Book Description
Revit Architecture is transforming how architectural models are designed and documented, and this is the perfect guide to quickly become productive with this industry-leading BIM solution. This practical reference and tutorial offers you a theoretical overview of BIM, explains the principles of Revit, and delves into all of Revit’s essential tools. The expert authors are architects whose years of experience with BIM technology have resulted in these pages of impressive examples, practical explanations, and in-depth and detailed tutorials. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Introducing Revit Architecture 2008
I feel that this book will really help the department I am in. We are trying to implament REVIT, this book is a real good tool to help with the training that is needed to get this done.

Poorly written and presented book
After working with this book for four hours I'm already fed up with it.This book has poor presentation by doing things such as referring to highlighted section on all black and white drawings, and providing tutorial steps for functions that do not work in Revit. Also, vague wording makes it hard to find tools and tool bars being referred too. This book is not a good learning tool. Think twice about buying this book, and read any glorifying reviews carefully and with reservations.

Excellent book for beginers
I read this book A-Z and it helped a lot. Although i already have made one little revit project before reading this book, there were a lot of useful tips. I liked the way book tells about revit - everything's written from architects sight not techno-geek's.
Only four stars because there were too less information about revit families - thats very important even for beginers.

Very Good Book
I found the book very helpful. As a newer user of Revit I found it to be more than informative. Who expects a book to teach you how to completely use new software? Does a book ever do this for an individual? It's there as a REFERENCE. The only way to get use to the software is by using it and "playing" with it. I can find mistakes or incorrect entries in every software manual. Take it for what it is, a sourse of information. The book is more than adequate.

Beginners Bliss
As a new REVIT user I thoroughly enjoyed "Intruding REVIT Architecture 2008".The book offered a concise introduction to BIM and its uses throughout the process of architectural design.Best of all were the tips and tricks revealed.As with any new program, it takes time to pick up the short cuts and discover all of the possibilities of a parametric program.Enjoy! ... Read more

Book Description

Curious about how Alsop Architects managed to construct that flying, translucent rectangle at the Ontario College of Art and Design? Wonder about the sustainability of the Genzyme Building? The saying "the truth is in the details" reveals an essential quality of architectural design. How a staircase curves, a roof seemingly floats, or a concrete wall illuminates are critical questions for architects looking at or creating new work. You might forgive designers for closely guarding their signature techniques. Fortunately, editors Christine Killory and René Davids culled an amazing collection of the best trade secrets in Details in Contemporary Architecture.

Customer Reviews (1)

Almost a 'How Did They Do That'
AsBuilt is a new series of architecture books beint published by Princeton Architectural Press. This is the first book in the series and seems to be the prototype for the concept of the series.

This book, and all of the planned books in the series, feature 25 buildings that were actually constructed in the US or Canada. Besides being interesting buildings in their overall design, the author, a practicing architect in her own right, goes beyond the facade to present how the special features of the building were designed/constructed.

As the saying goes, 'the Devil is in the details.' And here are the details of these buildings discussed in the open. Many of these feature new construction materials, old materials used in new ways, or merely have designs that go beyond the expected. Ms. Killory has been able to get the architects involved to share their newest developments, right down to including the engineering drawings of particularly difficult parts of the structure.

This book goes beyond the normal 'idea book' to give you the how as well. And showing only 'AsBuilt' buildings, here are buildings not just concepts on paper. ... Read more

Book Description
Revit Architecture has revolutionized how architects design, develop, and deliver projects—and now you can join the revolution with this expert guide. Authored by a team of Revit aficionados and experts, this in-depth book uses clear explanations, detailed tutorials, and practical examples to show you how to best implement Revit in the real world. Starting with a focused look at the basics of Revit and Building Information Modeling (BIM), you’ll move quickly into setting up and customizing your Revit tools, preparing your office/project templates and settings, creating your library of components, and much more. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Still Have to Draw
The title of my review is more a comment on Revit in general.This book goes a long way and in a detailed, usually, understandable manner to the heart of this program.Having worked in AutoCAD for years now actually helped understanding the interface--similar logic.

What it didn't do well for me--and this goes back to title of this review, was to show how much drawing went on in Revit.The program is sold on its BIM ability, automatic drawing coordination (almost), instant sections, enlarged plans, schedules, etc.All of which it does amazingly well.It wasn't until I worked in an office that had used Revit for several years that I was indoctrinated into the Revit Reality--there is still alot of drawing going on to make the drawings presentable.It's not all automatic. (Learn the difference between a model line and a detail line as soon as possible).

Don't get me wrong--I will never go back, Revit is a beautiful program that can only get better and this book goes a long way toward making that end understandable.Get on board now!

Great book for Intermediate Level User
This book gives you an overview of What Revit can do plus some useful tips. This book is not a steps-by-steps tutorial for beginners. If you already have finished all the Revit basic training and looking for additional resources, this is the one.

Revit "Must Have"
This book is definitely a must have for any Revit user.Regardless of your revit experience, this book goes over how Revit is used within the architectural process.I love how the book recommends various tools within the software for the different phases of design.My favorite part of the book is the "Real World Scenario" portions of the book.Those really show how Revit is utilized within the real world.This writing team convey to the reader that they know how to use Revit Architecture.The Project Gallery really shows how off Revit is used in architecture throughout the world.

Spotty and Incomplete
When I buy a book entitled "Mastering..." I assume that it will take specific aspects of the subject matter and go into them in great detail. That, unfortunately, was not the case with this book. If you have already mastered Revit Architecture 2008 then the, "OK, now you know this topic and can go on by yourself" approach may be acceptable. But for those of us who want to fully understand the many procedures necessary to being a well-rounded Revit user a book that takes the reader through a step-by-step lesson of the major topics would be a better investment.

A must-have for Revit Architecture users.
This is hands-down the only book you will need for Revit Architecture 2008.I have recommended it to everyone. ... Read more

Book Description

With two distinct objectives, this text’s approach to managerial economics takes models from recent economics research and applies the research to the internal structure of a firm. After teaching basic applied economics, the authors look inside the firm and apply this analysis to management decision making.

Authors Brickley, Smith, and Zimmerman contend that organizational architecture consists of three aspects of corporate organization: the assignment of decision rights within the company; methods of rewarding individuals; the structure of systems to evaluate the performance of both individuals and business units. These three components can be likened to a stool with three legs. If one of the legs is shorter, the stool is out of balance. These three elements must be in balance in the organization as well.

Customer Reviews (7)

Excellent format!
This book is very easy to follow and gets straight to the point.It has allow me to develop a very good understanding of how organizational makeup can impact the progress of an organization and its stakeholders.

Managerial Economics and Organizational Architecture
I'm a consultant and this book is quite good in order to improve my performance during my job.

An Old Favorite Brought Up to Date
This book has two real aspects.

First is is a good general introduction to economics that might be used at the upper undergraduate or MBA level. Note the title says that it is 'Managerial Economics.' This book is aimed at the student following a management track rather than a professional economics track. The concept of the book is to give an overview of all aspects of economic theory without a heavy concentration in any one particular area.

Second, this is the fourth edition of the book. This was made necessary because of the great changes that have occurred as a result of Enron, Arthur Anderson and the other companies that collectively made great changes in the business environment. One such change is the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, discussed at length here even though it is still too new to realize its full implications.

The case studies that are included reflect these new times: Arthur Anderson, Barings Bank, Interwest Healthcare, Property Right Security in Russian Deprivatization, eBay.com, iTunes, Wal-Mart.com and others that could come directly off of today's headlines.

This is a new and up-to-date edition of a well received book.

Very Good Economics Book.
I just finished a Managerial Economics MBA course that used this text.I found it to be very well written compared to textbooks I've read for other classes.I think it does a good job explaining supply and demand, intro to pricing, and intro to strategy and game theory.Examples are used to improve the reader's "economic" intuition.I talked to a friend who just finished a differnt MBA program who used this book.He recommended the book and especially liked the strategy segments and the prisoner's dilema.

overview only
It seems like a glorified table of contents.It tries to cover too much and absolutely no detailed in-depth explanations, and absolutely no rigorouse mathematical explinations.It's good only as an table of contents with some details.If you are interested in a specific topic, you are better off finding information on the web or go elsewhere.The cases are fun to read, and provide some insight into the real life problems.Recommend it for night time leisure reading, but not for seriouse students who wants to learn a solid fundation to the subject. ... Read more

Book Description
This new account of international modernism explores the complex motivations behind this revolutionary movement and assesses its triumphs and failures. The work of the main architects of the movement such as Frank Lloyd Wright, Adolf Loos, Le Corbusier, and Mies van der Rohe is re-examined shedding new light on their roles as acknowledged masters.Alan Colquhoun explores the evolution of the movement fron Art Nouveau in the 1890s to the megastructures of the 1960s, revealing the often contradictory demands of form, function, social engagement, modernity and tradition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

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.

Modern Architecture
Who needs another history of the modern movement? Coloquhoun, emeritus professor of architecture at Princeton, shows us why in this wonderfully succinct, readable, and opinionated account of movements and formgivers, from European art nouveau to the post-war decades in America. Each of the chapters focuses on a theme or a region, ranging from the artistry of Loos to the social engineering of Scandinavia. Though most of the examples are familiar, the author gives them a fresh spin-starting with the cover illustration of Hans Scharoun's Schminke house of 1933, now restored and used as a day care center. It embodies the daring and idealism that powered the modern movement and is now being rediscovered. (Michael Webb is the book reviewer for LA Architect magazine.)

Succint, yet profound
It was a moment of joy to find a new book by Alan Colquhoun.
After many years of silence, at least in the form of publication,
Colquhoun has opened new horizons to the architects who are interested in Modern Architecture.
Similar to his earlier works, the book not only depicts his
own personified interpretation of the buildings, but also tracks
down what has caused such stream of production.
Moreover, as an architect-based scholar, his viewpoints are
provacative to designers. ... Read more

Amazon.com
The Phaidon Atlas of Contemporary World Architecture--so massive that it comes in its own plastic carrying case--is one of the rare publishing events that lives up to its hype. The book showcases 1,052 buildings completed since January 1998 with thousands of well-chosen color photographs plans, elevations, and cross-sections. Major elements of each project are described in elegantly succinct texts. Rather than simply pay lip service to the concept of "world" architecture, this book ranges throughout 75 countries on six continents. And although the big names in the field are here--Rafael Moneo and Herzog & De Meuron are each represented by nine projects; Tadeo Ando with eight, Frank Gehry with six--the focus is on the ingenuity and diversity of contemporary architecture, regardless of the fame of its creator.

Customer Reviews (40)

Perfect Gift
I bought this book as a gift for an architecture student, couldn't be more perfect.Its size may be a plus but it also makes it sometimes hard to look at. Still is a must have for all architects.

Comprehensive
This is really a first rate book Even though it has been out for two years it offers the most comprehensive account of world architecture yet.

outstanding
It is a good book not only in content but on the fact that it is the first type of book (atlas) dedicated to contemporary architecture

i love it
i fell in love with this book couple of years ago
back in poland i could only dream to have it
if you have anything to do with architecture you know you have to have it

must have
i am really very pleased with this book. i think it is a -must have book- for every architect. this is one of the finest collections of contemporary architecture. as it says on the book; it is really the only source of its kind. - when you have the book in your hands (it is very difficult:)) you forget the problems about the delivery.

ayse gokbakan yildiz, architect ... Read more

Book Description
Theorizing a New Agenda for Architecture: An Anthology of ArchitecturalTheory collects in a single volume the most significant essays on architectural theory of the last thirty years.

A dynamic period of reexamination of the discipline, the postmodern eraproduced widely divergent and radical viewpoints on issues of making, meaning, history, and the city. Among the paradigms presented arearchitectural postmodernism, phenomenology, semiotics, poststructuralism, deconstruction, and feminism.

By gathering these influential articles from a vast array of books and journals into a comprehensive anthology, Kate Nesbitt has created a resource of great value. Indispensable to professors and students of architecture and architectural theory, Theorizing a New Agenda also serves practitioners and the general public, as Nesbitt provides an overview, a thematic structure, and a critical introduction to each essay.

The list of authors in Theorizing a New Agenda reads like a "Who's Who" of contemporary architectural thought: Tadao Ando, Giulio Carlo Argan, Alan Colquhoun, Jacques Derrida, Peter Eisenman, Marco Frascari, Kenneth Frampton, Diane Ghirardo, Vittorio Gregotti, Karsten Harries, Rem Koolhaas, Christian Norberg-Schulz, Aldo Rossi, Colin Rowe, Thomas Schumacher, Ignasi de Sol -Morales Rubi , Bernard Tschumi, Robert Venturi and Denise Scott Brown, and Anthony Vidler. A bibliography and notes on all the contributors are also included. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

merely passable
while nesbitt's introductions to the various sections and articles/excerpts are often quite good, i cannot give this book more than a "passable" rating.the selections are heavily weighted toward a the ideas of a select few authors/theoreticians, creating a fairly lopsided look at recent architectural theory (as can fairly easily be seen in a review of the table of contents).in addition, those familiar with the topic sections covered (for example, semiotics and its relation to architecture), will find the excerpts chosen to represent certain theoretician's bodies of work rather inappropriate and incomplete.i have not yet had the opportunity to read any similar anthologies of very recent architectural theory, but this is certainly not one which should impress, or one that should be used as a stand-alone source.

Post Modernist psyco-bable
As an arcaheology student studying vernacular architecture, I found this particular text to be a waste of time. It does nothing for the history of architecture, nor does it lend itself to coherent reading.

Excellent Architectural Theory text
Architectural Theory from 1965-1995 is complex, nuanced, and somewhat pretentious. Part of the problem is that contemporary Architectural Theory (and I would call this "Postmodern" theory) is connected to Continental Philosophy, which is also quite pretentious and often inaccessible to the vast majority of readers. Quite frankly, a lot of postmodern theory is, in my opinion, meaningless, but very hip, drivel.

That being said, if one is able to separate out the drivel, there is also a great deal to gain from reading postmodern theory. They key is to learn how to separate the good from the bad. This book won't teach you that, so you may often wonder, after reading a text, whether you just don't get it, or if there is really anything to get at all. All of the authors whose essays are contained in this text are very important in contemporary architecture, and any student or enthusiast of contemporary architectural trends needs to understand these figures, such as Koolhaas, Eisenman, and Tschumi (also, all major figures at architecture schools in the US). I would say every one of the authors here has some good points, although some of them write in far more verbose and pretentious language than others. But, this book is simply presenting the important figures in architectural theory, so I won't fault the book for the flaws of the texts contained within. It would be irresponsible NOT to include all of these texts. Judge them for yourself, and remember that each of theorists in these pages has critisized the work of other theorists in the textbook. They aren't all equal, and nobody has claimed they are.

The only problem with this book is that it doesn't contain any illustrations. Now I know this isn't meant to be a coffee-table book with pretty buildings, but it's very problematic to have architecture texts without illustrations. I highly recommened looking up some of the work of each of the architects in here. For example, if you don't understand what Eisenman is talking about, take a look at some pictures of his buildings and it may become clear. Also, remember that most of the texts in this book, when first published, DID contain pictures accompanying them, so something is lost in their removal. Some of the texts need pictures more than others. I think Rem Koolhaas, more than most of the rest, relies quite heavily on images to get his point across in his fantastic books (especially S,M,L,XL and Delirious New York), and republishing his work without these images takes a good deal of the meaning away, and also makes the texts much more dry.

I recommend this book, but probably just as a reference or a jumping-off point from which to explore certain trends and theorists further. The organization of this book is quite nice, outlining each theoretical trend (such as deconstructivism, phenomenology, or critical regionalism), and making clear the overlap (many theorists have essays in several sections). Again, this book is probably not for the casual architecture fan, and reading it is not as fun as opening up a Koolhaas book or other beautifully-made visual book, but if you really want (or need) to understand the most important trends and theorists in contemporary architecture, this book is a great buy.

Correcting Ignorance
I am an architecture student at Washington University.This book is a great stepping stone into Architectural Theory.But, why I am really writing this review is to correct the unread
individual who wrote a review of this book prior to me.

phe·nom·e·nol·o·gy - noun

1. A philosophy or method of inquiry based on the premise that reality consists of objects and events as they are perceived or understood in human consciousness and not of anything independent of human consciousness.

2. A movement based on this, originated about 1905 by Edmund Husserl.

An excellent place to start
I have always been interested in architectural theory, but never knew where to start. The number of theory books is simply daunting. The key, I have discovered, is to find a book of texts edited by a clear, intelligent editor who can help ease you into the topics. That is exactly what we have here.

Because it's an anthology, there is nothing new here. What IS here is a good selection of readings from the major figures of the last 40 years, sorted by topic. Each reading is accompanied by a short introduction by the editor, explaining the context in which the article first appeared, and some background information on the author. There is also a very thorough (and highly recommended) introduction by the editor which gives background information on each of the topics covered. By the end of the book, you will, at the very least, be familiar with the philosophical underpinnings of architecture from Postmodernism on.

Granted, there's no guarantee that you'll understand what the authors are talking about. Even after reading the chapter on Deconstructionism twice, Derrida remains a complete enigma to me. On the other hand, I really enjoyed Vidler, Rowe and Frampton. As a result of reading this book, I was able to pursue further the authors and topics which most interested me (and, more importantly, skip the ones that didn't). This seems to me to be the mark of a good anthology. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Brings many things together
I was impressed with this book's unique perspective of blending the business and technical needs into a single focus, and it continued to maintain the human considerations.It does an excellent job of describing how to support business decisions through architecture at a macro level in a style where "the rubber hits the road."

If you are a systems analyst or a software development manager, this shouldn't be on your book shelf - it should be on your desk for regular reference.

explains the job of a system architect
The authors give the reader detailed and useful suggestions about designing a software system. It should be made clear that this is not a programming book. Coding particulars are at a finer level outside the book's scope.

The book is addressed to the software architect. Which can be rather a vague job role. One merit of the book is that it can be used to define what a software architect does. While the authors might not claim to encompass everything in your job description, perhaps what is given here is your core responsibility.

So the text shows how to identify and use scenarios, to build sets of scenarios. And yet be able to construct inherently different scenarios. A vital feature of making the scenarios is how it involves the stakeholders very early in the design. Vital in preventing misunderstandings about undesigned or unneeded functionalities, before they get built into the system.

Then, given a system, the text explains how to document it using UML. The latter is extremely useful. Both for programmers who might have to design to it, and for the stakeholders. The visual nature of UML helps make it understandable to both parties.

Finally brings it all together
This is a really great book.Rozanski and Woods bring together in one text the information that is most important to know about software architecture.It is not filled with opinion but is based on research and ideas that have been proven in practice and that are widely accepted in the field.The ideas are straighforward and presented clearly and concisely.As a practicing software architect, author and professor on the subject, this is my recommendation as the first book on software architecture you should purchase for your collection.

Every IT architect should read this book
My reason for buying this book was to hear what the authors had to say about handling cross-cutting architectural concerns (such as security), which they refer to as "perspectives". The authors offer refreshing insights into how such concerns should be interwoven with the architecture views/viewpoints with which many architects will already be familiar when documenting their software architectures.

But now that I've finally finished reading the book (500+ pages) I have to say that this book is so much more. This is essentially a "book of 2 halves". The first half discusses fundamental architecture concepts, and various elements of the architecture process. However, the second half of the book is dedicated to a catalog of viewpoints and a catalog of perspectives. These sections are, I think, the most valuable, and offer probably the best overview of different architectural concerns (such as concurrency, deployment, operations, security, availability etc.) I've come across. And the whole book is liberally sprinkled with pragmatic advice, and examples, based on the authors' experiences.

In summary, the book makes a great "handbook" for both novice and experienced architects.

If you can buy only one book, get this one!
I am part of a software engineering process improvement group.In simple this means that I have read more books on software engineering in the last year than I care to mention.There are many good books on architecture, but the ones I have read all seem to conflict with one another and theydidn't go to the tactical depths we needed to structure a solid process.I have found this book to be one of the best investments I have every made.I have recommended this book to at least five other co-worker who have all thanked me twice.Buy a copy for you, and a friend, and your boss, .... ... Read more

Book Description
Updated and expanded, this Fourth Edition of the most trusted reference in architecture offers the most comprehensive coverage of architectural and construction terms available. This classic dictionary now features nearly 25,000 definitions (including 2,800 new terms), 2,500 illustrations (including 200 new illustrations), and maintains its extraordinary visual appeal and easy-to-read page design.Prepared by a renowned architectural editor in association with expert contributors and incorporating the work of many standards groups, the book presents clear, concise definitions of terms in nearly 80 working areas. The Fourth Edition covers new industry terms which have emerged due to changes in engineering and building technologies, organizations, materials, and legal developments, and has been expanded to include more historic architectural styles. New terms include: Legal Architectural Barriers Act Wheelchair Accessible Materials Fibrous Concrete Latex Mortar Polymer-Based Stucco Concrete Compliance Conformity Refractory Mortar Organizations Building Research Establishment (formerly Building Research Station) of Great Britain ASTM Historic Architectural Styles Anglo-Palladianism French Victorian Isabellino Mudajar Mozarabic Neo-Rococo ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Complete, Easy to Use
This book is the most complete I have ever come across, and extremely easy to use. The illustrations (2500) and terms (26000) are well-described and easy to use, yet concise. As a Project Manager for a General Contractor, I find this book extremely handy in the construction world. Working with an Architect on a daily basis, I find myself using it several times per day sometimes. You can never learn every term in architecture and construction, but this book will help you learn those unfamiliar words we come across every single day in construction and architecture.

Ideal gift for a graduate headed to design school?
I'm not trained in the field, yet needed a gift for an extremely bright graduating high-school student who's headed to design school. Having (very superficially)researched availabletitles in on the subject I ordered this volume on-line and was very pleasantly surprised by it's scope and depth. I'm certain it'll be frequently used for years to come.

The Standard by Which Others are Compared
The masterpiece. Now upgraded with some 2,800 new terms for a total of 25,000, and 200 new illustrations for a total of 2,500, this book is in its fourth edition.

Architecture and Construction like any profession has developed it's own terminology its own jargon. An outsider coming into the field is faced with a daunting task just to be able to communicate with the professionals in the business.

The dictionary is designed to be comprehensive in scope. Its range spans terms encountered in the practiceof architecture from Classical to green, from traditional materials to the latest products, from precise definitions of architectural styles to the particulars of specification writing.

In addition to the physical construction terms, the dictionary covers ancillary areas such as electrical, fire, security, waste disposal, water supply. In short the dictionary covers every specialized word, every specialized meaning of standard words that are to be encountered in the building of a building of any size from house to cathedral.

Simply put, this is the standard of the industry.

A Dictionary without Pronunciations?
I have seen this book and borrowed it often.An invaluable reference... BUT: how do you pronounce all of these scientific and foreign-sourced words?I guarantee you will not find them in Webster's.This is a major oversight for a book calling itself a "dictionary."

Just right for you
For anyone who just wants to know more about architecture. Perfect for non-english speaking architectural students like me. I really improved my knowledge of architecture. ... Read more

Book Description
The urban landscape has changed dramatically over the past decade as cities worldwide implement revitalization plans designed to keep urban areas vital and appealing for both tourism and residency. Bringing a sense of space and place to the public areas of urban cities is essential for the vitality of a city, and many cities are investing heavily in this type of urban development. Urban Landscape Architecture showcases the most interesting and innovative urban landscape design and reviews the work of great architects and designers in this area. Each project features sketches, drawings, and photographs and highlights the design details of note for the reader. ... Read more

Book Description

In order to design a building with a sensuous connection to life, one must think in a way that goes far beyond form and construction. In these essays Peter Zumthor expresses his motivation in designing buildings, which speak to our emotions and understanding in so many ways, and possess a powerful and unmistakable presence and personality.

Customer Reviews (2)

clear thinker and builder
Reading this book was like reading a long-lost secret manual of
"How to become a 21 century Samurai..." I guess that sense of delusion rises because the content and the tone of book has this (quasi) idea of medieval perfection achieved through a repetition of hands-on practice. "I do not work towards architecture from a theoretically defined point of departure, for I am committed to making architecture,," writes Zumthor.

Moreover, a reader, at the back of her/his head, has those powerful images of Bath House in Vaals (tour de force of phenomenological experience) that intensifies the delusion. One would think, 'Zumthor must be a man from Mars to build architecture like that' and 'his writings must be a strong sleeping pill.' Usual Suspect !

He writes extremely clear with extremely simple terms. This slim book tells us how an architect of such originality thinks and experiences daily life. It's a great pleasure to find out what kind of music (Mozart's piano concertos) zumthor listens; what kind of artists (Beuys and Merz) he likes; what kind of film he watches (Ettore Scola's film Le Bal); what kind of books (Calvino) he reads; and what kind of sayings ("the hard core beauty") in the radio show captivates him. A former cabinet maker, his book is carefully jointed, just like his buildings. Anyone who found this book fun/inspiring to read should also try Alvaro Siza's "Writings on Architecture"

Highly recommended
A thoroughly engaging book about meaningful architecture - it now holds a very special place in my architecture library, right next to Michael Benedikt's For An Architecture of Reality.
Excellent for anyone interested in Peter Zumthor's work. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Very Good Introduction to Enterprise Architecture
"Introduction to Enterprise Architecture" is a very good text for a student or experienced professional to start to understand this very complex topic.The more useful aspect of the book is how it shows you the required elements of any Enterprise Architecture, and how they fit together.That is the most important thing for any Enterprise Architect to learn.That is presented well in the book.

In addition, there is a good summary of many of the most referenced EA Frameworks.

The examples are good, especially, the appendices that walk you through the specific deliverable documents for several of the well known EA Frameworks.That alone, is well worth the price of the book.

EA classroom book
I took Dr. Bernard's grad level EA class (Syracuse Univ. in Washington, DC) in 2004 and this was one of the courses texts.Nothing better than having the author and the professor to study at the same time. Dr. Bernard's approaches are building on the standards of the EA industry. Dr. Bernard's 3 cubed model takes EA into a new direction. He truly wants to build upon the forefathers of this field. Dr. Bernard's passion of this subject shines through in his dedication to EA in federal government. I enjoyed this book (Edition 1) and look forward to future updated versions of this book and comparsions of other EA models.

Excellent textbook for intended market
Professor Bernard provides an excellent textbook for the federal sector in An Introduction to Enterprise Architecture. Scott strove to meet this market niche need and met that goal. As a collaborative editor to Scott on the final text, I know he was very exacting with his desires to have this text presented in the manner he choose-after receiving many suggestions for alternative presentation considerations-Scott stuck to his original agenda. Working with Professor Bernard was enjoyable-he is a conscientious man and considerate soul to work with. I fully endorse his book.

Worth reading to set up an EA program
IF you are looking to set up a new Enterprise Architecture program for your organization, this book outlines the steps you should follow. Please note that it doesn't teach you how to be an Enterprise Architect.

EA3 is worth reading
EA is the application of rigorous methods to the management of Enterprise IT.Rigorous methods require, well, rigor.As a new practitioner of EA you will quickly find that you must choose how you will document the enterprise, and how you will then document the documentation formats so they are repeatable.This is dull work, tedious, and error prone.Dr. Scott Bernard has done the work for you.It will save you weeks of thankless dull effort.The advantage of this work is not academic theory and fancy hocus pocus, it is not advancing some odd software approach designed to displace system engineering in EA practice, it is not endless words to make you sound smart to the CEO, but trench warfare level lists of real artifacts with documentation and examples for real practitioners.Thank you, Scott Bernard from a 20 year practitioner of the art of enterprise scale IT architecture and strategic planning.

(On balance I should also mention that the cube, while it is an improvement on the FEAF triangle Dr. bernard helped author, remains imperfect as a clarifying device. It is unclear what the third dimension represents- some muddiness remains in the conceptualization.The EA3 cube is not the icon of EA that the Zachman matrix is... yet.I await his next try for yet another improvement.) ... Read more

Book Description
Lavishly illustrated withover 575 images, this best-selling survey of Western architecture is nowfully revised and updated

This best-selling, illustrated survey ofWestern architecture is now fully revised throughout, explaining thestructure, function, history, and meaning of architecture in a way that isboth accessible and engaging. The long-awaited second edition includes:new coverage on Postmodernism and its relationship to the Modernist era; areorganization of Mesopotamian and Prehistoric architecture based onthematic lines of development; an expanded chapter on Medievalarchitecture, including developments from the end of the Roman Empire tothe Renaissance; and an expanded art program that includes over 500 imagesin black and white and color.

Understanding Architecturecontinues to be the only text in the field to examine architecture as acultural phenomenon as well as an artistic and technological achievementwith its straightforward, two-part structure: (1) The Elements ofArchitecture and (2) The History and Meaning of Architecture.Comprehensive, clearly written, affordable, and accessible,Understanding Architecture is a classic survey of Westernarchitecture. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

A valuable survey of Western architecture from the dawn of the civilization to present
As Marion Dean Ross Professor of Architectural History at the University of Oregon at Eugene, Leland M. Roth summarized his research and experience in "Understanding Architecture: Its Elements, History, And Meaning."

Having done extensive graduate studies in architecture, landscape architecture and urban planning, I always find the history and meaning of architecture, gardens and places fascinating.

"Understanding Architecture: Its Elements, History, And Meaning" is a feast for people like me. It is separated into 2 parts. Part I covers elements of architecture including "Commoditie" (Function), "Firmeness" (Structure), "Delight" (Space, Acoustic and Aesthetic), architecture as part of natural environment, architecture, memory and economics.Part II covers history and meaning of Western architecture from the dawn of the civilization to present, including "from caves to cities," the architecture of Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt, Greek architecture, Roman architecture, Early Christian and Byzantine architecture, Medieval architecture, Renaissance architecture, Baroque and Rococo architecture, the origin and development and versions of Modernism, and various schools of Postmodernism.

"Understanding Architecture: Its Elements, History, And Meaning" has 652 pages and many line drawings and good interior black-and-white photos. It is a valuable survey of Western architecture from the dawn of the civilization to present.

Great Book!!!!
Excellent text of architectural history, with good information and explanations of each style in cronological order and lots of sections on examples and masters of each epoch. Lots of pictures of plans and sections! I only wish I had had it for the assignments I had to do last semester! I do wish it had more color fotos instead of black and white. Like all architecture books, it's a little too expensive, but reasonable for the comparatives I found localy. Excellent book, Highly recommended for architecture students and enthusiasts alike.

Excellent but not perfect
I'm a college instructor for beginning level Architecture Appreciation, and the Leland Roth book is an excellent choice to use for such a class.It is concise, informative and for the students, easy to read. Also, for their purposes, because the book is mostly black and white, it is rather cost efficient in an age of over-priced rip-off textbooks.The only problem with the book is that it can really stand to be updated.There is no chapter about Decontructivism or anything that followed, and the book ends with Mario Botta in 1993, which these days is antiquity already. Roth must know that his book is a gold standard for such a class. Knowing this, it is imperative that he revise it soon. it's too good of a product to stop 12 years ago.

Clear cut and Simple
Understanding Architecture is a great book.I found it to be useful to start down the road of being an Architect.This book gives you a clear understanding of the value of architecture in the world.If you have any interest at all in architecture or the built environment you will love this book.I have recommended it to numerous friends.

Understanding Architecture and Urbanism
This is a very well written approach to the understanding of Architecture and Urbanism. In the first half of the book, Roth analyzes the basic concepts or "elements" that conform today's Architecture. The second halfof this clear and readable text is dedicated to the investigation of thehistory and significance of Architecture. These enjoyable and didacticthirteen chapters are an excellent starting point for a journey into pastand present Architecture ... Read more

Book Description

As a developer, you are aware of the increasing concern amongst developers and site architects that websites be able to handle the vast number of visitors that flood the Internet on a daily basis. Scalable Internet Architecture addresses these concerns by teaching you both good and bad design methodologies for building new sites and how to scale existing websites to robust, high-availability websites. Primarily example-based, the book discusses major topics in web architectural design, presenting existing solutions and how they work. Technology budget tight? This book will work for you, too, as it introduces new and innovative concepts to solving traditionally expensive problems without a large technology budget. Using open source and proprietary examples, you will be engaged in best practice design methodologies for building new sites, as well as appropriately scaling both growing and shrinking sites. Website development help has arrived in the form of Scalable Internet Architecture.

Customer Reviews (8)

I could not put this book down
I picked up this book the other day on the recommendation of a friend, and I can't put it down. I like it because:

* its small (the number of pages 225, the print, the format, the thickness) , but its pithy. Every page has useful stuff.
* the real world experience (pain!) just oozes out of this book. So many times while reading I thought: "Oh yes ... hadn't thought of that."
* its not stridently opensource, nonetheless ends up most there anyway - but only after addressing commercial products and their role
* its business focused, not geek focused - while still being incredibly geeky

Most of all its just really well written and edited. I've caught a couple of minor typos, but nothing that interfered with reading or enjoying the book.

In a world of many great technical books, and insufficient time to read them, its hard to know which ones are worth the effort. This one definitely is.

Great Gift
I got this for my son as a gift...he loves it and as usual Amazon comes through with the best service!

Unique and realistic perspective on Scalability and HA
This is the type of technical book that comes alone all to infrequently.Instead of giving "cookbook" recipes that are inapplicable to the majority of real-world environment, this book discusses how to apply techniques (not recipes) to increase the flexibility (and hence scalability) of your infrastructure. This author obviously has in-depth knowledge of real-work production environments and the unnecessary risks that companies expose their infrastructures to.For example, from my own experience it is pitiful how rampant the concept of HA is confused with load balancing!I have seen CIOs of Fortune 500 companies tout their "risk-free" scalable environment implemented with load balancing.When I explain to them that HA has nothing to do with load balancing, and to insure a high availability infrastructure they need to revamp their architecture, they look at me suspiciously as if I'm trying to squeeze money out of them.When I ask to speak to the Director of Operations and pointedly ask how HA is implemented, and get a response alone the lines of "we have redundant load balancers fronting redundant servers" I know I'm dealing with yet another instance of a gross misunderstanding of HA.When I point out the multiple single points of failure, I'm treated as an adversary intent on discrediting the technical staff!This book reveals the fallacy of such an approach.

The author also discusses elements of a robust HA environment that others book only touch on if not completely ignore.For example, revision control and business continuity among other often overlooked processes.All in all an interesting read that will open your eyes to what is truly a misunderstood topic.

The books handling of scalability, including a discussion of "scaling-down" (or scaling back), is first rate as well.

Great book for those involved in building or hosting web applications!
This book does a great job of demystifying many of the misconceptions surrounding web applications, performance, scalability, hardware, software and proper architecture. Finding the right tool for the job is essential, and this book should be on every developer/engineer/managers book shelf!

The previous reviews don't really do it justice
This is a fantastic book about scalable systems.If you want specifics, he presents opensource and cost effective solutions that can be implemented, but in my opinion that isn't the real value of the book.

The real value is the way he leads you through the thought processess that need to occur as you plan for releasing and using such a system.I really like some of the stuff that is emphasized and has caused me to realize that I had gaps in my knowledge.Gaps like better release planning, and actual cost of such a system, especially as it grows, or shrinks.

I've been extremely happy with this purchase. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

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.

detailed advice about designing
Clements shows how to use various notations to document your software design. Of these, perhaps UML is now the most common. The advice in the text can be used to first design your code, before programming. Certainly, you should somehow have a design laid out first. You do, don't you?

The book offers structural advice about how to do this. From the low level "mechanical" details of the UML notation, to more general conceptual issues. Various possible architectures are outlined. Client-server, n-tier and peer-to-peer. Enough to get you started in implementing these ideas.

The best to date
Software architecture really is unlike any other aspect of its design. The architecture has deeper meaning and larger scale than any other aspect, and can't be discussed in the same ways.

This book opens that discussion. Among the "architecture" books I've read lately, this is the only one to offer concrete advice on describing, presenting, and analyzing archtiectural features of a system. It identifies a number of documentation types and variations. It also identifies a number of different readers - developers, future architects, users, etc. - and addresses their different documentation needs.

The authors use a little UML, but not a lot. For one thing, standard UML works at too low a level for architectural discussion. Classes, and even hierarchies of class inheritance are such fine-grained entities that architecture gernerally won't address them. Instead, the authors offer a number of diagramming styles of their own. For once, I agree with the need for non-standard notation.

Even so, I think they under-utilize the existing standards in favor of their own terminology and notation. They could have used a UML profile for lots of the discussion. It would have had to be a new profile, however, not just a force-fit of the real-time profile. They also under-used the existing architecture standards (IEEE/ANSI, DoD, NASA, and more) in favor of their own discussion. Maybe their approach can be used in any of those frameworks, but that should have been more explicit.

I see only one major flaw in this book, the assumption that a software system's architecture describes the program delivered to a customer. That's way too narrow. A large system includes things like test harnesses, debug instrumentation, application-specific QA tools, and user documentation of many kinds. Those can be major undertakings of their own. They are intimately tied to the delivered software, and may constrain the actual product.

On the postivie side, this book offer an extensive real-world case study. That probably doubles the book's value, by putting a concrete face on the otherwise abstract discussion.

There are two ways to use this book: you can agree with it, or think about it and disagree with it. If you really think about it, though, you get it's full value whether you agree or not.

In other words, you can't lose by reading this book.

Quite skimpy
This is not a bad introductory documentation book, but quite skimpy in the amount of information and examples it contains.
Not sure it is worth buying at that price. I bought it after reading the previous reviews - I think they overrated it!

The only technical documentation book you'll need
After reading my colleague's comments I rushed out and purchased this book.I, too, am trained and certified in Information Mapping© and was impressed at how closely the approach in this book is aligned to that method.However, what I like most is the fact that this book can be used as guidance for a wider scope than just documenting software architectures because it shows how to organize your documentation requirements, develop clear documentation and manage the entire process from start to finish.

I also like the clearly articulated and illustrated advice about how to augment text with graphics, and how to select the views and associated graphics to document requirements, specifications and the finished architecture.An example of how this book goes beyond documenting just architectures is a project in which I was engaged two years ago.One of the major deliverables was a set of operations guides.While this is related to architecture with respect to how its used after it's in production, there were no books that fully described how to go about it in a coherent way.Using the advice and techniques in this book I could have greatly improved upon what I did produce.While I cannot change the past, you can be sure that I'll use this book to its fullest the next time I need to write ops guides, especially when it comes to showing component and connector views, and elements and relations.

If you do technical writing either professionally or as a part of your job get this book and keep it nearby.If you read and use the material you're ability to communicate will surely improve, and you'll be able to tailor your documentation to each segment of your audience (business and technical), as well as to clearly communicate information.You'll also learn much about managing the documentation process itself. ... Read more

Book Description
The incredible, indispensable TASCHEN encyclopedia of architecture, unlike most architecture encyclopedias, which tend to concentrate more on buildings and floor plans than their designers, tome puts the architects in the spotlight, profiling individuals so that readers can get a clear overview of their bodies of work. Each architect's entry features a portrait, quote, and short biography as well as a description of important works, historical context, and general approach; illustrations include numerous drawings, photographs, and floor plans. The book's A to Z entries cover not only architects but also groups, movements, and styles from the 18th to the 21st centuries. With 600 entries, 5200 illustrations, and a glossary of architectural terms, The A to Z of Modern Architecture is a comprehensive resource that no architecture profession, fan, or student should be without. ... Read more

Book Description
From the arid deserts of Tucson, Arizona to the icy forests of Poori, Finland to the tropical beaches of New South Wales, Australia to the urban jungle of downtown Manhattan, critics Alanna Stang and Christopher Hawthorne have traveled to the farthest reaches of the globe to find all that is new in the design of sustainable, or "green," homes. The result: more than thirty-five residences in fifteen countries -- and nearly every conceivable natural environment -- designed by a combination of star architects and heretofore unknown practitioners.
Six different climactic zones are presented in The Green House -- waterfront, forest and mountain, tropical, desert, suburban, and urban; there is also a section on mobile dwellings. Each chapter features a series of homes that show the diversity and possibility of sustainable design. Projects are presented with large color images, plans, drawings, and an accompanying text that describes their green features and explains how they work with and in the environment.
Architects included: Santiago Calatrava, Shigeru Ban, Miller/Hull, Rick Joy, Lake Flato, Kengo Kuma, Glenn Murcutt, Pugh & Scarpa, Werner Sobek, and many others.
The Green House is not only a beautiful object in its own right, but is sure to be an indispensable reference for anyone building or interested in sustainable design -- and if you ask us, that should be everyone. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (11)

Excellent Purchase!
The order was processed and shipped very quickly.The product is just as it was described.Excellent purchase experience!

The Green House: New Directions in Sustainable Architecture
Well designed and easy to use Layout on this Book for People interested in modern & green architecture. I recommend this book without any doubt. A very good source of inspiration!

Nice
Very nice book if you are interested in sustainbility and green architecture.

For architects or the coffee table
The book focuses on very modern designs, which are frequently stark or very heavy on the glass and steel.There are some ideas for creating a "greener" house, but most of the examples ignore the most basic green principle of minimizing the square footage of the house.Also, with a few exceptions, most of the examples appear to be very pricey.

Good ideas
I liked this book and I think the other reviews have summed this book up well. ... Read more

Book 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, howe