Ching is good. We've talked about his books before in some other threads. But I wouldn't get too hung up on him. He provides good reference, good basics, etc.

BUT, if you must have more of this type of book. The books by Geoffrey Baker, I think one's called 'Analysis of Form', have a similar feel and a similar analytical, historical approach. Illustration style is similar, too.

kennith frampton anyone?

Frampton's a must, yeah. But it also may be a text for history, in which case BG will be getting it anyway. And if I remember right from another thread, he doesn't have a great love of history.

Correct Steven, I don't have a great love of history, but it looks like I will learn to love it. If I want to pass at least....

Ching's Building Codes Illustrated -- if architecture students could get turned on to this it moght mean less pain down the road. others of his I think are eh, so-so.

I really like Frampton's Studies in Techtonic culture. It has history, but also lots of Chingesque illustrations of how various architects Frampton has an affinity for detailed their buildings. It is also the exact same size as the Ching books, so it fits nicely with them on the bookshelf.

Frank Ching does have some nice books... he is a pretty intimidating professor (I studied under him at the University of Washington) but a man with amazing skills nonetheless. I've been looking for projects designed by him that are actually constructed... does anyone know anything about that?

yes steven, i will agree on the Geoffrey Baker book (s) - i think i read two of them long back - one of them was entirely about corbusier, and the others had richard meier, the early work of graves etc

very good books - reminds me when i used to kick it old school !!!

I know Frank Ching had a firm a long time ago. He recently built a cabin on Maury Island outside of Seattle but he had Miller Hull design it.

Mr ching has got the best joined up handwriting i have ever seen.

i think ching is fantastic for anyone learning how to draft, especially design drawing, a visual dictionary of architecture, and architecture; form theory and space. building construction illustrated is also good. i'm not familiar with this 'building codes illustrated' though. i'll have to check it out.

Building Codes Illustrated doesn't have the drawings by Ching that you'd expect. I have a copy sitting about 3 feet from me - it was a recommended text for my senior capstone project at school. There is obviously more text than illustrations since it deals with building codes, but the illustrations (if you dare call them that) look like they were done in AutoCAD. I don't think there is a single signature Ching drawing in it at all. Nowhere close to the beauty of Building Construction Illustrated, which was what I was expecting when I got it. I think they used the Ching name to get people to buy it (and I guess it kinda worked). But besides that, its a fairly handy reference.