Vous voulez voir cette page en français ? Cliquez ici.


or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
More Buying Choices
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
How Buildings Work: The Natural Order of Architecture
 
 
Share your own customer images
Search inside this book

How Buildings Work: The Natural Order of Architecture [Hardcover]

Edward Allen (Author)
4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
List Price: CDN$ 48.95
Price: CDN$ 30.69 & this item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping. Details
You Save: CDN$ 18.26 (37%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In Stock.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.ca. Gift-wrap available.
Only 1 left in stock--order soon (more on the way).
Want it delivered Monday, May 28? Choose One-Day Shipping at checkout.

Formats

 Amazon Price New from Used from
Hardcover CDN $30.69   -- --

Product Details

Product Description

From Library Journal

With its homespun drawings and offerings of architectural wisdom for lay readers, this book is like a Whole Earth Catalog building course. In this update of his 1980 edition, however, Allen (architecture, Yale) manages to explain with brevity and common sense "how buildings work." In the opening pages, he places the Earth in the solar system and defines our place on the planet. He then offers analyses of the effects of sun, wind, and cold on building design and location. By focusing primarily on housing, Allen lets readers clearly understand everything from lighting, comfort, and quiet to the basics of making a sturdy structure. He offers occasional but well-placed examples of non-Western design as well. And the illustrations, which look like 1970s instructions for macrame, somehow work. Recommended for general audiences.?David Bryant, New Canaan P.L., Conn.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"In clear and lucid prose--accompanied by delightful drawings--Ed Allen explains the intricacies of building performance and construction. This new edition of a classic guide will prove of interest to both students of architecture and lay persons alike." --Witold Rybczynski, University of Pennsylvania Professor of Architecture and author of The Perfect House

Acclaim for previous editions: "Whether you're an armchair architect or are planning to design and build your own home, this book helps you grasp the basic concepts." --Popular Science

"With its homespun drawings and offerings of architectural wisdom for lay readers, this book is like a Whole Earth Catalog building course.... By focusing primarily on housing, Allen lets readers clearly understand everything from lighting, comfort, and quiet to the basics of making a sturdy structure." --Library Journal

"Well written, attractively illustrated with line drawings, and handsomely put together." --AIA Journal

"With simple explanations and over 300 illustrations, Allen defines the true functions of buildings and gives advice on how to create a structure that will satisfy all your needs." --House Beautiful Building Manual

"Explains in clear, non-technical language and by ingenious pictures, what buildings do and how they do it." --What's New in Building
See all Product Description
Inside This Book (Learn More)
First Sentence
Earth is unique among the planets of our solar system in offering all the basic necessities of life. Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index
Search inside this book:

Tag this product

 (What's this?)
Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items.
Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags
 

Customer Reviews

6 Reviews
5 star:
 (5)
4 star:
 (1)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
4.8 out of 5 stars (6 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most helpful customer reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars What buildings are, Feb 27 2003
This review is from: How Buildings Work: The Natural Order of Architecture (Hardcover)
HOW BUILDINGS WORK is just a great book, even more interesting than Macaulay's THE WAY THINGS WORK. Buildings are everywhere, and most everyone uses buildings of various kinds for various purposes. Yet how a building works is often a mystery. In this way, I think buildings are much like computers; most people who use them have no clue about the inner workings of them.

Edward Allen takes us through the functions of a building without going into traditional architectural theory. This book is more concerned with the needs that buildings must fulfill, and how we can fulfull them. He discusses water, waste, heat, ventilation, lighting, accoustics, energy, structure, and more, first by explaining each particular concept, and then by examining how problems can be solved with the knowledge of those concepts.

While this isn't a book on theory, neither is it a wholly practical book. That is, it won't equip you with the skills to go and build a house. But it will open your eyes to the various elements of buildings and building construction and you may think "Aha!" the next time you look at a building and observe a strange structural or design detail. You don't have to be an architecture freak to enjoy the book either. You just need to be curious.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


5.0 out of 5 stars All architecture/ building science students should own this, Feb 20 2002
This review is from: How Buildings Work: The Natural Order of Architecture (Hardcover)
I practice and teach architecture. This is the best book I have ever found for communicating material essential for the study of building science and architecture. The presentation style is frendly and informative. The knowledge of the subject displayed by Edward Allen is superb. I am a unashamed book-a-holic, if I could only take one book to the proverbial desert island - How Buildings Work would be it.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No


5.0 out of 5 stars Summarizes in Simple, Graphic Fashion what a Building Does, Jun 9 2001
By 
Donald W Randall (Virginia Beach, VA United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: How Buildings Work: The Natural Order of Architecture (Hardcover)
A practical overview of the natural order of architecture. Explains what building do (i.e. Effects of outdoor environment, human environment and the concept of shelter). Explains how a building works (i.e. Various practical functions, providing water, removing wastes, thermal comfort, HVAC, acoustics, form, structural support, fire control, building expansion, etc.).

This book sticks to the basics of what a building is all about. This is not a book about design princples and concepts (old or modern); the book stresses the practical nature of building construction/design and the interface with human beings and the environment.

Excellent book for students, architecture professors, practicing architects, builders and people just wanting to know more about the principles of architecture.

Help other customers find the most helpful reviews 
Was this review helpful to you? Yes No

Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
Want to see more reviews on this item?
› Go to Amazon.com to see all 11 reviews  4.7 out of 5 stars 
 
 		 Most recent customer reviews




Only search this product's reviews


Listmania!

Create a Listmania! list

Look for similar items by category

Look for similar items by subject






















i.e., each book must be in subject 1 AND subject 2 AND ...

Feedback

Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Amazon.ca Privacy Statement Amazon.ca Shipping Information Amazon.ca Returns & Exchanges