program's basics.

You'll find concise explanations, focused examples, step-by-step instructions, and an engaging hands-on tutorial project that will take you from an introduction to the interface and Revit conventions right in to modeling a four-story office building.

• Explains views, grids, and the program's editing capabilities, and then progresses as the building's design would in the real world
• Encourages you to work with structural grids, beams, and foundations and shows you how to add text and dimensions, as well as understand how to use dimensions as a design tool
• Walks you through building floors layer by layer and joining them to exterior and interior walls, and creating and editing roofs and ceilings as well as stairs, ramps, and railings

Even with no experience, Revit Architecture and its accompanying Web site will support you as you learn Revit at your own pace.

Customer Reviews (8)

One of the best
This book is an incredible tool.As a teacher of Revit Architecture I see a lot of books out there that just don't do the job.I think this book is a must read/do for anyone who uses Revit Architecture.10 stars for sure

good tutorial, but poorly edited
Although I was proficient with AutoCAD, I didn't have any experience with Revit before I purchased this book.I have now gone through the entire volume, reading every word and following along with every example.

The book takes the form of a step-by-step tutorial:the author gives you instructions, and you follow his instructions in order to learn the software.For the most part, this system works well.The tutorial addresses most aspects of Revit, and by the end of the book I felt that I could use the software proficiently in an office environment.The author gives good explanations of why you are doing each process, although he omits to tell you the purpose of each step.(For example, he might tell you to click a specific checkbox in a dialog box, without explaining what that checkbox is for.Brief parenthetic comments to that end would have been nice.)

There is a real problem with quality control in the book, however.Other readers have commented on the east-west discrepancies in the book; the author might tell you to modify the east entrance when he means the west entrance, for example.This flaw didn't really bother me, as there are plenty of helpful illustrations in the book, so it's usually possible to figure out which side of the building he really means.The bigger issue has to do with the sloppiness of the tutorial procedures.Many of the steps that the author tells you to make do not work properly.That is, he might say "do X, and Y will happen," but the program might not allow you to do X, or when you do X, Y does NOT happen.Other times, the instructions are confusing or even incomplete.I once spent 30 minutes trying to troubleshoot my model, only to realize that the author had omitted to tell me to click a certain button.These errors are rare in the first few chapters, but become increasingly common later in the book.Chapter 21 is particularly bad in this regard; the author even has you modifying a wall that does not exist, if you follow his instructions!It seems likely that the book's procedures were never independently tested by someone untrained in Revit.

I don't know if there is a better book for learning Revit.This one will certainly work - just be prepared to encounter a fair number of unexpected problems, and to figure out solutions to them on your own.

This is the one to get
Look no further. This is the book to get if you want to learn Revit from the get-go. Unlike other books that cost twice as much and are purely theoritical this book takes you into the driver's seat where you will get your hands on the steering wheel. You will get "down and dirty" going from chapter to chapter in a logical progression as you "build" (in Revit you build, not draw)a five story office building. My suggestion to anyone wishing to really learn the program is to "build" your own project right next to the office building. This way you can try out the various skills as you acquire them on something that is truely your own and therefore boost your self-confidence. You can't go wrong with this book.

excellent learning material
Just needed to balance out the one negative review (which offered no specifics). This is a self-paced tutorial using well established learning techniques and covers a broad range of commonly used skills. But, as others have said, it's not an all-inclusive reference. It is best used in combination with something like "Mastering Autodesk Revit...". Highly recommended.

Terrific Beginners Book and Good Reference
I taught myself Revit with one 24 hour beginners class from Autodesk, the online tutorials from Autodesk University, helpful information on the online Autodesk Users Group and the 2010 version of this book. It involved a lot of diligent study and included doing many of the step by step lessons and tutorials in this book.

I started in June 2010 and by August 2010 I banged out a complete design and set of construction drawings for a house renovation and expansion. Since then I have completed many other projects using Revit and continually refer to topics in this book.

There are other, better reference books for more complex Revit topics but for beginners learning the software this book can't be beat. ... Read more

Product Description
'The only piece of architectural writing that will be classed among the essential literature of the 20th century.' Reyner Banham ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

Great book, not so great version.
The book itself is great, however, Toward an Architecture (Texts & Documents) [Paperback]
A01 Le Corbusier (Author), John Goodman (Translator), Jean-Louis Cohen (Introduction)
is the better version of this book. It has better translations and images. Schools no longer use the Towards a New Architecture because they find Toward an Architecture the better more correct version. Amazon sells the new version as well, and I would recommend people to get that version instead.

a man ahead of his time
say what you want about him and the deleterious effects that some of his theories had, but it's nonetheless essential reading for anyone interested in architecture. it's hard to believe that he wrote this when he did. most people still haven't caught up yet.

Ok if Architecture field of class
Not a very exciting read and a little hard to understand. If you are an architecture major or have an architecture class it should be helpful and probably a good book.

Essential reading for any architecture student
I bought this book when I started architecture school and it has been a part of my life ever since. I believe that this is essential to understanding the current architectural trends and a must for any architecture student.

Great book!!
Great Book!! It has a very detail description from point of view and concept of Le Corbusier. ... Read more

Product Description
Colquhoun, an eminent scholar in the field of architecture, offers here a new account of international modernism that explores the complex motivations behind this revolutionary movement and assesses its triumphs and failures. The book focuses on the work of the main architects of the movement such as Frank Lloyd Wright, Adolf Loos, Le Corbusier, and Mies van der Rohe, re-examining their work and shedding new light on their roles as acknowledged masters. The author presents a fascinating analysis of architecture with regard to politics, technology, and ideology, all while offering clear descriptions of the key elements of the Modern movement. Colquhoun shows clearly the evolution of the movement from Art Nouveau in the 1890s to the mega-structures of the 1960s, revealing the often-contradictory demands of form, function, social engagement, modernity and tradition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Nice overview of modern architecture
Each title in the Oxford History of Art series provides an overview to a particular time period, style or movement. This book focuses on modern architecture, starting with Art Nouveau in the 1890s and continuing through the modernist or International style of the 1950s and 1960s. In the introduction, the author explains that he is using the term "modern architecture" to mean "an architecture conscious of its own modernity and striving for change" (p. 9). He describes the historical context at the and of the 19th century, traces the development of different styles, and discusses the role of key architects in each movement.

This book is generously illustrated, with many color images complementing the period black-and-white photographs of interiors and exteriors of modern buildings. There are also many architectural plans, elevations, drawings, and sketches. It is a sturdy paperback with a strong binding. It would be useful to undergraduate students researching 20th century architecture, as well as general readers interested in the subject.

Ok if Architecture field or class
Didn't even open this book for my architecture class but if you are an architecture major than this book might be great.

Worth Purchasing
I am an architecture student, and this is a great book for the money.The photography is well done, with a good selection.

Modernism by Oxford
This book provides a much easier way to view modern architecture than the usual method-To study each individual that impacted the world of architecture through this modern method and perspective of architecture. Consequentially, this book is easy to read but the depth isn't there, I would prefer the other Modern Architecture books,(see my other reviews). But for the casual reader, or anyone interested in history of architecture from the student to professor,this is an appropriate choice.

modernism retrospect
Rather than just writing a history of modern architecture, Colquhoun distilled a polemical theory into this succint historical writing. This book could be read as a history book and a polemical theory book on architecture in the 20th century.

Rather than chronologically writing a survey of modern architectural history, Colquhoun placed emphasis on certain modern architects (Loos, Wright, Corbusier, Mies and Kahn) whom he thought, had brought substantial influences to the modern architecture. He used these architects as examples to illustrate the formation of modernism and the phenomenon of modern society. Other than just analysed the work, Colquhoun brought a dynamic discussion of architects' theory, criticism and also relevant references. From there, he provided his critical point of view.

His discussion on Corbusier, Mies and Kahn were fascinating and profound. It would certainly open a new chapter for those who already knew these architects very well. Colquhoun used Corbusier and Mies as two representatives of a dialectic flows in modern architectural movements: 'functionalism' and 'rationalism' accordingly. The whole book ended with the works of Louis Kahn. To Colquhoun, Kahn's 'Rational Functionalism' provided a way out to modern architecture.

He says at the end of the book, 'Modernism was to survive, but only after abandoning it's totalizing claims and by a process of continual self-cancellation. Paradoxically, the work of Louis Kahn- anchored as it was in a belief in a transcendent order - was one of the chief propelling agents in this emerging regime of uncertainty.'

Readers might disagree with Colquhoun's point of view, but could not disagree with his extremely insightful and rigorous approach in understanding modern architecture. Most importantly, this book invites us to develop our own critical point of view towards the architecture culture. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (5)

Great overview, greate guide a little repetitous at the end
Give you a great overview about architecture and how microsoft products may help you.
It's a good guide that expose MS products and their pros and cons over each situation.
Become a little repetitous at the end when I was expecting to go deeper in the subjects reported before.

Great guidance
Given all the technologies both new and old supported in .NET and Visual Studio it can quickly become unclear on when to use what technology for a given situation.There are so many data access and ORM technologies in .NET do you know which one is good for a given project?

This book offers clear guidance on when to use what technology, framework and pattern for a given scenario.An example it provides an easy to use table for when to use a dynamic data application, Entity Framework, Linq, or just the ADO.NET api.

This book is packed witih great guidance.Now only if it were available on the Kindle!

Cannot Do Any Better
Whether you are an architect, developer, product manager, project manager, analyst, Microsoft Application Architecture Guide (Patterns & Practices) is a great desk reference. Please note that this reference is not an end-all-be-all for programming, but rather a 'guide' to aid in planning and designing any project (regardless of size and scope).

In addition to the Guide, I'll use Erl's SOA books or Dino Esposito's references, and others, but the Guide is usually the first place a I begin to make certain I do not make any expensive mistakes along the way.

I find it important to mention that this book had more than 30 collaborators from within Microsoft, its partners and its customers, so its depth in knowledge is expansive.

Great Reference
I didn't use the first edition of the guide as much as I thought I would when it first came out oh so many years ago. But when the new 2nd edition was released I was interested to see what changes they had made. I was very surprised to find it so useful. There is a lot of great descriptions for the different architectures possible with the .NET framework. I found this to be a great refrence for documenting architectures for the projects I work on. It helped me organize my thoughts, and consider items to include (and to leave out) of my architecture documentation. One thing I noticed was the printed version is different than the PDF available for download from the CodePlex web site. Not sure why they are different, but I found the print version a bit better to follow.

A must have for the .NET Architect, Developer, and PM
Man, was I glad to see them print this thing.I had bugged them about it, but they said it wouldn't pay for itself.It's good to see they changed their mind.I have been lugging it around in a binder, and that had been less than pleasurable.

I like keeping this with me because it serves as great reference of all the things I am supposed to remember, but often forget.When it comes time to begin a new architecture I like having my valuable books nearby, and this is one of them.

This book is packed with guidance on Mobile applications, Rich client applications, Rich Internet applications, Service applications, and Web applications built with .NET.The solution guidance provided in this book is all 100% .NET and Microsoft centric.It maps all the important aspects of software architecture to ways to implement them in .NET or with Microsoft products.This is the compass you need to find out what Microsoft has to offer for building different types of architectures.

The book includes individual chapters on designing Mobile applications, Rich client applications, Rich Internet applications, Service applications, Web applications, Hosted and Cloud Services, Office Business applications, and SharePoint LOB applications.

The book also includes some nice appendixes.They include the Microsoft Application Platform, Presentation Technology Matrix, Data Access Technology Matrix, Integration Technology Matrix, Workflow Technology Matrix, patterns & practices Enterprise Library, and a patterns & practices Pattern Catalog.

The book primarily focuses on architecture, but each chapter provides resources for guidance on the details of implementation for the technologies mentioned in that chapter.

The book focuses on the technical aspects of .NET architecture.It does not cover the soft skills needed to be an architect, or cover the customer facing skills need to communicate with the business stakeholders.You won't find much on process either, just an overview.These missing topics have not taken away from the book, they have made it a stronger book.There are plenty of resources on how to execute the soft skills and architecture process.This book concentrates on how to communicate with the development team through solid design and well known patterns and principles.

If you are a .NET Architect, Developer, or Project Manger of a .NET team, you should have this book at your side.As a matter of fact, I would recommend making one of your interview questions for your team members - "Tell me what your favorite part of the Microsoft Application Architecture Guide 2nd Edition is?" If the candidate does not have a favorite part, you get back that hour you almost wasted on them.
... Read more

Product Description
When the late Spiro Kostof's A History of Architecture appeared in 1985, it was universally hailed as a masterpiece--one of the finest books on architecture ever written. Now, updated and expanded, this classic reference continues to bring to readers the full array of civilization's architectural achievements.

Insightful, engagingly written and graced with close to a thousand superb illustrations, the Second Edition of this extraordinary volume offers a sweeping narrative that examines architecture as it reflects the social, economic, and technological aspects of human history. The scope of the book is astonishing. Kostof examines a surprisingly wide variety of man-made structures: prehistoric huts and the TVA, the pyramids of Giza and the Rome railway station, the ziggurat and the department store. Kostof considered every building worthy of attention, every structure a potential source of insight, whether it be prehistoric hunting camps at Terra Amata, or the caves at Lascaux with their magnificent paintings, or a twenty-story hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

First Purchase at Amazon
This was my first attempt at ordering a book online.I fully expected the product to be in worse shape.However, there were only a few page corners bent and all of the pages were intact.The item arrived very quickly.I am very pleased with this purchase.

Probably won't use this seller again.
I purchased a book from the seller and my order has not been shipped, almost a week later.. A little disappointed since I always purchase my school books from amazon and I have not run into any problems until now. I sent an email to the seller hopefully I receive a response in a timely manner.

Excellent
It came in good time and was in the condition it was told to be in.

Review: A History of Architecture
I was very happy with the purchase, mainly because it was $50 off retail price and was free to ship.

Comprehensive
Covers all the major styles and period the Western tradition of architecture.It does one chapter on Asian architecture but no single chapter can cover all the styles and history of the Asian countries of India, China, Japan, etc.It will be great for any aspiring architect who wants to have a good foundation...or to anyone who wants to appreciate the history of spatial design, and decoratives more. ... Read more

Product Description
This scarce antiquarian book is a selection from Kessinger Publishing's Legacy Reprint Series. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment to protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature. Kessinger Publishing is the place to find hundreds of thousands of rare and hard-to-find books with something of interest for everyone! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Not what I expected!
I have long wondered why Vitruvius is so often quoted but so little read.Now I know!

Much of the information in this book has nothing to do with architecture: phases of the moon, water clocks, sun dials, water-organs, odometers, etc.Much of it is anything close to scientific or valid: `people sitting present open pores into which wafts of air penetrate', people from the south have ` less blood because of the impact of the sun', `heat attracts and draws everything to itself', etc.

With respect to architecture per se, most of the buildings referred to are unknown today.Certainly, none of the buildings designed by Vitruvius himself have survived.In addition, the original illustrations are lost.Though drawings made by Palladio in the Renaissance are included, they are, as is pointed out, often fallacious.Overall, it is therefore difficult to grasp the essence of what Vitruvius aims to convey.

The translator certainly does his best but the author's original style is certainly not pedagogical by our standards.In fact, the book is closer to a collage of various notions than to an organized presentation.

All in all, most persons interested in architecture will find it more worthwhile to read something else.

A Classic
A book which was at the heart of architectural theory for over 1500 years can't be entirely outdated.Many of the issues and ideas which Vitruvius brings up are still relevant to modern architecture and, at the very least, give us an idea of the theory behind much architecture, both before and after Vitruvius' life.Of course, it can't be relied upon as a comprehensive guide to architecture and there are some points which are innacurate in terms of history or theory, but you take this book with a pinch of salt, and accept that this is where architectural theory started, and you have to respect it for that!

interesting perspective
Vitruvius's 10 books (or chapters) on architecture lets you view life through the lens of the 1st century BC builder. While Vitruvius does explain the principals of how to build various buildings and rules for the construction and use of columns, perhaps the most amusing part of the book is his description of life and the things that govern it. Throughout the book he describes certain materials that should be selected for building and their composition of the four basic elements: earth, air, fire, and water. In some sections he spends an excessive amount of time making a point, and some points are glossed over. Many of the things he describes we are still doing to this day. A fascinating read all in all.

hard to follow
however, it is an ancient book... I used the dimensions and architectural scales to build my model of a greek temple. Very informative when it comes to that, cause not many books have to-scale drawings of the building.

This is a good book, but Granger's translation is better.
I really enjoyed reading this fascinating book.However, when I compared it to another translation (a two volume edition, translated by Granger) it seemed that it was missing some bits of information.

It was easier to read though, so if you are interested in a casual read, this is the book for you.For a research project, you should probably stick to Granger's books.
... Read more

Product Description
More and more Agile projects are seeking architectural roots as they struggle with complexity and scale - and they're seeking lightweight ways to do it

• Still seeking? In this book the authors help you to find your own path
• Taking cues from Lean development, they can help steer your project toward practices with longstanding track records
• Up-front architecture? Sure. You can deliver an architecture as code that compiles and that concretely guides development without bogging it down in a mass of documents and guesses about the implementation
• Documentation? Even a whiteboard diagram, or a CRC card, is documentation: the goal isn't to avoid documentation, but to document just the right things in just the right amount
• Process? This all works within the frameworks of Scrum, XP, and other Agile approaches
  

Customer Reviews (2)

Must Read for Architects in a Lean Organization.
When I was a C++ programmer in the early 90's Coplien's Advanced C++ Programming Styles and Idioms was a source of interview material when looking for programmers. It's a good bet that this book may fill the same role for those looking to see if candidates for architect roles understand what it means to be an architect in a Lean or Agile Organization. This book dispels the myth that Agile and Architecture don't go together and explains the balance between Agile architecture and too much Big Up Front Design. This book emphasizes the importance of frequent collaboration between stakeholders in defining a good architecture and helps you to understand the importance of architecture to the success of agile projects. With code examples throughout,this book emphasizes that architecture and coding must go together.After describing some general principles of how architecture can add value to an agile project, the authors explain the Data Context, Interaction (DCI) architecture, which provides an framework for building lean architectures.My one minor complaint is that the transition between the general discussions of lean architecture and the focused discussion of DCI was a bit abrupt. But this was a minor distraction from an enjoyable and informative read. Rich with citations, places to go for more information, and historical context, this book will be useful for anyone who is struggling with how to build systems that need to support complicated user interactions (which could describe most non-trivial systems).

A must read for all system developers
This is a different book. Where most books expound a single theme such as Agile, Lean, or Scrum, "Lean Architecture for Agile Software Development" paints on a much broader canvas: Working with the end user, end user's mental model, user requirements, system architecture, and right down to actual code.

This is neither a beginner's "how to do it in ten easy lessons" nor is it a design method. It is a book written for the mature professional by two authors whose long experience has given them a deep understanding of what really matters in practical programming.

At a first glance, many methodologies appear as mere fads, but Coplien and Bjørnvig see through the fads and build on their real worth to create a thought-provoking and eminently practical book.

Three random jottings from my first reading:

* Architecture: "No matter how we care to define it, software architecture should support the enterprise value stream even to the extent that the source code itself should reflect the end user's mental model of the world."

* Lean secret: "...unite specialists together in one room: everybody, all together, from early on."

* Form and functionality: "System architecture should reflect the end user's mental model of the world. The model has two parts: The first part relates to the user's thought process when viewing the screen, and to what the system is: its form. The second part relates to what end users do - interacting with the system - and how the system should respond to user input. This is the system functionality. We work with users to elicit and develop these models and to capture them in code as early as possible."

The authors claim that an end user should have a picture in his head that enables him to see the commands that are meaningful in a given situation and to understand what they will do for him. This picture, Jim calls it the end user's mental model, it will be reflected into the actual code in well-built systems.

A few years ago, this reviewer introduced a new programming paradigm that he called Data, Context, and Interaction (DCI). The main feature of this paradigm is that it splits the code into two distinct parts. One part specifies system state; the other part specifies system behavior. Coplien and Bjørnvig use this paradigm to fill in the gap between architecture and code execution. To quote from the book:

* Key building blocks of object-oriented design: "Objects, which are end users' conceptualization of things in their business world; Classes, which provide simple, encapsulated access to the data that represents business information; Roles, which interact in a use case to achieve some business goal."

This book is a MUST read for all who want to understand the true nature of systems development. ... Read more

Product Description

With a swift and convincing stroke, the authors of Information Architecture for the World Wide Web tear down many entrenched ideas about Web design. Flashy animations are cool, they agree, as long as they don't aggravate the viewer. Nifty clickable icons are nice, but are their meanings universal? Is the search engine providing results that are useful and relevant? This book acts as a mirror and with careful questioning causes the reader to think through all the elements and decisions required for well-crafted Web design. --Jennifer Buckendorff ... Read more

Customer Reviews (113)

Good reference material, but not really a page-turner
Lots of good information in this book - it covers a huge amount of information related to Information Architecture (as you might expect).Very in-depth, and a great resource.I only give it three stars though because it isn't really a great read.I know, it's a book on IA, what do you expect, right?The book is college textbook size and written in that dry O'Reilly-book style that makes it something you just have to slog through.So maybe I have too high of expectations or too short of an attention span, but it was a big challenge for me to make it through this whole thing.Again, I'm glad I have it on my shelf for reference though.

The third edition keeps the book pretty up-to-date.Other than some random old school Netscape screenshots, all the content is totally applicable in today's world.

IA for the WEB
IA for the Web is a clear concise application of topology, Taxonomy vand UI design without being too stuck on academic terms.It provides a practical set of knowledhe and skills someone can us immediately

Good for explaining concepts
Provides in depth coverage of how to organize and provide access to information for the Web. I like it because it gives you a comprehensive tour of all the major concepts, systems, and strategies used to organize information for your web site.

Because it covers a lot of ground, its not necessarily a how-to guide book, but rather is more of a deep introspective of what information architecture (IA) is, as an academic discipline. In that regard, it is quite insightful and offers many good resources of how the field evolved, and where its at today, and what role it plays in the ever changing business community.

If anything, as a result of reading this book, I found that I now have a deeper appreciation for what it takes to create a systems-wide approach towards the organization of information. In particular, an appreciation for what it takes to design information for users to help them find the information that they need.

Excellent Resource
This is one of the most complete and thorough resources on the topic of Information Architecture. As relevant today as when it was written. A must read for Web Developers and other folks whose work it is to design, produce and publish web sites.

Useless for techies
I'm a developer building a company-internal website and I'm struggling to organize all the information it will contain. I bought this book hoping to ease that struggle. What I found is for a technical person like me, this book was so useless that it has compelled me to write my first Amazon review in years.

I planned to read it cover to cover. After 50 pages I realized that I haven't really read anything at all yet. So far it's been ridiculously verbose, rambling, and content-free. So I gave up and started skimming.

I couldn't find much better in the remaining pages. Page after page of touchy-feely gobbledygook that has not helped me organize information at all.

There are more useless diagrams in this book than I've ever seen before. For example, the term "synonym ring" is defined as a group of words with the same meaning. Does it really take a diagram with a bunch of arrows in a circle to explain that? (Figure 9-2)

To explain the concept of equivalence we have another diagram: "A=B" inside a circle. (Figure 9-21) Does such a diagram really enhance anybody's understanding of the concept of equivalence? Why does this diagram even exist in the first place?

Maybe some business or consultant type might get something out of this book. For a developer, run away. Fast. ... Read more