We are pleased to announce the publication of our latest book: Common Foundations of American and East Asian Modernisation: From Alexander Hamilton to Junichero Koizumi.

This book is an extensively referenced exploration of the influence outside the United States of the ideas of Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804), the US's first Secretary of the Treasury. In it, Ian Austin rejects the position perpetuated by neo-classical economics about the universality of “free market” and “free trade” economics. Austin shows that the US, Great Britain and Germany had all employed state intervention to protect their national interests at various points in their economic histories. Meiji-era Japan, learning from the US and Germany - as convincingly shown by Austin - adopted similar state-driven economic policies to develop rapidly. Post-1945, the same system of state-driven economic planning and execution was crucial in the economic recovery and growth of Japan and its former colonies, Taiwan and South Korea. Thus, contrary to popular belief, Asian countries and the US share common foundations in state intervention to promote economic modernisation.

The book was written over a period of 5 years, and yet its launch in 2009 could not be more timely. The global financial crisis beginning in 2008 has driven states around the world, including “free market” advocates like the US and Great Britain, to take drastic and dramatic interventionist measures. Austin shows that such interventions are not new, and indeed, will continue to be necessary in the future.

The author, Ian Patrick Austin, is an Australian researcher on American and East Asian political economy and currently works for Edith Cowan University, Perth. He is the author of Pragmatism and Public Policy in East Asia: Origins, Adaptations and Developments (2001), Changing Faces of ASEAN (2002), Goh Keng Swee and Southeast Asian Governance (2004) and papers, chapters and bibliographies on Asian and American affairs. Ian has worked in Australian, Singaporean and British tertiary institutions, researching and lecturing on international political economy and management; as well as in international businesses focusing on consultancy, events management, marketing and logistics. He has public policy and electioneering experience from participation in federal, state and local elections in Australia.

We are pleased to announce the publication of our latest book: Common Foundations of American and East Asian Modernisation: From Alexander Hamilton to Junichero Koizumi.

This book is an extensively referenced exploration of the influence outside the United States of the ideas of Alexander Hamilton (1755-1804), the US's first Secretary of the Treasury. In it, Ian Austin rejects the position perpetuated by neo-classical economics about the universality of “free market” and “free trade” economics. Austin shows that the US, Great Britain and Germany had all employed state intervention to protect their national interests at various points in their economic histories. Meiji-era Japan, learning from the US and Germany - as convincingly shown by Austin - adopted similar state-driven economic policies to develop rapidly. Post-1945, the same system of state-driven economic planning and execution was crucial in the economic recovery and growth of Japan and its former colonies, Taiwan and South Korea. Thus, contrary to popular belief, Asian countries and the US share common foundations in state intervention to promote economic modernisation.

The book was written over a period of 5 years, and yet its launch in 2009 could not be more timely. The global financial crisis beginning in 2008 has driven states around the world, including “free market” advocates like the US and Great Britain, to take drastic and dramatic interventionist measures. Austin shows that such interventions are not new, and indeed, will continue to be necessary in the future.

The author, Ian Patrick Austin, is an Australian researcher on American and East Asian political economy and currently works for Edith Cowan University, Perth. He is the author of Pragmatism and Public Policy in East Asia: Origins, Adaptations and Developments (2001), Changing Faces of ASEAN (2002), Goh Keng Swee and Southeast Asian Governance (2004) and papers, chapters and bibliographies on Asian and American affairs. Ian has worked in Australian, Singaporean and British tertiary institutions, researching and lecturing on international political economy and management; as well as in international businesses focusing on consultancy, events management, marketing and logistics. He has public policy and electioneering experience from participation in federal, state and local elections in Australia.

In recent months, Select Books has been appointed as the distributor for a number of books on art and photography. It’s a fairly new area for us as far as distribution is concerned, but we’re pleased to have made a start. It’s certainly opened our eyes to the quality of these works:

• 08.08.08: Beijing's Road to the Olympics by Chua Chin Hon. Chin Hon was the Straits Time Bureau Chief in Beijing when he photographed and wrote the essays for the book.

• 30th Feb by Chow Chee Yong. Chee Yong is one of only three Singaporeans to have their photographic prints acquired by Japan’s prestigious Kiyosato Museum of Photographic Arts in Yamanashi.

• Shanghai In .JPG by Jean-Philippe Gauvrit. Jean-Philippe has been photographing cities since 1993, and won an online competition organized by vis-à-vis International Magazine in 2007, with 6 images extracted from the photographs presented in this book.

• Bus Stopping by Stephen Black. Stephen is a consultant based in Singapore. Bus Stopping is a wonderful book which looks at life in transit, relaxing yet subtly emotional.

• Dance Me Through The Dark: The Photography of Tan Ngiap Heng by Tan Ngiap Heng. Ngiap Heng’s creative enterprise straddles engineering, dance and photography. He has a close relationship with the arts scene and continues to photograph the performing arts groups.

• Something Beautiful by Zhang Jingna. Jingna is a young commercial and fashion photographer with a growing portfolio of work for international advertising agencies and fashion houses. She is also one of the most popular artists on community art site deviantART, using the pseudonym "zemotion".

• Foundations: The Consolidations of Museology by Michael Lee Hong Hwee. Concerned with the relation between desire and space, Michael explores different forms and media, especially model, book, installation, photography, video, text and exhibition.

• Send Me An Angel by Michael Lee Hong Hwee and Tan Ling Nah. Ling Nah has held several solo exhibitions, and co-ordinated and co-curated exhibitions, and the recipient of several art awards. Through her works, she seeks to reflect and address the conditions of the modern city, particularly the lack of interpersonal intimacy in urban life.

In recent months, Select Books has been appointed as the distributor for a number of books on art and photography. It’s a fairly new area for us as far as distribution is concerned, but we’re pleased to have made a start. It’s certainly opened our eyes to the quality of these works:

• 08.08.08: Beijing's Road to the Olympics by Chua Chin Hon. Chin Hon was the Straits Time Bureau Chief in Beijing when he photographed and wrote the essays for the book.

• 30th Feb by Chow Chee Yong. Chee Yong is one of only three Singaporeans to have their photographic prints acquired by Japan’s prestigious Kiyosato Museum of Photographic Arts in Yamanashi.

• Shanghai In .JPG by Jean-Philippe Gauvrit. Jean-Philippe has been photographing cities since 1993, and won an online competition organized by vis-à-vis International Magazine in 2007, with 6 images extracted from the photographs presented in this book.

• Bus Stopping by Stephen Black. Stephen is a consultant based in Singapore. Bus Stopping is a wonderful book which looks at life in transit, relaxing yet subtly emotional.

• Dance Me Through The Dark: The Photography of Tan Ngiap Heng by Tan Ngiap Heng. Ngiap Heng’s creative enterprise straddles engineering, dance and photography. He has a close relationship with the arts scene and continues to photograph the performing arts groups.

• Something Beautiful by Zhang Jingna. Jingna is a young commercial and fashion photographer with a growing portfolio of work for international advertising agencies and fashion houses. She is also one of the most popular artists on community art site deviantART, using the pseudonym "zemotion".

• Foundations: The Consolidations of Museology by Michael Lee Hong Hwee. Concerned with the relation between desire and space, Michael explores different forms and media, especially model, book, installation, photography, video, text and exhibition.

• Send Me An Angel by Michael Lee Hong Hwee and Tan Ling Nah. Ling Nah has held several solo exhibitions, and co-ordinated and co-curated exhibitions, and the recipient of several art awards. Through her works, she seeks to reflect and address the conditions of the modern city, particularly the lack of interpersonal intimacy in urban life.

Select Books recently launched a new children's books imprint - Autumn Wonders. Why? Well, an area that we've always wanted to get into was children’s books with Asian themes. In fact, one of the first tweaks at the bookstore after we took over was the expansion of the children's books section. Since then, we’ve kept an eye out for books that are both appealing to children and promote awareness of the culture and heritage of Asian countries. We're confident that we now have a very good collection of children's book with Asian themes.

Of course, it’s not just the children we’re thinking of: we get a lot of joy ourselves from receiving new children’s books – as evident by the “oohs” and “aahs” in the office whenever we open a newly arrived carton to find a particularly well-illustrated one. Some of the recent titles we especially like are: A Glowing Tale by Nathalie Chen, In Search of the Prophet by Shahrukh Husain & Samira Shackle and Monkey: The Classic Chinese Adventure Tale by Seow, David.



On the publishing side, it's taken a little longer, but we now have a couple of good children's book projects in the pipeline. Hence, the timely creation of the Autumn Wonders imprint. In fact, we're currently working hard on two children's book series, and considering a third one. These were made possible through grants from the Media Development Authority and National Heritage Board, for which we're grateful - these grants can really make the difference whether a project is viable.

We're also on the lookout for more quality children's books projects that we can do. So do contact us, whether you're a writer or an illustrator or a publisher looking for a partner. If nothing else, we’re always eager and ready to talk about children’s books!

Select Books recently launched a new children's books imprint - Autumn Wonders. Why? Well, an area that we've always wanted to get into was children’s books with Asian themes. In fact, one of the first tweaks at the bookstore after we took over was the expansion of the children's books section. Since then, we’ve kept an eye out for books that are both appealing to children and promote awareness of the culture and heritage of Asian countries. We're confident that we now have a very good collection of children's book with Asian themes.

Of course, it’s not just the children we’re thinking of: we get a lot of joy ourselves from receiving new children’s books – as evident by the “oohs” and “aahs” in the office whenever we open a newly arrived carton to find a particularly well-illustrated one. Some of the recent titles we especially like are: A Glowing Tale by Nathalie Chen, In Search of the Prophet by Shahrukh Husain & Samira Shackle and Monkey: The Classic Chinese Adventure Tale by Seow, David.



On the publishing side, it's taken a little longer, but we now have a couple of good children's book projects in the pipeline. Hence, the timely creation of the Autumn Wonders imprint. In fact, we're currently working hard on two children's book series, and considering a third one. These were made possible through grants from the Media Development Authority and National Heritage Board, for which we're grateful - these grants can really make the difference whether a project is viable.

We're also on the lookout for more quality children's books projects that we can do. So do contact us, whether you're a writer or an illustrator or a publisher looking for a partner. If nothing else, we’re always eager and ready to talk about children’s books!

We recently met with Marijn van der Laan, a Dutch national living in Singapore, who has created an interesting "story-sharing" website called Singapore Treasures. It's a site for folks, both Singaporeans and foreign, to share stories and links about Singapore, particularly hidden aspects of Singapore - hence treasures. It's a little like a team blog or a sort of YouTube for stories.

There is a range of writings posted, including observations and fiction. It's still a fledgling site, with only a handful of stories currently, but the premise is an interesting one. After all, few of us have the talent to become award-winning writers, but many of us will have stories worth sharing. And few people have the time to blog regularly or be able to attract a large number of readers to their blogs, so it's useful to have such a site to post the occasional lengthy observations or acerbic comments about life! The creators also aspire to one day compile all the stories into a book, so on one level, it's also a book in the making.

We recently met with Marijn van der Laan, a Dutch national living in Singapore, who has created an interesting "story-sharing" website called Singapore Treasures. It's a site for folks, both Singaporeans and foreign, to share stories and links about Singapore, particularly hidden aspects of Singapore - hence treasures. It's a little like a team blog or a sort of YouTube for stories.

There is a range of writings posted, including observations and fiction. It's still a fledgling site, with only a handful of stories currently, but the premise is an interesting one. After all, few of us have the talent to become award-winning writers, but many of us will have stories worth sharing. And few people have the time to blog regularly or be able to attract a large number of readers to their blogs, so it's useful to have such a site to post the occasional lengthy observations or acerbic comments about life! The creators also aspire to one day compile all the stories into a book, so on one level, it's also a book in the making.

Graham Pullin, "Design Meets Disability"

The MIT Press | 2009 | ISBN: 0262162555 | 336 pages | PDF | 4,1 MB

Eyeglasses have been transformed from medical necessity to fashion accessory. This revolution has come about through embracing the design culture of the fashion industry. Why shouldn't design sensibilities also be applied to hearing aids, prosthetic limbs, and communication aids? In return, disability can provoke radical new directions in mainstream design. Charles and Ray Eames's iconic furniture was inspired by a molded plywood leg splint that they designed for injured and disabled servicemen. Designers today could be similarly inspired by disability.

In Design Meets Disability, Graham Pullin shows us how design and disability can inspire each other. In the Eameses' work there was a healthy tension between cut-to-the-chase problem solving and more playful explorations. Pullin offers examples of how design can meet disability today. Why, he asks, shouldn't hearing aids be as fashionable as eyewear? What new forms of braille signage might proliferate if designers kept both sighted and visually impaired people in mind? Can simple designs avoid the need for complicated accessibility features? Can such emerging design methods as "experience prototyping" and "critical design" complement clinical trials?

Pullin also presents a series of interviews with leading designers about specific disability design projects, including stepstools for people with restricted growth, prosthetic legs (and whether they can be both honest and beautifully designed), and text-to-speech technology with tone of voice. When design meets disability, the diversity of complementary, even contradictory, approaches can enrich each field.

Understanding Sustainable Architecture By Helen Bennetts

Publisher: Taylor & Francis | ISBN: 0415283515 | edition 2002 | PDF | 144 pages | 5 mb

Understanding Sustainable Architecture is a concise review of the assumptions, beliefs, goals and bodies of knowledge that underlie the endeavor to design environmentally sustainable buildings and other built environments. The authors set out a coherent framework within which they discuss the important ethical, cultural, and conceptual issues of sustainable architecture. Through a series of self-reflective questions, the importance of ecological, social, and built contexts is argued, and problem framing is linked to succesful practice.

From April 2009, Select Books will be the Singapore distributor for Perara Hussein Publishing House (Ph), a publisher based in Sri Lanka. Ph is a fairly young setup - it was established only in 2003 - but it has progressed in leaps and bounds. They work with both emerging and established writers, and pay close attention to ensuring high quality in both the literary content as well as production value of their books. Already, they have a substantial list, with several titles long- and short-listed for various literary prizes.

Moon in the Water by Ameena Hussein was on the long list for the 2007 Man Asian Literary Prize.

Learning to Fly by Shehani Gomes was on the short-list for the 2005 Gratiaen Prize. The Gratiaen Prize is a literary award in Sri Lanka established by Michael Ondaatje, who won the Booker Prize in 1992 for The English Patient, and used the prize money to establish the award.

The Sweet & Simple Kind by Yasmin Gooneratne was on the short-list for the 2007 Commonwealth Writers' Prize.









We look forward to representing them in Singapore.

From April 2009, Select Books will be the Singapore distributor for Perara Hussein Publishing House (Ph), a publisher based in Sri Lanka. Ph is a fairly young setup - it was established only in 2003 - but it has progressed in leaps and bounds. They work with both emerging and established writers, and pay close attention to ensuring high quality in both the literary content as well as production value of their books. Already, they have a substantial list, with several titles long- and short-listed for various literary prizes.

Moon in the Water by Ameena Hussein was on the long list for the 2007 Man Asian Literary Prize.

Learning to Fly by Shehani Gomes was on the short-list for the 2005 Gratiaen Prize. The Gratiaen Prize is a literary award in Sri Lanka established by Michael Ondaatje, who won the Booker Prize in 1992 for The English Patient, and used the prize money to establish the award.

The Sweet & Simple Kind by Yasmin Gooneratne was on the short-list for the 2007 Commonwealth Writers' Prize.









We look forward to representing them in Singapore.

Select Books has been around since 1976. That's a long time for an independent book store with a very niche focus. Ms Lena Lim, founder and former managing director, did a great job building it up and keeping it going, despite some hard times during past economic recessions. As we plunge into the depths of another recession, we've been doing some soul-searching about what our business proposition is.

In the old days - actually not very ago by historical standards but long by today's standards! - Select was essentially a broker; a middle-man for folks who needed hard-to-find books on Southeast Asia. Select sourced for these books and brought them together under one roof. Researchers, academics, librarians, politicians, civil servants, and anyone else who wanted to get hold of books on Southeast Asia, came to Select because it was the easiest way and, often, the only viable way, depending on the particular fields they were interested in. American, Danish and Japanese academics and librarians came on special buying trips to Singapore, and to Select specifically. Select had the expertise and the wherewithal to find these great books and to make it easy to get them into the hands of people who needed them. We were not really a merchandiser; we were a service-provider.

Today, the Internet is the great middle-man-eliminator. Not just in the book trade, but in all economic arenas. With the Internet, it's much easier to locate an obscure book publisher in Indonesia with that small-print-run book about Indonesia forestry data; it's much easier to buy from American and UK book sellers directly; and it's much easier to share these information with colleagues and friends. Who needs Select Books anymore?

While lamenting about this phenomenon to a well-known writer and researcher recently, I was pleasantly surprised when he sighed and pointed out that he had found that he still need to come to Select Books for some research requirements, albeit not as much as before. Why? Because language is still a problem - an Indonesian book publisher with an English-language book might not have an English website. Because payment is still a problem - some book sellers do not accept credit cards because of credit card fraud concerns; some book sellers you don't trust with a credit card; and bank drafts and postal orders are a pain. Because Select is still an excellent source of information about Asian and Southeast Asian books. And finally, because nothing beats the pleasure of browsing at a bookshelf and discovering an obscure book.

Recently, we've also had the pleasure of having teachers from various different schools visit us (separately). They had heard about Select Books and came to check us out. All were pleasantly surprised at the range of books that we carried - many of which they had not seen elsewhere, not because the books are rare in any sense, but because in our cosy book store, we've been able to bring all the related titles together in a way that was easy for them to find.

So, there is still a role for an Asian Book Specialist.

Select Books has been around since 1976. That's a long time for an independent book store with a very niche focus. Ms Lena Lim, founder and former managing director, did a great job building it up and keeping it going, despite some hard times during past economic recessions. As we plunge into the depths of another recession, we've been doing some soul-searching about what our business proposition is.

In the old days - actually not very ago by historical standards but long by today's standards! - Select was essentially a broker; a middle-man for folks who needed hard-to-find books on Southeast Asia. Select sourced for these books and brought them together under one roof. Researchers, academics, librarians, politicians, civil servants, and anyone else who wanted to get hold of books on Southeast Asia, came to Select because it was the easiest way and, often, the only viable way, depending on the particular fields they were interested in. American, Danish and Japanese academics and librarians came on special buying trips to Singapore, and to Select specifically. Select had the expertise and the wherewithal to find these great books and to make it easy to get them into the hands of people who needed them. We were not really a merchandiser; we were a service-provider.

Today, the Internet is the great middle-man-eliminator. Not just in the book trade, but in all economic arenas. With the Internet, it's much easier to locate an obscure book publisher in Indonesia with that small-print-run book about Indonesia forestry data; it's much easier to buy from American and UK book sellers directly; and it's much easier to share these information with colleagues and friends. Who needs Select Books anymore?

While lamenting about this phenomenon to a well-known writer and researcher recently, I was pleasantly surprised when he sighed and pointed out that he had found that he still need to come to Select Books for some research requirements, albeit not as much as before. Why? Because language is still a problem - an Indonesian book publisher with an English-language book might not have an English website. Because payment is still a problem - some book sellers do not accept credit cards because of credit card fraud concerns; some book sellers you don't trust with a credit card; and bank drafts and postal orders are a pain. Because Select is still an excellent source of information about Asian and Southeast Asian books. And finally, because nothing beats the pleasure of browsing at a bookshelf and discovering an obscure book.

Recently, we've also had the pleasure of having teachers from various different schools visit us (separately). They had heard about Select Books and came to check us out. All were pleasantly surprised at the range of books that we carried - many of which they had not seen elsewhere, not because the books are rare in any sense, but because in our cosy book store, we've been able to bring all the related titles together in a way that was easy for them to find.

So, there is still a role for an Asian Book Specialist.

"Modern Movement Heritage" By A. Cunningham

Taylor & Francis | 1998-10-19 | ISBN: 0419232303 | 180 pages | PDF | 6 Mb

Twentieth-century architecture evolved as a cultural imperative, parallel with the Theory of Relativity, Cubism and abstraction in art, twelve-tone music, and economic and social theory. Modern buildings used advanced technology which often has succumbed to long term stresses, and the functional requirements which the buildings orignally met, have changed substantially. Modern Movement Heritage is an introduction to the specific challenges associated with the conservation of modern structures.
The preservation of significant buildings presents demanding economic and physical issues. The continued life of both icon and ordinary in an economically driven world depends on a shared recognition of their cultural and social value and their continuing economic viability. The essays in this highly illustrated book discuss the cultural theory of Modern Movement buildings, strategies for preserving these structures and case studies on the preservation of international major works of architecture.

Inside MNM: Minimalist Interiors

Publisher: Collins Design | ISBN: 006053611X | edition 2004 | PDF | 176 pages | 3,4 mb

Minimalism continues to be among the most popular themes in interior design. Inside MNM: Minimalist Interiors explains minimalist concepts and concentrates on private interiors. This guide includes dozens of sophisticated photographs and introductions to each chapter written by leaders of this extraordinary, contemporary design movement. All the examples featured in the book have one thing in common: they feature the essential, but use the minimal.

Select Publishing recently launched a new imprint Celestial. The inaugural title under this new imprint is Young Singapore Through Their Eyes. It was a real pleasure to publish this book.

The whole project was initiated by a group of four spunky young girls from Nanyang Girls' High School. In 2008, they successfully organised a writing contest for primary and secondary school students called "Your Singapore Through Their Eyes: A Literary Competition". That's quite a significant achievement for four 15-year-olds, but they didn't stop there. They persuaded Nexus and the National Youth Achievement Award Council to support the publication of a anthology of some of the works submitted in the contest. That's where we came into the picture.

We advised the girls to organise the essays, poems and plays along thematic lines; and to write an introduction to provide an overview of the themes and works. Clara, Dileen, Kay Yun and Ee Hsien did a fantastic job editing the works, organising the content and writing the introduction. They also roped in a schoolmate, Andrea, to design a beautiful cover. All we had to do was hold their hands along the way; they did all the hard work. It's a book we're all proud of. It's here on the Select Books website.

The book will be given away to the contributors, schools and National Library. Unfortunately (from the perspective of folks who might want to get hold of a copy), it's not for sale. Fortunately, we have 5 copies. We're not going to sell these, but if you want to take a look at what five resourceful girls can do, drop by the bookstore to check out our copies.

Select Publishing recently launched a new imprint Celestial. The inaugural title under this new imprint is Young Singapore Through Their Eyes. It was a real pleasure to publish this book.

The whole project was initiated by a group of four spunky young girls from Nanyang Girls' High School. In 2008, they successfully organised a writing contest for primary and secondary school students called "Your Singapore Through Their Eyes: A Literary Competition". That's quite a significant achievement for four 15-year-olds, but they didn't stop there. They persuaded Nexus and the National Youth Achievement Award Council to support the publication of a anthology of some of the works submitted in the contest. That's where we came into the picture.

We advised the girls to organise the essays, poems and plays along thematic lines; and to write an introduction to provide an overview of the themes and works. Clara, Dileen, Kay Yun and Ee Hsien did a fantastic job editing the works, organising the content and writing the introduction. They also roped in a schoolmate, Andrea, to design a beautiful cover. All we had to do was hold their hands along the way; they did all the hard work. It's a book we're all proud of. It's here on the Select Books website.

The book will be given away to the contributors, schools and National Library. Unfortunately (from the perspective of folks who might want to get hold of a copy), it's not for sale. Fortunately, we have 5 copies. We're not going to sell these, but if you want to take a look at what five resourceful girls can do, drop by the bookstore to check out our copies.

Welcome to our blog!

After many years of procrastinating, we've finally taken some baby steps to improve our web presence. Our website www.selectbooks.com.sg was recently revamped. It looks pretty much the same as the old one, but don't fret - it's now going to be updated much more frequently, so you'll see new titles appear almost as soon as we receive them.

We hope to use this blog to share news and information about new books we have, as well as events we organise and participate in. We also hope to use this blog to share our thoughts on books in general. After all, we were book lovers before we became book businesspeople! And we still love books and talking about books.

So, to old friends of Select Books: this is another way to stay in touch. And to those who have just discovered us: we are confident that you will be pleasantly surprised by how we can meet your needs for Asian books.

Welcome to our blog!

After many years of procrastinating, we've finally taken some baby steps to improve our web presence. Our website www.selectbooks.com.sg was recently revamped. It looks pretty much the same as the old one, but don't fret - it's now going to be updated much more frequently, so you'll see new titles appear almost as soon as we receive them.

We hope to use this blog to share news and information about new books we have, as well as events we organise and participate in. We also hope to use this blog to share our thoughts on books in general. After all, we were book lovers before we became book businesspeople! And we still love books and talking about books.

So, to old friends of Select Books: this is another way to stay in touch. And to those who have just discovered us: we are confident that you will be pleasantly surprised by how we can meet your needs for Asian books.

Designing the Future. Jacque Fresco. (With pictures)

PDF | 5 Mb | English | 79 Pages

Are you prepared to design the future? Although many of us feel we can prepare for our future by thinking, acting, and learning using present methods and values, nothing is farther from the truth – especially in today’s apidly changing world. A newborn child enters a world not of his or her own making. Each succeeding generation inherits the values, accomplishments, hopes, successes, and failings of previous generations. And they inherit the results of the decisions made by those generations.

NOTE: If you have problems with archive unpacking use this program
NOTE: If you have problems with PDF format use this program
NOTE: No password needed.

Metric Handbook, Third Edition

Publisher: Architectural Press | ISBN: 0750652810 | edition 2008 | PDF | 856 pages | 49,3 mb

Originally devised as a guide for converting from imperial to metric measurements, 'The Metric Handbook' has since been totally transformed into the major handbook of planning and design data for architects. This new edition has been updated to account of the most recent changes to regulation and practice in particular the increasing emphasis on environmental legislation - to meet the needs of the modern building design professional.
The Metric Handbook deals with all the principal building types from airports, factories and warehouses, offices shops and hospitals, to schools, religious buildings and libraries. For each type the book gives the basic design requirements and all the principal dimensional data, as well as succinct guidance on how to use the information and what regulations the designer may need to be aware of.
As well as buildings the Metric Handbook deals with broader aspects of design such as materials, acoustics and lighting, and general design data on human dimensions and space requirements.
The Metric Handbook is a unique authoritative reference for solving everyday planning problems. It has sold well over 100,000 copies worldwide to successive generations of architects and designers this is a book that truly belongs on every design office desk and drawing board.
* THE tried and trusted source of information for all basic design data
* Every important type of public and private building dealt with, from homes to hospitals, from law courts to laboratories
* Well over 100,000 copies have been sold worldwide to successive generations of architects and designers.

Land Development - Land, Development and Design

Wiley-Blackwell | 1991-01-15 | ISBN: 0632064846 | 360 pages | PDF | 4 Mb

This new textbook for students and practitioners of surveying and town planning, as well as other built environment professionals with an interest in the processes of property development, provides a modern view of site assembly, town planning policies and development risk, environment issues, masterplanning and design. The principal focus of the book is on the reuse of urban land, including treatment options, and regeneration of the built environment, whilst not ignoring greenfield development.

The Norman Foster Studio - Consistency Through Diversity

Taylor & Francis | ISBN : 0419197508 | 2000-02-22 | PDF | 224 Pages | 10 mb

Malcolm Quantrill first met Norman Foster in 1991, when he wrote an article on Foster's Tokyo Century Tower. The result was a collaboration between unatrill and the Foster studio in the production of this unique study of the Foster ethos. The Norman Foster Studio offers a number of original revelations about the philosophy and design methods that have generated the reputation of the Foster studio over the past three decades. Quantrill's explorations begin with a distinctly personal account of Norman Foster's childhood and beginnings in the world of architecture, and continues with a dialohue between the author and each of the five members of the Foster parternship. At the core of this book is the provocative critique of some of Foster's key buildings and projects including the Joslyn Museum Extension in Omaha. In the first truly comprehensive critique of the Foster oeuvre, the book is fully illustrated throughout and contains many original drawings by SirNorman Foster and much previously unpublished material from the practice archives.

Cristina Montes "Los Angeles Houses"

Te Neues Publishing Company | 2002-11 | ISBN: 3823855948 | 400 pages | PDF | 13.0 MB

Architecture is perhaps not the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Los Angeles, but there’s no doubt that the city has its own unique style. Large in scale, its rolling, densely lit nightscape suggests the pockets of heavy population that spread out from downtown. In fact, most people from LA don’t actually live there, but in a suburb.

The result of all this suburban living is a hugely diverse residential area with spectacular houses in the hills and canyons, surrounded by trees and stunning views of the city. This book examines some of the highlights of domestic living around Los Angeles, and points out some of the major influences: Art Deco, Spanish, and contemporary architecture; spacious, light-filled rooms; and plenty of wood, steel and concrete. It examines how the city’s flamboyant past has shaped the landscape, as well as how cutting-edge architects and interior designers continue to create exciting new styles and structures. Acclaimed architects such as Richard Meier are featured here along with firms such as Bobrow Thomas & Associates, Legorreta and Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer Associates. Filled with photographs, floor plans, sketches, and informative text, this collection of stunning houses proves that the City of Angels is making its mark in the world of home design.

Construction Technology: An Illustrated Introduction By Eric Fleming

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell | ISBN: 1405102101 | edition 2005 | PDF | 400 pages | 7,69 mb

This new textbook provides a comprehensive introduction to every aspect of the technology of low-rise construction. It includes sub-structure (site work, setting out and foundations) and superstructure (flooring, roofs, finishes, fittings and fixtures). The material here covers the first year course requirement of all courses on which construction technology is taught - no matter what the ultimate qualification.
It offers tried and tested solutions to a range of construction problems and is organised following the sequence of construction. It will show what has been done in the past, demonstrating good practice - what works and what doesn't - and common faults. There are summaries of the more important BSI documents and reference to the latest building regulations.
Lengthy explanations are avoided by relying heavily on hundreds of illustrations, pairing detail drawings with clear photographs to show real life construction situations.

Martin Dieterich, Jan van der Straaten, "Cultural Landscapes and Land Use: The Nature Conservation-Society Interface (Solid Mechanics and Its Applications)"

Publisher: Springer | 2004 | ISBN 1402021046 | PDF | 244 pages | 1.79 MB

This book is an attempt to approach this complexity and provide a theoretical background as well as guidelines and examples for hands-on solutions. It draws on inputs from scientists, administrators, independent consultants and politicians from Europe and the United States. With a particular emphasis on agriculture it attempts to merge disciplines such as philosophy, law, planning, economics and conservation biology toward a common goal: nature conservation and the preservation of biological diversity in landscapes under the pressure of human usage.

Home Staging For Dummies (For Dummies (Home & Garden)) (Paperback)

For Dummies Publishing | ISBN: 0470260289 | May 5, 2008 | PDF | 338 pages | 5.71 Mb

Want to have homebuyers knocking down your door? Home Staging For Dummies delivers all the secrets to making your home stand out, sell faster, and bring in more money! It shows you how to make improvements room by room and generate a higher profit in the most cost- and time-effective way.

Featuring eight full-color pages of instructive before-and-after photos, this completely practical guide demonstrates how and why to eliminate clutter, make repairs, arrange furnishings, and pave the way for buyers to make an emotional connection to your house. You’ll get a handle on what buyers want and how to show it to them, find plenty of do-it-yourself tasks that add real value to your home, and get tips on producing photos of your home that will have buyers craving to see more! Discover how to:

* See your home as prospective buyers will see it
* Know what needs doing and what doesn’t
* Master the three-step home staging process
* Add real value to your home without breaking the bank
* Decide whether to DIY or call in the pros
* Create curb appeal
* Make a great first impression with a beautiful entryway
* Spruce up your kitchen, bathroom, living, and dining rooms
* Turn your bedrooms into a buyer’s dream
* Whip your mechanicals into top shape
* Avoid staging nightmares

Donald G. Firesmith, Peter Capell, Charles B. Hammons, DeWitt Latimer, Tom Merendino

Auerbach Publications | 2008-11-20 | ISBN: 1420085751 | 512 pages | PDF | 3,7 MB

The architects of today’s large and complex systems all too often struggle with the lack of a consistent set of principles and practices that adequately address the entire breadth of systems architecture. The Method Framework for Engineering System Architectures (MFESA) enables system architects and process engineers to create methods for effectively and efficiently engineering high-quality architecture for systems, subsystems, and software components.

Meets the Needs of Specific Projects

The book begins by documenting the common challenges that must be addressed by system architecture engineering. It explores the major principles answering these challenges and forming the basis of MFESA. Next, the authors introduce MFESA, including its primary goals, inputs, tasks, outputs, and assumptions. Then they describe the fundamental concepts and terminology on which the systems architecture engineering is founded. This is followed by a description of each of the ten system architecture engineering tasks including associated goals and objectives, preconditions, inputs, steps, postconditions, work products, guidelines, and pitfalls.

Finally, the book documents the relationship between quality and architecture, explains the quality model underlying MFESA, and provides a summary of MFESA method framework, as well as a list of points to remember and future directions planned for MFESA.

Explains Specific Rationales

Organized as a handy desk reference, this book harnesses more than 100 years of the authors’ combined professional experience to provide extensive guidelines, best practices, and tips on avoiding possible pitfalls. It presents a direct rationale of why steps are taken, how things can go wrong, and guidance for how and when to tailor the model for a system’s specific context.

Publisher: CRC | ISBN: 0419236902 | edition 1999 | CHM | 360 pages | 2,27 mb

Productivity is a key factor for individual companies as well as for worldwide economies. Many studies have shown that productivity at work bears close relationship to the work environment. Creating the Productive Workplace takes evidence from both US and European companies to show the elements of an efficient work environment. This book is essential reading for facilities and estates managers, interior designers, architects and building environmental engineers.

Publisher: University of Minnesota Press | ISBN: 0816636648 | edition 2000 | PDF | 344 pages | 2,89 mb

A polemical look at how architectural knowledge is produced, disseminated, and received. In the vast literature on architectural theory and practice, the ways in which architectural knowledge is actually taught, debated, and understood are too often ignored. The essays collected in this groundbreaking volume address the current state of architecture as an academic and professional discipline. The issues considered range from the form and content of architectural education to the architect's social and environmental obligations and the emergence of a new generation of architects. Often critical of the current paradigm, these essays offer a provocative challenge to accepted assumptions about the production, dissemination, and reception of architectural knowledge.

Francis D. K. Ching-Cassandra Adams, Building Construction Illustrated

Wiley Publishing | ISBN: 0442234988 | 1991 | PDF | 382 pages | 32.3 Mb

The classic visual guide to the basics of building construction For twenty-five years, Building Construction Illustrated has offered an outstanding introduction to the p

rinciples of building construction. Now this Third Edition has been expertly revised and updated to address the latest advances in materials, building technology, and code requirements.

Complete with more than 1,000 illustrations, the book moves through each of the key stages of the design process, from site selection to building components, mechanical systems, and finishes. Topics within each chapter are organized according to the CSI MasterFormat(TM), making the book extremely easy to use.

Special features of this edition include integrated coverage of environmentally friendly materials, sustainable building construction strategies, and ADA requirements, as well as the inclusion of both metric and standard U.S. measurements throughout the book.

With its clear presentation of the basic concepts underlying building con

struction, Building Construction Illustrated, Third Edition equips students and professionals in all areas of architecture and construction with useful guidelines for approaching virtually any new materials or techniques they may encounter in building planning, design, and construction.

Part 1

Part 2

Marshall Long “Architectural Acoustics"

Academic Press | 2005-12-23 | ISBN: 0124555519 | 872 pages | PDF | 30 MB

Architectural Acoustics presents a comprehensive technical overview of the field at a level suitable for working practitioners as well as advanced undergraduate or introductory graduate architecture or engineering course. The book is structured as a logical progression through acoustic interactions. Beginning with an architectural history, it reviews the fundamentals of acoustics, human perception and reaction to sound, acoustic noise measurements and noise metrics, and environmental noise. It then moves into wave acoustics, sound and solid surfaces, sound in enclosed spaces, sound transmission loss, sound transmission in buildings, vibration and vibration isolation, noise transmission in floor systems, noise in mechanical systems, and sound attenuation in ducts.
Chapters on specific design problems follow including treatment of multifamily dwellings, office buildings, rooms for speech, sound reinforcement systems, rooms for music, multipurpose rooms, auditoriums, sanctuaries, and studios and listening rooms. While providing a thorough overview of acoustics, it also includes the theory of loudspeaker systems and sound system modeling as well as an in-depth presentation of computer modeling, ray tracing and auralization. It will be particularly beneficial for architects and engineers working in fields where speech intelligibility, music appreciation, and noise isolation are critical.
* Comprehensive guide to the basics of acoustical science and its applications to architectural design.
* Author is renowned expert engaged in acoustical engineering for 20 years
* Covers the latest environmental regulations and health and safety research related to sound inside and outside of buildings.