I was trying to put together a list of three or four critical personal books to keep in the office as a reference. The idea is:
- A few select books that won't clutter up my desk, and are easy to carry. It would be nice if i can slip them in my drawer and lock them away. Also if they somehow disappear, i won't be out a few thpusand dollars by losing an entire library.
- Easy access to random generic construction details, standards, and general info (site, waterproofing, mechanical systems info, typical floor buildups, typical wall types, etc.).
- In an ideal world, the office would have a nice collection of books already, but you know how it goes. Things go missing, useless books plentiful, but never the one you need at the last minute, etc.
I know sometimes the best resource is to just look at another project, but it's not always convenient to have a huge set on your desk, and you don't always have access to everything you need as you move from office to office. And you can't always trust that things were built the way they were drawn or how they turned out.
So I though the first book might be the most recent International Building Code, since this is quite useful in most areas. The second book I thought would be a fabulous construction text book I had in school about nine years ago. I lost it and now cannot remember the name, NOT Ching, but with real details, explained things like flashings, weepholes, expansion joints, and had cut-away axons (white with a gray spine). If anyone knows this book, I would appreciate a reply.
The third book might be graphics standards, but it is too heavy and expensive and maybe could be replaced by another source. The fourth, might be something from UL or USG? Other useful books I've seen is Neufert, the red metric handbook, the mega auditorium drawings book, a tile book, but all these may be too specific. Any book with loading dock and dimensioned truck turning information always seems to be difficult to find.
Hopefully I get some nice responses? It would be nice to get them in this format (forgive my anal-ness) in order of importance.
1. name of book - what it offers/why it's good
2. ...
3. ...
4. ?
Maybe we can even get some kind of consensus, but this is probably not too likely.
My Holy Trinity would be: 1) Graphic Standards (there's a less-expensive student version that still has most of the crucial info), 2) whatever building code I'm working with at the time, and 3) a stack of various cheat sheets I've collected that show things like proper bathroom fixture clearances for ADA compliance, typical pipe chase sizes, etc.
honestly though, Graphic Guide to Frame Construction really is the most comprehensive and in-depth guide to designing a house that i've ever seen, including covering things like waterproofing and insulation details. Residential Structure and Framing teaches you to size beams etc. in a way that really mitigates your dependance on structural engineers, at least for small buildings.
1. Building Construction - its just basic, that if forces you to design your way out of a problem
2. Neufert is a good co-reference
3. Concrete Architecture: Design and Construction
4. the final would be something just to strike intrige to anyone who passes your desk...365 days of Kama Sutra perhaps
Aug 11, 08 10:11 pm ·
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Holy Trinity of Architectural Practice Books
Hi All,
I was trying to put together a list of three or four critical personal books to keep in the office as a reference. The idea is:
- A few select books that won't clutter up my desk, and are easy to carry. It would be nice if i can slip them in my drawer and lock them away. Also if they somehow disappear, i won't be out a few thpusand dollars by losing an entire library.
- Easy access to random generic construction details, standards, and general info (site, waterproofing, mechanical systems info, typical floor buildups, typical wall types, etc.).
- In an ideal world, the office would have a nice collection of books already, but you know how it goes. Things go missing, useless books plentiful, but never the one you need at the last minute, etc.
I know sometimes the best resource is to just look at another project, but it's not always convenient to have a huge set on your desk, and you don't always have access to everything you need as you move from office to office. And you can't always trust that things were built the way they were drawn or how they turned out.
So I though the first book might be the most recent International Building Code, since this is quite useful in most areas. The second book I thought would be a fabulous construction text book I had in school about nine years ago. I lost it and now cannot remember the name, NOT Ching, but with real details, explained things like flashings, weepholes, expansion joints, and had cut-away axons (white with a gray spine). If anyone knows this book, I would appreciate a reply.
The third book might be graphics standards, but it is too heavy and expensive and maybe could be replaced by another source. The fourth, might be something from UL or USG? Other useful books I've seen is Neufert, the red metric handbook, the mega auditorium drawings book, a tile book, but all these may be too specific. Any book with loading dock and dimensioned truck turning information always seems to be difficult to find.
Hopefully I get some nice responses? It would be nice to get them in this format (forgive my anal-ness) in order of importance.
1. name of book - what it offers/why it's good
2. ...
3. ...
4. ?
Maybe we can even get some kind of consensus, but this is probably not too likely.
Thanks!
My Holy Trinity would be: 1) Graphic Standards (there's a less-expensive student version that still has most of the crucial info), 2) whatever building code I'm working with at the time, and 3) a stack of various cheat sheets I've collected that show things like proper bathroom fixture clearances for ADA compliance, typical pipe chase sizes, etc.
I found it. The constuction book is Fundamentals of Building Construction by Edward Allen. But I guess you all knew that already.
for residential architecture mine would be
1.Graphic Guide to Frame Construction
2.Residential Structure and Framing
3.Essentially Guide to Frame Construction
4.Any book from the do-it-yourself section at Borders
i'd say unless your running your own business that the codes, ansi/ada stuff, or graphic standards aren't essential as people usually have them.
that should read "essential"
honestly though, Graphic Guide to Frame Construction really is the most comprehensive and in-depth guide to designing a house that i've ever seen, including covering things like waterproofing and insulation details. Residential Structure and Framing teaches you to size beams etc. in a way that really mitigates your dependance on structural engineers, at least for small buildings.
1. An Architect's Guide To Fame
2. Fame + Architecture
3. Famous
Be happy.
1. Building Construction - its just basic, that if forces you to design your way out of a problem
2. Neufert is a good co-reference
3. Concrete Architecture: Design and Construction
4. the final would be something just to strike intrige to anyone who passes your desk...365 days of Kama Sutra perhaps
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