Product Description
Itsuko Hasegawa has never viewed architecture as being a singular?and isolated creative act by one individual – on the contrary,?she is convinced that building should be a social event. Hence,?she includes not only state-of-the-art CAD programs in each planning?and design phase, but also the outcome of extensive interviews?with future users of a given building.?Hasegawa always allows some breathing space for the unforeseen?and the unknown whenever building plans are transformed into architectural?solutions for concrete activities and special functions. Her buildings?– which combine clarity and playfulness and which are full?of energy stemming from the interplay of material, color, transparency?and form – are places which enhance and inspire people's?lives.??

This monograph presents the 16 most significant buildings and?projects in the 1990s: museums and galleries, schools, sport and?recreation centers, and apartment buildings, and includescontributions by Patrice Goulet and Koji Taki.?Itsuko Hasegawa is published in collaboration with the Institut Francais d'Architecture,?Paris ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

contemporary and innovative design
an intimate look at a contemporary architect and her solution of the continues struggle of form culture and personal visions, the book showing an array of projects sketches and beautiful visualizations of building space and materials giving an intimate look at a architectural conceptionby the artist ... Read more

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One of the few truly visionary architects of large-scale commissions working today, Thom Mayne’s influential firm Morphosis, founded in the early 1970s, has maintained an avant-garde presence among contemporary architecture firms, even as it has garnered high-profile, big-budget commissions from around the world.Since Rizzoli published Volume I of the Morphosis series in 1989, the Los Angeles–based firm has continued to push its intricate modernism into new territories. In the tradition of its four visually groundbreaking predecessors, this fifth volume packs 500 illustrations into a comprehensive tour of Morphosis’s activity.New works covered in Volume V include Cal Trans Headquarters in Los Angeles (2004); the San Francisco Federal Office building (2006); the Wayne L. Morse United States Courthouse in Eugene, Oregon (2006); and the University of Cincinnati Student Recreation Center (2006).Projects in progress, such as the New Academic Building for the Cooper Union in New York (expected completion 2008) and the Phare Tower for La Defense, France (2012), will also be featured. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Tom Wolfe Needs To Update "From Bauhaus To Our House"
Like reviewer "Darren O," I too am an unlucky occupant of Thom Mayne's Pritzker Prize winning San Francisco masterpiece. I can testify to the accuracy and truthfulness of everything in Darren O's review. Like the "giants" of modern and post-modern architecture who preceded him, Mr. Mayne's work displays complete contempt for the mere human beings who might come into contact with it. It embodies the authoritarian impulse and will to power that have underlain the modernist movement in architecture from the start. In fact, at the building's dedication ceremony in July 2007, Mr. Mayne was reported to have denounced Americans as fat, lazy, and under-exercised.He explained that his Federal Building had been intentionally designed to punish such people with elevators that don't stop on every floor, forcing all but the disabled to climb flights of stairs; and workplace components are located at vast lateral distances from one another, forcing one to walk great distances to see a colleague. (Most staff simply don't bother at all.) When Mr. Mayne was given a tour of the building's work spaces after the ceremony, he was reported to have started turning off lights and denouncing the workers for failing to use natural light only, as he had intended. (The light that is so overabundant on the south side, so wanting on the north.)

The poor quality of the engineering and of the workmanship and materials of the building also deserve mention. After three and a half years, the elevators are still far from reliable, the glass windows on the front of the building are still prone to cracking, and the polished granite floors are developing enormous cracks that have begun to resemble the nearby San Andreas Fault.

As an antidote to the anti-humanism of such "visionaries" as Mr. Mayne, one couldn't do better than to reread Tom Wolfe's small masterpiece cited in the headline, From Bauhaus to Our House. The only shortcoming of Tom Wolfe's book is that it was written in 1981. So many terrible buildings have been built since then!

Could been better
I was hoping this book would show other projects like the new 41 Cooper Square building and the Wayne l. Morse Courthouse building but it doesn't. I do like the the velum drawings and the photos that are included.

He's a dreamer
I work in one of his buildings completed in 2007 in San Francisco. And it's the worst place I've ever worked. Yes, I thought it looked cool from the outside too. But the inside is totally non-functional and his explanations of building design and how it's supposed to transform people's lives is total gunk! More specifically, the building is loud, has tons and tons of wasted, dark space in the stairwell landing areas yet leaves us working in a cramped area. It's either too hot and stuffy, or too cold depending on whether the automatically controlled windows open or not. They're mostly closed. Many colleagues have their own personal heaters at their desks. The natural light is too glaring on one side and too dark on the other, so most of us have extra shades, umbrellas or personal lamps depending on what side we're on. The building scrim designed to protect occupants from the sun, and offer views of the bay area hasn't worked for many months. There were no safe indoor bike racks designed for this supposedly green building. And the gym was a total afterthought placed in a dark, inadequate basement area. And as a seemingly final insult, the building's air intake pipe was apparently placed next to the sewage exhaust pipe, so when the wind blows in a particular direction, our entire office space smells like sewage. From what I can tell, Mr. Mayne is a very good writer and marketer.But he's an egotistical dreamer and unfortunately for us that have to deal with his "creations" on a daily basis, a terrible architect!

a personal romance of architecture.......at its best
This is my fifth (purchased) document on the LA practice Morphosis,.............a wonderful feast of ideas, spatial experiences and a visual tour de force.
There is no one better in the world today at providing a built/theoretical product, that demands a cerebral and visceral engagement by the viewer or occupant, than Thom Mayne.
Long may we enjoy this particular focus in Architecture. ... Read more

Product Description
The winners of numerous awards and the subject of exhibitions from Tokyp to Berlin, Morphosis is one of the most influential American architecture firms of the last two decades.In the latest volume of their work, "Morphosis Buildings and Projects, Volume 3: 1993-1997," the firm's avant-garde approach to design is illustrated with computer-generated images in a hypertextual presentation that runs continuously from cover to cover.

Founding partner Thom Mayne's essays explore Morphosis's philosophy of architecture as an abstract concept, despite its physical existence."We find it necessary to consider everything we produce, and everything in this book, to be a project," Mayne explains."Regardless of how much concrete has been poured and the presence of (exhilarated?) inhabitants, we find ourselves reluctant to give up the investigations undertaken in each project, reluctant to surrender the optimism, and unwilling to erase the traces of our productive impetus."

Mayne continues his essay by speaking of the "Consistencies (Glue)" that hold Morphosis's ideology together, including, "Not Getting Lost," Imperfections," and "Talking Back," all of which illustrate the firm's unique approach to working out radical solutions to the standard problems of architecture.

This volume features many works-in-progress, recording Morphosis's approach from the beginnings to the middles to the ends of various projects, including the FJC Communications building in Burbank, California, the Sun Towers in Seoul, the A.S.E. Visitors' Center in Taipei, and the American Business Center in Berlin.

"Morphosis Buildings and Projects, Volume 3: 1993-1997" has increased dramatically in size and content since the book was first announced.Now that it has morphed into a true tome, this monograph is a must for fans of forward-looking architecture around the world. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Good info, Hard to read drawings, terrible cover
The information presented in the book is good--no doubt about that.But the graphics of the book is too much--it takes away a lot from one's ability to clearly read and understand the drawings.Whoever designed it does too much to overwhelm the senses and as a result, the reader is left confused and thumbing page to page trying to figure out what is going on.Also, the quality of the binding is rather lackluster--after about half way through the book, the binding (which was basically a piece of paper HOT GLUED on to the pages) fell apart.Thom Mayne's work is interesting (and perhaps nothing more than that) but he doesn't much help his case if the quality of the design and the construction of the book is this BAD.

The best book on Morphosis out there.
I have seen a lot of books on Morphosis out there.Some are more projects' photographs, other are of single projects drawing, philosophy and graphic.This one is a graphic masterpiece.I bought this when I was an architect student and it helped me layout the foundation of my portfolio and presentation.I don't necessary design like Morphosis, but love how they projected their projects to the curious eyes.This is a very thick book, of mostly weird angles FormZ's renderings mixed with CAD drawings.You get tried of looking at rendering pages after pages, but each project is unique in its own.My friends and roommates borrow this book the most of all the books in my architectural library, by far.The cover is very cool, but the pages were cheaply glue or constructed and it break apart, under heavy browsing.I repair this book with zappa-gap many times.So this is my #1 architectual book.

Design masterpiece
One of the few architecture books at the brick and mortor bookstore that isn't sealed shut with shrink wrap. After I flipped through it Iimmediately bought it through amazon. It is designed by Cranbrook designsuperstar Lorraine Wild, the design perfectly represents what Morphosis isabout. I take it from the other reviewers that they only looked at theimages and did not read anything at all because they did not "getit". Their work is delivered as a cyberpunk novel outtake, the settingan industrial dance club with torture devices. There is a wonderful surrealshort story that acts as a sort of guide to viewing the work as well. I amnot an architect but this is inspirational enough for me to spend half adecade in school to become one. Reminds me of the Jean Tinguely bookpublished in the early 70's (with sketch overlays) and a similar designphilosophy as Low/Tek

great collection of morp's work for fans
Being an architecture student, I constantly refer to many books, and Morphosis is one of my favourite contemporary architecture firm. This is really a thick and quite a heavy book. Its a compilation of many ofMorphosis' work. Their "Best Of.." volume. This marvelous editionis divided into 2 parts. The first part consist of many colourful computergenerated views, elevations, plans and 3D computer models etc of theirbuildings. The 3D models give a good visual understanding of theircomplicated but exciting buildings. The second part consist of essays byThom Mayne. The thing about Morphosis is Mayne's writing is clear. Hestates his intention and theories clearly without getting out of thesubject of architecture much. He talks about the difference between aproject and a building which is a very good way of looking at architecturetoday. The graphics and writing provide a very clear understanding of theirbuildings. The bottom line is, if you like Morphosis, you'll love this bookamong your collection.

Great drawings, but...
neat drawings, but this book is for hard-core fans of Morphosis. the amount of graphic information enclosed is staggering at first, but once you own it you will get bored with it. there is no meat on these bones. thetext, tellingly placed in the back like an afterthought,is meaningless. idoubt anyone without prior experience with Morphosis' projects would reallyunderstand what he is up to. ... Read more

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Product Description
In this book, the world’s most exciting new museums are shown to be as inspiring as the works they display.

The twenty-first century has seen a boom in museum construction, both in new buildings and renovations or additions to existing ones. Nearly thirty museums are given close inspection in this generously illustrated volume. Each entry includes a discussion of the building’s cultural and geographic environment, complemented by color photographs, sketches and architectural plans. The book encompasses four continents and highlights the designs of Frank Gehry, Renzo Piano, Steven Holl, Zaha Hadid, Mario Botta, David Chipperfield, Tadao Ando, Yoshio Taniguchi and Daniel Libeskind. In addition, the authors provide thoughtful commentary on the relationship between architecture and the fine arts and an assessment of museum functionality in modern times.

Suzanne Greub is Director of the Art Centre Basel and the editor of several exhibition catalogues. She is a contributor to Museums for a New Millenium (Prestel).

Thierry Greub is an art historian and Assistant Director of the Art Centre Basel. ... Read more

Product Description
For over 20 years, Zaha Hadid, the Iraqi-born, English-educated architect, has symbolized the vanguard of contemporary architecture. Her continually new forms stun the world of design with their commitment to revolutionary forms. This text - a record of her entire career - includes sketches, plans and models that offer a complete overview of her programmatic and aesthetic concerns. Texts written by the architect and her office reveal solutions to each project. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Exceptional!
This is a fantastic compilation of Hadid's work.It's more comprehensive than the El Croquis, although there is no long interview.There is adequate text for each project, however.

If you like her work, or are interested in contemporary architecture, I highly recommend it. It's fairly inexpensive and catalogues her exceptional work.

zaha: imagination and magic
I think this book has more to it than technical drawings could ever give. It's an artistic sight of what and how architecture should be thought and viewed like. Colours, shapes and forms seem to spring out the pages of this book. Go out there and see it four yourself, it's not a book about construction, it's a book about ideas.

Source Book
The book reminded me a lot of the Radical reconstruction by Lebbeus Woods, witch I love(d). I find it like a kind of a sorce book. To train the bran to think differently. And at the same time to think of making it real. The book is a cross between modern Wright architecture and Bruce Mau design. I recomend it.

Radical architecture and aesthetics
While the other reviewers have made valid arguments (vis a vis the infeasibility of Ms. Hadid's works and the lack of conventional diagrams), if one comes to this book from a context other than pragmatic architecture, then this book is a joy.

For myself, I approached this book through an appreciation of Sadar Vuga, the Designer's Republic, and Mike Young (of designgraphik fame). From this context, 'Buildings and Projects' is a wonderful collection of works from a visionary and graphically talented designer-artist.

Critical Architecture
This book is not for someone looking for structural systems, mechanicalsystems, or simply physical form.In other words, this book is not goingto appeal to people who believe architecture is simply about building anykind of building.Zaha is trying to show us that architecture is so muchmore because it affects us in so many unimaginable ways.Her book and herwork must be looked at carefully and consciously.Her work is aboutpresenting critical ideas and opinions on constructions and the way welive.Take nothing for granted.We are not all contractors, developers,or money-hungry architects. ... Read more

Product Description
Planning Successful Museum Building Projects provides comprehensive, practical guidance on planning, financing, implementing, managing, and evaluating all kinds of museum construction projects. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Planning Successful Museum Building Projects
This is about the most comprehensive book on planning a successful Museum from the onset of the ideas and gathering information.Would have liked to see actual business plans that were submitted and show the actual completed Museum as a end result. ... Read more

Product Description
This revised edition of the first full-length study of I.M. Pei, one of the world's greatest architects, includes a chapter on Pei's work since 1990, when he established a new relationship with his firm that enabled him to pursue more small scale, personal commissions. Illustrated from the rich archives of Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, this book charts Pei's progress from his birth in China in 1917 through every milestone in his career to his pre-eminent position today. The author, noted architecture critic Carter Wiseman, has supplemented extensive and meticulous research with many hours of conversation with Pei, his family, his associates and his clients. Wiseman focuses his text on the buildings of special relevance to Pei's career, and, whether discussing Pei's pyramid for the Louvre, the Kennedy Library or the Myerson Symphony Center, he carefully considers the project's architectural, sociological and personal dimensions. One sees how Pei's artistic vision has emerged, how he has deftly met the demands of each new situation and client, and how his charismatic personality has affected events.Scores of colour photographs present Pei's buildings in all their variety, from the urban grandeur of the Dallas City Hall to the daring innovation of the Bank of China skyscraper. Dozens of revealing drawings, plans and models as well as personal and documentary photographs make this volume the only comprehensive visual record of Pei's work. ... Read more

Product Description
The Art of Construction outlines the basic principles necessary to build bridges, skyscrapers, and other architectural structures. Projects that demonstrate how these principles keep the deigns from falling are given. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Perfect for young builders
My 12 year-old son has a love of architecture and design so we purchased this book as a supplement to his homeschooling studies. It contains many physics and engineering principles but is written in such a way as to hold a child's interest. It has simple model building activities to make that demonstrate the topic of each chapter.

excelent
I receipt the book very quikly and in excelent conditios of use, as a new book.

easily understand the engineering of structures
i love this book! it truly explains why buildings behave the way they do and why they are built the way they are. it takes complicated engineeriing and makes it simple, very simple. every principle has an easy to follow sketch and example. this book is a must for architects, engineers, builders or anyone who wants to go behind the scenes and understand the 'why' of buildings. many of the principles and examples only apply to large scale commercial projects like high rises and bridges, so it may not be pertinent for the home builder, but i'd still recommend it. i love to understand why i build houses a certain way. this book explains basic building principles.

Inspiring
A dear friend gave me this book for my ninth birthday back in 1990. Today, I am a structural engineering associate with a major forensic engineering firm, and I know that much of my fascination with the field began with Salvadori's riveting explanations of the basic principles of structural design. This book is incredible for any kid with any scientific inclination!

If it had been around...
I've been rereading this lately.This morning I showed everybody in the restaurant where I was eating the book saying, "if this had been around when I was in middle school or junior high, I expect that I would bean architect or structural engineer now. ... Read more

Product Description

Without project management, the successful completion of major projects is no longer possible. This book describes all the basics with the help of many clear illustrations. In this edition the already very successful work has been complemented with contributions that take into account how communication and organization have become increasingly important in construction projects. The fact that land - municipal or private - now need to be prepared in a very focused manner to ensure its wise use and increase its value to reach is also considered, making the book of interest to project managers and construction experts who have realized that project development and comprehensive, integrated construction will be key issues in the future.

Product Description

A unique cost reference, updated and expanded, for architects, engineers, contractors, building owners, and managers

Green building is no longer a trend. Since the publication of the widely read first edition of this book, green building has become a major advancement in design and construction. Building codes and standards have adopted much stricter energy efficiencies. Businesses, institutions, and communities have discovered huge savings, along with health and marketing advantages, in sustainable building. Private facilities, as well as public buildings for Federal, state, and local governments are increasingly required to design and build sustainably in both new construction and renovation.

This Third Edition has been updated with the latest in green building tech-nologies, design concepts, standards, and costs. The chapters, case studies, and resources give you practical guidance on green building, including the latest on:

• Green building approaches, materials, rating systems, standards, and guidelines

• Energy efficiencies, implementing energy modeling tools

• Designing and specifying, as well as commissioning, green building projects

• Often-specified products and materials, as well as a sample spec

• Goals and techniques for health, comfort, and productivity

• Evaluating the cost versus value of green products over their life cycle

• Low-cost green strategies, and special economic incentives and funding

• Building deconstruction and cost considerations

With a new chapter on greening of commercial real estate, this reference is a one-stop resource for the latest in green building approaches and implementation.

The contributors, all prominent leaders in green building, include:

• Mark Kalin, FAIA, FCSI, author of the original GreenSpec

• Andy Walker, Ph.D., PE, senior engineer with NREL

• Joseph Macaluso, AACE, certified cost consultant

On the cover:

Kendall Square Research Laboratory in Cambridge, Massachusetts, by CO Architects. Completed in 2010, the building was pre-certified for LEED Gold and designed for energy efficiency. The curtain wall system is standardized for the entire building, with infill and suspended shading elements varying on each of the building's four facades in response to geographic orientation. Natural light for work spaces is maximized while solar radiation is minimized. Photograph by Peter Vanderwarker. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

relief!
i love this book! i referenced it while building a zero energy garage apartment for my thesis and it served as an excellent guide. i find it particularly useful since information is broken down systematically instead of the usual cat-and-mouse chase websites and other books offer. this is a must-have for green designers.

A timely publication
The campaign of environmentally healthy space has begun gently as a drive against asbestos and lead-based paints. Over time this idea has grown in dimension to encompass elimination of many other harmful construction materials. Exclusion of damaging materials from the very start of the design ensures an environment for safe and healthy living. This methodology, often called the "environmentally friendly design", has gained serious attention from design professionals like Architects, Engineers, Space Planners and Community Activists, all of whom have come forward to implement and enrich this idea.
This book has added a new dimension to this thought.It has drawn our attention to building products, furniture and furnishings, which undeniably constitute a large part of our occupiable spaces. It makes us aware of putting as much importance on selection process of these elements in creation of spatial standards for a safe and healty living.
I would like to thank the authors of this book for triggering new thoughts with this pioneering work. Thong overdue, this definitely opens up a new horizon. I believe that this school of thought should so our civilization may benefit from this approach.

Resource for building environmentally safe
The book is a timely release as more and more building professionals are revaluating their approach to building for a safer environment. The life cycle costs are becoming a part of the planning process and the savings of our energy resources is a plus. The book reinforces the issues and gives ideas on how to sell the concept to clients. Agencies looking to adopt new standards could benefit from this book. ... Read more

Product Description
For me Holzbauer was and is a stabilizing element in Austrian architectural development since 1955, a steamer that has held its course, as it were, even if it has occasionally been severely tossed about by heavy seas. Of course Holzbauer's concept of architecture is a markedly Austrian one; it has no theoretical sharpness, it's bulky, even culinary, somehow it manages to include almost everything .... Holzbauer's qualities as a designer have been described often enough; even as a student he stood out because he could translate very complicated functional and space programmes into spatial, easily comprehensible concepts at the speed of a computer. In other words a master of large, easily remembered form, as young people who reject such qualities at the moment mockingly say today .... Let's drop this subject. Suggestions in either direction aren't helping. Perhaps we ought to think whether the Holzbauer model does not compel one to think the architect's role through again from the very beginning. For what minor artists (to use Holzbauer's disrespectful expression) bring off in the various niches and protected workshops of building, is perhaps like despite the highest artistic claims - a discontinued model in terms of architectural design. Architecture is being increasingly forced out of the really large spheres of activity, and so is increasingly an appendage of the packaging industry. And does one there not have to concede that Holzbauer always brings architectural strategies into play on this front, and defends their cultural role with any means at his disposal? And is part of the criticism about him not linked with the fact that almost nobody follows him into these spheres, thus producing the impression that once you are past a certain building volume there is no one but Holzbauer in Austria?

Friedrich Achleitner and Wilhelm Holzbauer have known each other since their youth in Salzburg. Achleitner is Professor at the Hochschule for Angewandte Kunst in Vienna and probably Austria's most eminent architecture critic. Vera Purtscher works as an architect and architecture critic in Vienna. ... Read more

Product Description
James Stirling's untimely death in 1992 cut short an immensely fruitful creative career which began in the 1950s. One of the most inventive - and controversial - British architects of the post-war period, Stirling came to international attention in the early 1960s with the completion of Leicester University Engineering Building - now recognized as a landmark in 20th-century architecture. This critical survey explores Stirling's early work, illustrating and analyzing 38 buildings and projects dating from 1950 to 1974. The book begins with an introduction assessing Stirling's early development and considering his place in the architecture of the time. The main body of the volume contains 670 drawings, plans and photographs supported by critical discussions of the projects which include residential buildings, student accommodation, academic institutions and industrial plants, interspersed with statements from Stirling himself. ... Read more

Product Description
It seems that Vectorworks users always have questions about using layers, classes, viewports and sheet layers to make drawings. This manual explains classes, layers, Viewports and sheet layers, and how to use these concepts to set up drawings for a building project.

This manual is useful for Vectorworks Architect version 12 to 2010

Table of Contents
Introduction
What are layers for?
What are classes for?
Viewports
Sheet Layers
Drawings
Site Plan
Demolition Plan
Foundation Plan
Framing Plan
General Plan
Roof Plan and Roof Framing
Elevations
2D Elevations
Sections ... Read more