By Martin Melaver, Phyllis Mueller

Publisher: McGraw-Hill Professional | ISBN: 0071599215 | edition 2008 | PDF | 384 pages | 2,7 mb

As any builder knows, cost estimation and reality are often two very different things. The Green Building Bottom Line makes the case for green building by providing the insights and data that demonstrate the true costs and benefits of building green. It's a “why to” and a “how to” that explores everything from the ground up.

American Institute of Steel Construction, Inc. | 2nd edition, 2002 | ISBN 1564240525 | PDF | Pages: 374 | 2.5 MB

The purpose of this Guide is to provide architects with the tools needed to feel more comfortable and confident working with structural steel in building projects. With a greater understanding of the characteristics and inherent benefits of structural steel, architects will be prepared to better utilize steel as a framing material. Some of the strengths structural steel offers in building design is high resiliency and performance under harsh and difficult conditions, i.e., earthquakes and hurricanes. Steel offers the ability to span great distances with slenderness and grace. Steel can be shaped to achieve curved forms and goes up quickly to meet tough construction schedules in almost any weather condition. Steel can be easily modified in the future to satisfy changing requirements. And with virtually all structural steel produced in the United States today made from recycled cars and other steel products, steel offers environmental sustainability for the future

Here are three more books on Indonesia that are not quite academic books, but nonetheless provide insights on Indonesia and Indonesian society:

• Silenced Voices: Uncovering A Family's Colonial History In Indonesia by Inez Hollander. This is an account by a California University teacher of her forbears, a Dutch family long settled in colonial Indonesia. The focus is mainly on their experiences in WWII and in the final years before independence. While information has often been all but unobtainable it becomes clear that many members of the family suffered and died in horrific circumstances over which a blanket of silence has long been maintained. Reasons behind the silences, and the controversies which surround this period of Indonesia/Dutch history are discussed.

• Eight Prison Camps: A Dutch Family In Japanese Java by Dieuwke Wendelaar Bonga. The author of this book was born in Holland in 1925. She left for Indonesia with her family as a three-year-old, and enjoyed a idyllic childhood in Java. All that soon changed for in the months following the bombing of Pearl Harbour, Dutch nationals were rounded up by the Japanese soldiers and put in internment camps. In these camps, the author witnessed starvation, forced labour, torture and death. On the family's return to Holland after the war, she found a nation that was recovering from German occupation and ignorant of the horror of the war in the Far East. The author decided to write about her experiences in the Indonesian P.O.W camps to document for her own children and for posterity the savage nature of war.

• Reporting Indonesia: The Jakarta Post Story 1983-2008 by Bill Tarrant. The Jakarta Post was born in 1983 when Suharto's repressive New Order regime was at its height and the media was muzzled. Five rival media companies came together to start an English-language daily that some saw as an experiment doomed to fail. But the newspaper's punchy editorials, clean presentation of the news, and quirky columns and features quickly made an impression with the growing expatriate community. Over the years, the Post developed a unique editorial culture of expatriates and multicultural Indonesians. And by the time Suharto was ousted, the newspaper had earned a reputation for testing the limits of censorship and for breaking stories. This book traces the birth and growth of a newspaper in a developing country against the backdrop of the tumultuous events of the past 25 years in the world's fourth-largest nation. The story of this newspaper illuminates conflicting themes about journalism in Indonesia while taking the reader behind the scenes to reveal intrigue in the boardroom and stresses in the newsroom.

Here are three more books on Indonesia that are not quite academic books, but nonetheless provide insights on Indonesia and Indonesian society:

• Silenced Voices: Uncovering A Family's Colonial History In Indonesia by Inez Hollander. This is an account by a California University teacher of her forbears, a Dutch family long settled in colonial Indonesia. The focus is mainly on their experiences in WWII and in the final years before independence. While information has often been all but unobtainable it becomes clear that many members of the family suffered and died in horrific circumstances over which a blanket of silence has long been maintained. Reasons behind the silences, and the controversies which surround this period of Indonesia/Dutch history are discussed.

• Eight Prison Camps: A Dutch Family In Japanese Java by Dieuwke Wendelaar Bonga. The author of this book was born in Holland in 1925. She left for Indonesia with her family as a three-year-old, and enjoyed a idyllic childhood in Java. All that soon changed for in the months following the bombing of Pearl Harbour, Dutch nationals were rounded up by the Japanese soldiers and put in internment camps. In these camps, the author witnessed starvation, forced labour, torture and death. On the family's return to Holland after the war, she found a nation that was recovering from German occupation and ignorant of the horror of the war in the Far East. The author decided to write about her experiences in the Indonesian P.O.W camps to document for her own children and for posterity the savage nature of war.

• Reporting Indonesia: The Jakarta Post Story 1983-2008 by Bill Tarrant. The Jakarta Post was born in 1983 when Suharto's repressive New Order regime was at its height and the media was muzzled. Five rival media companies came together to start an English-language daily that some saw as an experiment doomed to fail. But the newspaper's punchy editorials, clean presentation of the news, and quirky columns and features quickly made an impression with the growing expatriate community. Over the years, the Post developed a unique editorial culture of expatriates and multicultural Indonesians. And by the time Suharto was ousted, the newspaper had earned a reputation for testing the limits of censorship and for breaking stories. This book traces the birth and growth of a newspaper in a developing country against the backdrop of the tumultuous events of the past 25 years in the world's fourth-largest nation. The story of this newspaper illuminates conflicting themes about journalism in Indonesia while taking the reader behind the scenes to reveal intrigue in the boardroom and stresses in the newsroom.

by Alex Krieger, William S. Saunders

Publisher: Univ Of Minnesota Press | Number Of Pages: 320 | Publication Date: 2009-02-17 | ISBN-10: 081665638X | PDF | 4 Mb

Fifty years ago a landmark conference at Harvard University established urban design as a distinct architectural and planning practice. Today, with the world’s urban population surpassing three billion people, urban design has become more crucial than ever. Indeed, the concerns that initially brought leading architects and city planners together—including concerns over sprawl, pollution, and aging infrastructure—have only intensified over the past half century.
In Urban Design, Alex Krieger and William S. Saunders have assembled prominent figures in architecture, planning, and landscape design to look back on the evolution of the discipline of urban design; assess the current state of the field; and anticipate the challenges posed by the unprecedented rate of urbanization, particularly in the developing world, and how the profession will need to adapt in order to confront them. The volume opens with excerpts from transcripts of the 1956 Harvard conference followed by essays that contextualize and critique its assumptions and ambitions. Subsequent essays address such topics as the social conscience of urban design and stake out the competing sensibilities in the field, from New Urbanism to avant-garde.

by Brian Edwards

Taylor & Francis; 2 ed | 2008 | ISBN: 0415444136 | 273 pages | PDF | 22,5 MB

This new edition is an introduction to design and graphic techniques aimed to help designers increase their understanding of buildings and places through drawing. For many people the camera has replaced the sketchbook, but the author argues that freehand drawing as a means of analysing and understanding buildings develops visual sensitivity and awareness of design. There is a balance of drawing techniques explained as well as guidance provided on how drawing interfaces with with photography, CAD and model making in the genesis of design projects. This second edition incorporates examples from architectural practice, including those of architects Lord Foster, Sir Terry Farrell, Edward Cullinan, Richard Murphy and Sir Nicholas Grimshaw.

Birkhäuser Basel; 1 edition | 199 pages | May 5, 2006 | ISBN: 3764374772 | PDF | 22 MB

For a number of years, the healthy and environment-friendly building material clay, in common use for thousands of years, has been enjoying increasing popularity, including in industrialized nations. In hot dry and temperate climate zones, clay offers numerous advantages over other materials. Its particular texture and composition also holds great aesthetic appeal.

This handbook offers a practical systematic overview of the many uses of clay and techniques for processing it. Its properties and physical characteristics are described in informed and knowledgeable detail. The authors presentation reflects the rich and varied experiences gained over thirty years of building earth structures in Germany and abroad. Numerous photographs of construction sites and drawings show the concrete execution of clay architecture.

Reading the news reports about Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak’s visit to Singapore, and his hope that his visit would signal “the beginning of a new era” in bilateral ties, my thoughts turned perversely to Dr. Mahathir Mohamed instead. We stock quite a number of books on him, so it’s difficult to come up with a representative list, but here are some books that present him from various perspectives:

• The Malay Dilemma by Mahathir Bin Mohamad. The Malay Dilemma was first published in 1970 to much controversy, but remains essential reading for all. This book caused him to be called upon to defend his statements and claims. The arguments in The Malay Dilemma reveal the author's reactions to the pressing problems of the day, and show how politically inclined Malay understands the past, explains the behaviour of his own people and the behaviour of immigrants, and foresees the future. Dr Mahathir also examines and analyses the makeup of the Malays - their heredity, their way of life, their religion - and argues their case with stark frankness. The 2008 edition contains a new preface by the author.

• Beyond Mahathir: Malaysian Politics And Its Discontents by Khoo Boo Teik. As the 22-year regime of Dr Mahathir Mohamad was coming to its end, Penang-based Prof Khoo Boo Teik wrote this rich, jargon-free and often hard-hitting account of his years in office. Mahathir's political persona, his achievements and policies, as well as some of his contradictory stances and dramatic actions are set in context. Unsolved problems are also unflinchingly highlighted.

• Malaysian Foreign Policy In The Mahathir Era, 1981-2003: Dilemmas Of Development by Karminder Singh Dhillon. A description and explanation of Malaysia's foreign policy from 1981-2003 when Dr. Mahathir Mohamed's views and idiosyncrasies were always of course a very influential factor. Seven foreign policy initiatives are identified and set into local and regional contexts: Buy British last; Look East; Third World spokesmanship; Regional engagement; Islamic "posturing"; and Commercial and developmental diplomacy. External factors related to Japan, Singapore and China are also discussed and also linkages with domestic political pressures.

• Dr Who?! Capturing The Life And Times Of A Leader In Cartoons by Lat. On a lighter note, this book by the well-known Malaysian cartoonist, Lat, is a collection of cartoons about Dr Mahathir that had been published in the New Straits Times over a period of 25 years.

Reading the news reports about Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak’s visit to Singapore, and his hope that his visit would signal “the beginning of a new era” in bilateral ties, my thoughts turned perversely to Dr. Mahathir Mohamed instead. We stock quite a number of books on him, so it’s difficult to come up with a representative list, but here are some books that present him from various perspectives:

• The Malay Dilemma by Mahathir Bin Mohamad. The Malay Dilemma was first published in 1970 to much controversy, but remains essential reading for all. This book caused him to be called upon to defend his statements and claims. The arguments in The Malay Dilemma reveal the author's reactions to the pressing problems of the day, and show how politically inclined Malay understands the past, explains the behaviour of his own people and the behaviour of immigrants, and foresees the future. Dr Mahathir also examines and analyses the makeup of the Malays - their heredity, their way of life, their religion - and argues their case with stark frankness. The 2008 edition contains a new preface by the author.

• Beyond Mahathir: Malaysian Politics And Its Discontents by Khoo Boo Teik. As the 22-year regime of Dr Mahathir Mohamad was coming to its end, Penang-based Prof Khoo Boo Teik wrote this rich, jargon-free and often hard-hitting account of his years in office. Mahathir's political persona, his achievements and policies, as well as some of his contradictory stances and dramatic actions are set in context. Unsolved problems are also unflinchingly highlighted.

• Malaysian Foreign Policy In The Mahathir Era, 1981-2003: Dilemmas Of Development by Karminder Singh Dhillon. A description and explanation of Malaysia's foreign policy from 1981-2003 when Dr. Mahathir Mohamed's views and idiosyncrasies were always of course a very influential factor. Seven foreign policy initiatives are identified and set into local and regional contexts: Buy British last; Look East; Third World spokesmanship; Regional engagement; Islamic "posturing"; and Commercial and developmental diplomacy. External factors related to Japan, Singapore and China are also discussed and also linkages with domestic political pressures.

• Dr Who?! Capturing The Life And Times Of A Leader In Cartoons by Lat. On a lighter note, this book by the well-known Malaysian cartoonist, Lat, is a collection of cartoons about Dr Mahathir that had been published in the New Straits Times over a period of 25 years.

David W. Orr, "Design on the Edge: The Making of a High-Performance Building"

Publisher: The MIT Press 2006 | 293 Pages | ISBN: 0262151170 | PDF | 1.8 MB

The story of the Adam Joseph Lewis Center at Oberlin College—the first substantially green building to be built on a college campus—encompasses more than the particulars of one building. In Design on the Edge, David Orr writes about the planning and design of Oberlin's environmental studies building as part of a larger story about the art and science of ecological design and the ability of institutions of higher learning themselves to learn.

The Lewis Center, which has attracted worldwide attention as a model of ecological design, operates according to environmental principles. It is powered entirely by solar energy, features landscaping with fruit trees and vegetable gardens, and houses a Living Machine, which processes all wastewater for reuse in the building or landscape. Orr puts the Lewis Center into historical design context and describes the obstacles and successes he encountered in obtaining funds and college approval, interweaving the particulars of the center with thoughts on the larger environmental and societal issues the building process illustrates.

Equal parts analysis, personal reflection, and call to action, Design on the Edge illustrates the process of institutional change, institutional learning, and the political economy of design. It describes how the idea of the Lewis Center originated and was translated into reality with the help of such environmental visionaries as William McDonough and John Todd, and how the building has performed since its completion.

College and university administrators will spend 17 billion dollars on new buildings over the next few years. Design on the Edge is essential reading for architects, planners, and environmentalists who need to sell the innovations of ecological design to wary institutions, and for educators and students whose profession is undermined by the very buildings they work in—and for anyone who has ever tried to change an organization for the better.

by J M Gore, William Null

McGraw-Hill Professional | English | 2006-06-26 | ISBN: 0071474935 | 108 pages | PDF | 1,1 MB

Build your dream house without getting a headache!

From selecting the property and meeting with an architect through resale considerations and construction, So You Want to Build a House walks you through every step of the building process painlessly, on-time, and on-budget.

From the Back Cover
• Easy-to-use WORKSHEETS that can SAVE YOU TENS OF THOUSANDS$$$
• Hundreds of MONEY-SAVING REAL ESTATE, CONSTRUCTION, AND FINANCING TIPS, in plain English
• A step-by-step PROGRAM THAT WORKS
Build your dream home -- without experiencing the common problems and cost overruns associated with custom homes
You can avoid the average cost overrun of 30–50% on custom-built homes that's reported by construction industry insiders. So ... You Want to Build a House arms you with the tools you need to keep your dream home within 1% of budget -- without sacrificing the special features that made you want a custom home in the first place!
A UNIQUE WORKBOOK
This extraordinary collection of tools and inside-the-homebuilding-industry wisdom enables even novices to be masters of the process from stage one. Inside, you'll find:
• More than a DOZEN handy worksheets that walk you through the homebuilding process
• Indispensable, cost-cutting guidance on FINANCING your project
• An easy-to-follow guide to PROPERTY SELECTION, for top-level, real-estate-pro results
• An essential nuts-and-bolts plan for sorting out WHAT YOU NEED vs. WHAT YOU WANT
• A clear program for WHOM to meet with, WHEN to meet them, and WHAT TO SAY
• The smart way to DISTRIBUTE YOUR BUDGET throughout your house
• An ironclad agenda for keeping your homebuilding project ON TIME and ON BUDGET
• A whole chapter full of WAYS TO SAVE MONEY
• Every-step-of-the-way help with IMPROVING RESALE VALUE

by Arthur H Nilson, David Darwin, Charles W. Dolan, Arthur Nilson, Charles Dolan

Publisher: McGraw-Hill Science/Engineering/Math; 13 edition (July 31, 2003) | 896 Pages | ISBN: 0072921994; 0070598541 | PDF | 37 MB

The 13th edition of the classic text, Design of Concrete Structures, is completely revised using the newly released 2002 American Concrete Institute (ACI) Code. This new edition has the same dual objectives as the previous editions: first to establish a firm understanding of the behavior of structural concrete, then to develop proficiency in the methods used in current design practice.

Design of Concrete Structures covers the behavior and design aspects of concrete and provides thoroughly updated examples and homework problems throughout. The 13th edition also features a new chapter, Chapter 10, covering strut-and-tie models. The text also presents the basic mechanics of structural concrete and methods for the design of individual members for bending, shear, torsion, and axial force, and provides detail in the various types of structural systems applications.

We had a recent post listing several book on Indonesia. Those books were mostly serious academic works. This time around, we thought we would list several books that similarly address important and contentious issues in Indonesian society and politics, but are somewhat lighter and more accessible.

• Bittersweet: The Memoir Of A Chinese Indonesian Family In The Twentieth Century by Stuart Pearson. Many sidelights onto social and political developments are shed in this family biography/memoir which centres on the life of Chinese Indonesian Anna/An Sudibjo (b.1912). She is a 5th-generation Indonesian Chinese and had a distinguished career in the Dutch and then Indonesian Education Department.

• Family Business: A Case Study Of Nyonya Meneer, One Of Indonesia's Most Successful Traditional Medicine Companies by Asih Sumardono and Mark Hanusz. The inside story of the now-internationally known Nyonya Meneer business, which produces and markets jamu, traditional Indonesian medicines. Founded by Nyonya Meneer (Lauw Ping Nio, 1895-1978), the family firm grew from its Semarang beginnings to become a nationally and internationally significant company. This account of Nyonya Meneer and the family conflicts which have dogged the company's development offers insights into some of the realities of traditional and modern ways of doing business.

• On Feminism And Nationalism: Kartini's Letters To Stella Zeehandelaar, 1899-1903. Translated by Joost Cote. Raden Ajeng Kartini (1880-1904) was born into an aristocratic Javanese family and despite the shortness of her life, is widely known and respected as the founder and inspiration of Indonesia's Women's Movement. These letters to a Dutch pen friend she had never met were written 1899-1903. They show the clear educational and reform ambitions maintained by Kartini who, by enforced custom, had left school at the age of 12, but who continued to read, study and develop nationalist and feminist ideas. These she shared with reform-minded contacts. Her arranged marriage was followed by her death shortly after childbirth.

We had a recent post listing several book on Indonesia. Those books were mostly serious academic works. This time around, we thought we would list several books that similarly address important and contentious issues in Indonesian society and politics, but are somewhat lighter and more accessible.

• Bittersweet: The Memoir Of A Chinese Indonesian Family In The Twentieth Century by Stuart Pearson. Many sidelights onto social and political developments are shed in this family biography/memoir which centres on the life of Chinese Indonesian Anna/An Sudibjo (b.1912). She is a 5th-generation Indonesian Chinese and had a distinguished career in the Dutch and then Indonesian Education Department.

• Family Business: A Case Study Of Nyonya Meneer, One Of Indonesia's Most Successful Traditional Medicine Companies by Asih Sumardono and Mark Hanusz. The inside story of the now-internationally known Nyonya Meneer business, which produces and markets jamu, traditional Indonesian medicines. Founded by Nyonya Meneer (Lauw Ping Nio, 1895-1978), the family firm grew from its Semarang beginnings to become a nationally and internationally significant company. This account of Nyonya Meneer and the family conflicts which have dogged the company's development offers insights into some of the realities of traditional and modern ways of doing business.

• On Feminism And Nationalism: Kartini's Letters To Stella Zeehandelaar, 1899-1903. Translated by Joost Cote. Raden Ajeng Kartini (1880-1904) was born into an aristocratic Javanese family and despite the shortness of her life, is widely known and respected as the founder and inspiration of Indonesia's Women's Movement. These letters to a Dutch pen friend she had never met were written 1899-1903. They show the clear educational and reform ambitions maintained by Kartini who, by enforced custom, had left school at the age of 12, but who continued to read, study and develop nationalist and feminist ideas. These she shared with reform-minded contacts. Her arranged marriage was followed by her death shortly after childbirth.

by Jon Lang

Architectural Press | 400 pages | 2005-10-18 | ISBN:0750666285 | PDF | 18.3MB

Urban Design provides a comprehensive and accessible introduction to urban design, presenting a 3 dimensional model with which to categorise the processes and products involved. It not only defines the subject, but also considers the future direction of the field and what can be learned from the past. 50 international case studies demonstrate the variety of urban design efforts that have occurred in recent history.

* Enables students and professionals to understand the meaning of urban design by presenting an analysis of case studies from the past 5 decades.

* Illustrates how urban design guidelines and processes have been used in a broad range of projects around the world.

* Helps architects and planners to define their goals and to confidently predict design outcomes.

Architectural Press| ISBN:075064785X | Edition 2001-02 | PDF | 128 pages | 4.21 MB

Universal Design is Selwyn Goldsmith's new authoritative design manual, the successor to his internationally acclaimed Designing for the Disabled. A clear and concise design guide for practising and student architects, it describes and illustrates the differences there are between universal design and 'for the disabled' design Universal Design presents detailed design guidance for architects in an easily referenced form. Covering both public buildings and private housing, it includes informative anthropometric data, along with illustrative examples of the planning of circulation spaces, sanitary facilities, car parking spaces and seating spaces for wheelchair users in cinemas and theatres. It is a valuable manual in enhancing understanding of the basic principles of 'universal design'.

I'm now reading Classic Feynman: All the Adventures of a Curious Character. It brings together stories from two of Feynman's bestsellers Surely You're Joking, Mr Feynman! and What Do You Care What Other People Think?. There are some new material and it comes with an audio CD of Richard Feynman delivering a lecture, and it makes all the difference to hear his voice first and then read his stories. Feynman was, of course, a great physicist; but his books sold not because of his Nobel prize, but because his irrepressible character, candour and wit shone through his stories. It's quite impossible not to like him from reading the books, or to be inspired by his love for science, for the truth and for solving problems.

I'd read one of the books previously. But, strangely, this time around, I was particularly moved by this poignant passage from his essay about his first wife, Arlene, who died from an incurable illness. They had married shortly after she was diagnosed with the illness:

If a Martian (who, we'll imagine, never dies except by accident) came to Earth and saw this peculiar race of creatures - these humans who live about seventy or eighty years, knowing that death is going to come - it would look to him like a terrible problem of psychology to live under those circumstances, knowing that life is only temporary. Well, we humans somehow figure out how to live despite this problem: we laugh, we joke, we live.

The only difference for me and Arlene was, instead of fifty years, it was five years. It was only a quantitative difference - the psychological problem was just the same. The only way it would have become any different is if we had just said to ourselves, "But those other people have it better, because they might live fifty years." But that's crazy. Why make yourself miserable saying things like, "Why do we have such bad luck? What has God done to us? What have we done to deserve this?" - all of which, if you understand reality and take it completely into your heart, are irrelevant and unsolvable. They are just things that nobody can know. Your situation is just an accident of life.

It is poignant for me because he not only recognised the fundamental fact of life, but somehow, could deal with it in a logical, detached way.

I'm now reading Classic Feynman: All the Adventures of a Curious Character. It brings together stories from two of Feynman's bestsellers Surely You're Joking, Mr Feynman! and What Do You Care What Other People Think?. There are some new material and it comes with an audio CD of Richard Feynman delivering a lecture, and it makes all the difference to hear his voice first and then read his stories. Feynman was, of course, a great physicist; but his books sold not because of his Nobel prize, but because his irrepressible character, candour and wit shone through his stories. It's quite impossible not to like him from reading the books, or to be inspired by his love for science, for the truth and for solving problems.

I'd read one of the books previously. But, strangely, this time around, I was particularly moved by this poignant passage from his essay about his first wife, Arlene, who died from an incurable illness. They had married shortly after she was diagnosed with the illness:

If a Martian (who, we'll imagine, never dies except by accident) came to Earth and saw this peculiar race of creatures - these humans who live about seventy or eighty years, knowing that death is going to come - it would look to him like a terrible problem of psychology to live under those circumstances, knowing that life is only temporary. Well, we humans somehow figure out how to live despite this problem: we laugh, we joke, we live.

The only difference for me and Arlene was, instead of fifty years, it was five years. It was only a quantitative difference - the psychological problem was just the same. The only way it would have become any different is if we had just said to ourselves, "But those other people have it better, because they might live fifty years." But that's crazy. Why make yourself miserable saying things like, "Why do we have such bad luck? What has God done to us? What have we done to deserve this?" - all of which, if you understand reality and take it completely into your heart, are irrelevant and unsolvable. They are just things that nobody can know. Your situation is just an accident of life.

It is poignant for me because he not only recognised the fundamental fact of life, but somehow, could deal with it in a logical, detached way.

Publisher: Princeton Architectural Press (August 31, 2006) | ISBN-10: 1568986084 | 176 pages | PDF | 15.4 MB

James Carpenter is an artist and sculptor whose work focuses on developing new glass and material technologies. His interest in architecture has evolved into a unique design practice that ranges from technical glass and materials consulting to designing curtain walls, roofing systems, bridges, and sculptures. In James Carpenter: Environmental Refractions, the artist's first monograph, author Sandro Marpillero explores the unique opportunities afforded by the transparency, reflectivity, and compressive strength of glass. With over 300 images, this book brings to light the work of an exciting designer crossing the boundaries between architecture, engineering, and fine arts. James Carpenter Design Associates, founded in 1978, has worked collaboratively with preeminent architects and engineers in the United States and abroad—including Norman Foster, Richard Meier, SOM, and Michael Van Valkenburgh—creating the artistic complement to many significant buildings. James Carpenter, in collaboration with Hellmuth, Obata + Kassabaum, have been chosen to design and build an undulating glass dome for the new Penn Station.

by Alejandro Bahamon

Collins Design | 330 pages | ISBN: 0060544694 | PDF | 20 Mb

Many of the hotels featured in this elegant volume are so extraordinarily posh that readers wishing to experience their comforts may well find their only opportunity is in these pages. The majority of the structures are modernist urban oases located throughout five continents, from London and Buenos Aires to Miami Beach and Italy. (Notably absent, however, are Asian hotels.) Colombian architect Bahamon showcases high-concept designer hotels with "an attention to personality coupled with an organic integration of the building with its history and surroundings." Fur-lined beds are a necessity at Sweden's chilly new Icehotel, for example, where the building itself and much of the decor is rendered from immense blocks of ice, while Berlin's Propeller Island City Lodge is "an art gallery where guests stay in constantly changing installations." In addition to the glossy photos highlighting soaring lobbies and luxurious suites, the page spreads offer brief histories on the hotels' structure and design. Though at its heart a book for designers and hoteliers, this volume will also give lay readers and armchair travelers plenty of sophisticated eye candy.

Publisher: Princeton Architectural Press; 1 edition (April 7, 2005) | ISBN-10: 1568984596 | 192 pages | PDF | 25.8 MB

Evanescent. Restrained. Ethereal. These are some of the words used to describe the architecture of Kengo Kuma, one of the most heralded of a new generation of Japanese architects. A recent article in Architecture writes of Kuma that "he strives to give his buildings the qualities of a rainbow, composed of shimmering particles, more illusion than object, that change as you look at them." Increasingly the focus of international renown, Kuma's work is characterized by a delicate simplicity and minimalism, incorporating a wide range of ephemeral transparencies. Their ineffable vibrancy is achieved largely by the extensive and skillful use of screens: metal, wooden, bamboo, and even stone louvers or slates, as well as paper, plastic, and glass surfaces or membranes. His use of new, sophisticated, and efficient technologies, his sensitivity to site, and his attention to the ecological and prevailing social context of his work are all explored in Kengo Kuma: Selected Works, the first full-length monograph on the work of this enormous talent. Included are all of Kuma's most recent projects, including the Museum of Ando Hiroshige, the Stone Museum, the Horai Onsen Bath House in Atami, Louis Vuitton Tokyo Headquarters, and the Nagasaki Prefectural Museum. Kengo Kuma: Selected Works is an essential addition to the library of anyone interested in the best contemporary architecture.

By Mark Dudek

Publisher: Birkhäuser Basel | ISBN: 376437053X | edition 2007 | PDF | 255 pages | 20 mb

In a global economy, the importance of education is now widely recognized. Furthermore, in the wake of international assessment studies, schools and kindergartens have become a focus of great public interest. As a new generation of educational environments are designed and built, this Design Manual illustrates the most up-to-date educational strategies and how they are realized in built form.
With 80 case studies from Europe, North America and the Pacific Region, this is an essential guide for architects involved in the design of schools and kindergartens. This specialized field encompassing ever-changing educational theories is explained in the context of varying national and regional approaches. Among the key themes analyzed are aspects such as the impact of modern communication technology, urban integration or internal circulation. The book will also be of interest to educationalists, parents and the wider community.

The Asia Society is an American organization working to strengthen relationships and promote understanding among the people, leaders, and institutions of Asia and the United States. Founded in 1956, the Asia Society is a nonpartisan, nonprofit educational institution seeking to enhance dialogue, encourage creative expression, and generate new ideas across the fields of policy, business, education, arts, and culture.

The Asia Society recently announced the establishment of the annual Bernard Schwartz Book Award. This major international award will recognize non-fiction books that provide outstanding contributions to the understanding of contemporary Asia or U.S.-Asia relations. The award seeks to increase public awareness of the changes taking place in Asia and the implications for the wider world, and to raise the profile of authors making a significant contribution to this dialogue.

An independent jury comprised of experts in the fields of policy, media, academia, cultural affairs, and business will select the winner, who will receive a $20,000 prize and will be honoured at a special event at the Asia Society. In addition to the winner, four books will be chosen to receive honorary mentions.

The Asia Society is an American organization working to strengthen relationships and promote understanding among the people, leaders, and institutions of Asia and the United States. Founded in 1956, the Asia Society is a nonpartisan, nonprofit educational institution seeking to enhance dialogue, encourage creative expression, and generate new ideas across the fields of policy, business, education, arts, and culture.

The Asia Society recently announced the establishment of the annual Bernard Schwartz Book Award. This major international award will recognize non-fiction books that provide outstanding contributions to the understanding of contemporary Asia or U.S.-Asia relations. The award seeks to increase public awareness of the changes taking place in Asia and the implications for the wider world, and to raise the profile of authors making a significant contribution to this dialogue.

An independent jury comprised of experts in the fields of policy, media, academia, cultural affairs, and business will select the winner, who will receive a $20,000 prize and will be honoured at a special event at the Asia Society. In addition to the winner, four books will be chosen to receive honorary mentions.

Instant Info Riches

Publisher: InfinitSky | ISBN: N/A | edition 2006 | PDF | 76 pages | 2.18 mb

A unique combination of Art, Architecture, Lighting, Astronomy & Elegance.
Our true star color and proprietary twinkling stars make this the most realistic starfield on the market today!
Create your experience ... InfinitSky ...

Michael J. Crosbie

Birkhäuser Basel | English | 2005-10-14 | ISBN: 3764370831 | 184 pages | PDF | 32,5 MB

The curtain wall—a non-bearing wall attached to a building's structural frame like a curtain made of metal or, more likely glass—is an omnipresent feature of contemporary architecture. Variations of pattern and color, transparency and opacity offer the architect almost limitless design possibilities, a tremendous palette for "skinning" the structural frame of buildings from museums to skyscrapers.There are few practitioners of curtain wall design as accomplished as Cesar Pelli & Associates, and this book presents twenty of their most exemplary projects. Arranged by material—glass, metal, stone—the conception and development of each individual facade is revealed and construction details comprehensively documented through numerous drawings. Any practicing architect interested in state-of-the-art curtain wall design will need to own this indispensable and inspiring book.

Table of Contents
The art and craft of Cesar Pelli's curtain walls18
Glass28
Torre BankBoston, Buenos Aires30
Cheung Kong Center, Hong Kong36
1500 Louisiana, Houston42
International Finance Centre, Hong Kong48
Overture Center, Madison56
National Museum of Art, Osaka64
Schuster Performing Arts Center, Dayton72
Cira Centre, Philadelphia78
Central Library, Minneapolis84
Torre de Cristal, Madrid90
Citigroup Tower, London94
Metal100
One Canada Square Tower, London102
JP Morgan Chase, San Francisco108
731 Lexington Avenue, New York114
Edificio Republica, Buenos Aires122
Mori Office Tower, Tokyo128
NTT Headquarters, Tokyo134
Plaza Tower, Costa Mesa140
Petronas Towers, Kuala Lumpur146
Stone152
Forest Residential Tower, Tokyo154
1900 K Street, Washington160
40 Bank Street, London166
Nakanoshima Mitsui Building, Osaka172

As promised, here is a list of books featuring the Romance of the Three Kingdoms:

• Romance Of The Three Kingdoms (in 2 volumes) by Lo Kuan-Chung, and translated by C H Brewitt-Taylor. The original San Guo Yan Yi was written around the fourteenth century. This edition, translated in the mid-1920s, is based on a shortened and simplified version of the original San Guo Yan Yi published in 1670s.

• Battle At The Red Cliff: A Guide To Three Kingdom by Li Lienfung. The popular Singapore-based writer Li Lienfung, writing under her Green Bamboo column, provided an excellent introduction to many of the famous episodes in San Guo Yan Yi. The author's relaxed style and her array of little known facts and knowledgeable insights and reinterpretations will intrigue readers and inspire them to discover for themselves the characters and timelessness of the original novel itself.

• Romance Of The Three Kingdoms (A set of 10 books) by Zhang Qirong; Li Chengli (Illustrator). This is AsiaPac's illustrated volume. All the major episodes from San Guo Yan Yi are featured, with elegant and concise writing and detailed and evocative illustrations.

• Three Kingdoms: Chinese Classics (Classic Novel in 4-Volumes) by Luo Guanzhong, and translated by Moss Roberts. We do not carry this translated edition, but it is available from Amazon.

As promised, here is a list of books featuring the Romance of the Three Kingdoms:

• Romance Of The Three Kingdoms (in 2 volumes) by Lo Kuan-Chung, and translated by C H Brewitt-Taylor. The original San Guo Yan Yi was written around the fourteenth century. This edition, translated in the mid-1920s, is based on a shortened and simplified version of the original San Guo Yan Yi published in 1670s.

• Battle At The Red Cliff: A Guide To Three Kingdom by Li Lienfung. The popular Singapore-based writer Li Lienfung, writing under her Green Bamboo column, provided an excellent introduction to many of the famous episodes in San Guo Yan Yi. The author's relaxed style and her array of little known facts and knowledgeable insights and reinterpretations will intrigue readers and inspire them to discover for themselves the characters and timelessness of the original novel itself.

• Romance Of The Three Kingdoms (A set of 10 books) by Zhang Qirong; Li Chengli (Illustrator). This is AsiaPac's illustrated volume. All the major episodes from San Guo Yan Yi are featured, with elegant and concise writing and detailed and evocative illustrations.

• Three Kingdoms: Chinese Classics (Classic Novel in 4-Volumes) by Luo Guanzhong, and translated by Moss Roberts. We do not carry this translated edition, but it is available from Amazon.

Katsu Umebayashi, Thomas Daniell, Michael Webb

Princeton Architectural Press | English | 2005-09-08 | ISBN: 1568985274 | 224 pages | PDF | 13,5 MB

Pure. Minimal. Simple. These are the words commonly used to describe the work of contemporary Japanese architects. FOBA, an internationally celebrated architectural practice based in Kyoto, looks beyond the aesthetics of minimalism, instead finding inspiration in the relationships between structure and site. FOBA: Buildings, the first monograph on the decade-old firm, features ten projects of surprising range: undulating lines, overlapping cubes, interpenetrating forms, and unexpected pairings demonstrate a varied set of approaches to projects. The work is at times boldly expressionistic, and at others refreshingly austere. The book also chronicles the FOB Homes system-a FOBA subsidiary company established in 1999-a uniquely creative response to the generic mass-produced pre-fabricated housing available in Japan. With five basic prototypes that can be easily adapted to any site or client, FOB Homes redefines the concept of standardized housing. Their simple, neutral white boxes counter the visual chaos of contemporary Japan and offer the elegance and experience of "architecture" to the general public-a union of modernist aesthetics with the modernist ideology of democratic, affordable design. Together, FOBA and FOB Homes offers a look into the architecture of tomorrow. FOBA: Buildings will be an inspirational sourcebook of ideas for those interested in innovative architecture with humane ideals.

Alanna Stang, Christopher Hawthorne

Princeton Architectural Press | 2005 | ISBN: 1568984812 | 196 pages | PDF | 17,8 MB

From the arid deserts of Tucson, Arizona to the icy forests of Poori, Finland to the tropical beaches of New South Wales, Australia to the urban jungle of downtown Manhattan, critics Alanna Stang and Christopher Hawthorne have traveled to the farthest reaches of the globe to find all that is new in the design of sustainable, or "green," homes. The result: more than thirty-five residences in fifteen countries -- and nearly every conceivable natural environment -- designed by a combination of star architects and heretofore unknown practitioners. Six different climactic zones are presented in The Green House -- waterfront, forest and mountain, tropical, desert, suburban, and urban; there is also a section on mobile dwellings. Each chapter features a series of homes that show the diversity and possibility of sustainable design. Projects are presented with large color images, plans, drawings, and an accompanying text that describes their green features and explains how they work with and in the environment. Architects included: Santiago Calatrava, Shigeru Ban, Miller/Hull, Rick Joy, Lake Flato, Kengo Kuma, Glenn Murcutt, Pugh & Scarpa, Werner Sobek, and many others. The Green House is not only a beautiful object in its own right, but is sure to be an indispensable reference for anyone building or interested in sustainable design -- and if you ask us, that should be everyone.

Publisher: Birkhäuser Basel; 1 edition (December 5, 2008) | ISBN-10: 3764377143 | 199 pages | PDF | 22.7 MB

Michel Desvigne is no doubt the most high-profile French landscape architect working today. He collaborates with architects like Richard Rogers, Norman Foster, Renzo Piano, Ieoh Ming Pei, Herzog and de Meuron, and Jean Nouvel, and his projects are synonymous with a strong strategic and conceptual component, influenced by insights from geography. Traffic projects also play an important role in his work – they underscore the competence of landscape architecture in matters of city planning.
This thematic monograph documents the key elements of Desvigne’s work in individual chapters: processes of transformation, geography, territory, urban structures, and public squares. Each of these themes is vividly illustrated by selected projects, including the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, the Dallas Center for the Performing Arts, the French Ministry of Culture in Paris, and Keio University in Tokyo.

Publisher: Birkhäuser Basel; 1 edition (April 21, 2006) | ISBN-10: 3764375221 | 127 pages | PDF | 29.5 MB

The face of the nocturnal metropolis is marked decisively by light, and the number and variety of the light sources is increasing to the point of "light terror.” A well-lit urban space can be very inviting, giving residents and visitors a sense of well-being and security. A successful lighting design can also give the city at night an identity of its own and accentuate architectural qualities.
In this book, the author embodies her many years of experience as a practitioner and teacher of lighting design. In preparation, she visited ten European cities — including Paris, Brussels, Berlin, London, Budapest, Vienna, and Amsterdam — with different urban situations. This has enabled her to present different planning and design tasks systematically and to illustrate specific solutions. In addition to articulating basic planning rules for the outdoor lighting of buildings, traffic routes, and squares, she presents and elucidates new artificial lighting systems and outdoor lamps with the help of examples.

The first book in our new Autumn Wonders imprint is Water Buffalo’s Reward. It is also the first book in the new Asian Values series. We’ve always wanted to do a children’s book series. In 2008, when we started to seriously brainstorm a suitable series so that we could finally kick off a new imprint for children’s books, it was natural to think of a series on Asian Values. It was a good fit with Select Books’s Asian books specialisation. We pitched the idea to the Media Development Authority, who liked the idea and gave us a grant for a series of three books.

Water Buffalo’s Reward, was launched on 6 January 2009, and is now on sale at all the major bookstores as well as on Amazon. It is the story of a water buffalo learning about the value of diligence. Written by Qin Yi, a Singaporean father of two young boys, and illustrated by Li Dan, who has a Masters in Illustration from Edinburgh College of Art, the story is simple and charming, but with hidden complexities that will enable parents and teachers to discuss the story and the underlying value of diligence with children. It also comes with pointers and fun facts for parents and teachers. The artwork by Li Dan is complex and detailed and very attractive. One of the reasons why we liked the story was that it sought to bring out the subtleties of the value of diligence – it’s not just about “working hard”; it’s actually about delayed gratification and a sense of responsibility.

Water Buffalo's Reward was featured on the popular website Culturepush.

The second and third book are scheduled to be published in late 2009 and early 2010 respectively.

The first book in our new Autumn Wonders imprint is Water Buffalo’s Reward. It is also the first book in the new Asian Values series. We’ve always wanted to do a children’s book series. In 2008, when we started to seriously brainstorm a suitable series so that we could finally kick off a new imprint for children’s books, it was natural to think of a series on Asian Values. It was a good fit with Select Books’s Asian books specialisation. We pitched the idea to the Media Development Authority, who liked the idea and gave us a grant for a series of three books.

Water Buffalo’s Reward, was launched on 6 January 2009, and is now on sale at all the major bookstores as well as on Amazon. It is the story of a water buffalo learning about the value of diligence. Written by Qin Yi, a Singaporean father of two young boys, and illustrated by Li Dan, who has a Masters in Illustration from Edinburgh College of Art, the story is simple and charming, but with hidden complexities that will enable parents and teachers to discuss the story and the underlying value of diligence with children. It also comes with pointers and fun facts for parents and teachers. The artwork by Li Dan is complex and detailed and very attractive. One of the reasons why we liked the story was that it sought to bring out the subtleties of the value of diligence – it’s not just about “working hard”; it’s actually about delayed gratification and a sense of responsibility.

Water Buffalo's Reward was featured on the popular website Culturepush.

The second and third book are scheduled to be published in late 2009 and early 2010 respectively.

Norman Wienand

Taylor & Francis | 2008 | ISBN: 0415403588 | Pages: 309 | PDF | 1.65 MB

Continuing in the holistic philosophy of the "Technologies of Architecture" series, this volume examines the various layers of knowledge, skills and mechanisms that make up the many approaches to the essential function of technical design in the creation of successful buildings. Well-illustrated with case studies, the author draws on his extensive experience in architectural education to provide a detailed description of the development process, acknowledging traditional solutions whilst also encouraging designers to consider innovative alternatives. Attention is paid to materials choices, detail design and specification writing. Students of architectural technology in particular, but also of architecture, building surveying and construction will find this syllabus-relevant title an invaluable asset in embracing their environmental responsibilities as designers and actively participating in the development of technical design language.

Alejandro Bahamon

Publisher: teNeues Publishing (UK) Ltd 2004 | 528 Pages | ISBN: 3823845950 | PDF | 55 MB

Each of the more than sixty restaurants and bars featured in this compendium was carefully chosen for its remarkable interior design. Hundreds of color photographs highlight the groundbreaking work of the world's most distinguished architects and designers-their use of startlingly new combinations of color and texture to create unique, often otherworldly environments. Destinations covered are located throughout North and South America, Europe, and Australia.

About the Author
Alejandro Bahamón is an architect based in Barcelona. He has been a contributing editor and writer for several architecture and design publications and edited Sydney Houses (3-8238-4525-X) and African Interior Design (3-8238-4563-2) for teNeues Publishing.

With the Indonesian general elections just completed, and the presidential election forthcoming, here are 5 books focusing on the state of Indonesian politics and democracy.

• Indonesia, Islam, And Democracy: Dynamics In A Global Context by Azyumardi Azra, an internationally respected historian. It explores explores Islam and Democracy and the democratizing and civil society policies of President Abdurrahman Wahab; addresses Islam and Indonesia's international dimensions and policies; and looks at the dynamics of the country's various Islamic movements and trends and also at recent elections.

• Political Islam and Violence in Indonesia by Zachary Abuza presents a penetrating new investigation of religious radicalism in Indonesia. Indonesia is long known for its diversity and tolerant brand of Islam, but since the fall of Suharto, a more intolerant form of Islam has been growing, one whose adherents have carried out terrorist attacks, waged sectarian war, and voiced strident anti-Western rhetoric. Abuza paints a picture guardedly optimistic about the future of Indonesian democracy, with concerns about the increasing role of conservative and radical Islam in Indonesian society.

• The Revival of Tradition In Indonesian Politics: The Deployment of Adat from Colonialism to Indigenism by Jamie Davidson and David Henley. The Indonesian term adat means 'custom' or 'tradition', and carries connotations of sedate order and harmony. Yet in recent years it has suddenly become associated with activism, protest and violence. This book investigates the revival of adat in Indonesian politics, identifying its origins, the historical factors that have conditioned it and the reasons behind its recent blossoming.

• The Indonesian Parliament And Democratization by Patrick Ziegenhai. Democratisation in Indonesia has altered the political decision-making processes in many ways. It has also brought about tremendous change to the role of the Indonesian parliament in the country's political system. Once characterized as a powerless rubber stamp, the parliament has developed into a comprehensive and more representative body. Ziegenhai addresses the parliament's contributions towards the process of democratisation in Indonesia.

• Military Politics, Islam, and the State in Indonesia: From Turbulent Transition to Democratic Consolidation by Marcus Mietzner. This book provides an in-depth account of the military's struggle to adapt to the new democratic system after the downfall of Suharto's regime in 1998. Unlike other studies of the Indonesian armed forces, which focus exclusively on internal military developments, Mietzner's study emphasises the importance of conflicts among civilians in determining the extent of military involvement in political affairs.

With the Indonesian general elections just completed, and the presidential election forthcoming, here are 5 books focusing on the state of Indonesian politics and democracy.

• Indonesia, Islam, And Democracy: Dynamics In A Global Context by Azyumardi Azra, an internationally respected historian. It explores explores Islam and Democracy and the democratizing and civil society policies of President Abdurrahman Wahab; addresses Islam and Indonesia's international dimensions and policies; and looks at the dynamics of the country's various Islamic movements and trends and also at recent elections.

• Political Islam and Violence in Indonesia by Zachary Abuza presents a penetrating new investigation of religious radicalism in Indonesia. Indonesia is long known for its diversity and tolerant brand of Islam, but since the fall of Suharto, a more intolerant form of Islam has been growing, one whose adherents have carried out terrorist attacks, waged sectarian war, and voiced strident anti-Western rhetoric. Abuza paints a picture guardedly optimistic about the future of Indonesian democracy, with concerns about the increasing role of conservative and radical Islam in Indonesian society.

• The Revival of Tradition In Indonesian Politics: The Deployment of Adat from Colonialism to Indigenism by Jamie Davidson and David Henley. The Indonesian term adat means 'custom' or 'tradition', and carries connotations of sedate order and harmony. Yet in recent years it has suddenly become associated with activism, protest and violence. This book investigates the revival of adat in Indonesian politics, identifying its origins, the historical factors that have conditioned it and the reasons behind its recent blossoming.

• The Indonesian Parliament And Democratization by Patrick Ziegenhai. Democratisation in Indonesia has altered the political decision-making processes in many ways. It has also brought about tremendous change to the role of the Indonesian parliament in the country's political system. Once characterized as a powerless rubber stamp, the parliament has developed into a comprehensive and more representative body. Ziegenhai addresses the parliament's contributions towards the process of democratisation in Indonesia.

• Military Politics, Islam, and the State in Indonesia: From Turbulent Transition to Democratic Consolidation by Marcus Mietzner. This book provides an in-depth account of the military's struggle to adapt to the new democratic system after the downfall of Suharto's regime in 1998. Unlike other studies of the Indonesian armed forces, which focus exclusively on internal military developments, Mietzner's study emphasises the importance of conflicts among civilians in determining the extent of military involvement in political affairs.

Birkhäuser Basel; 1 edition (August 26, 2005) | 2007-10-30 | ISBN: 3764371501 | 160 pages | PDF | 22 Mb

As a building material, precast concrete allows a wide range of sculptural forms and design options. By treating the surface in various ways, fascinating textures and fine finishes can be produced. This book provides a systematic overview of the variety of applications for such concrete elements throughout Europe. Author David Bennett provides in-depth information on newly developed, especially lightweight forms of concrete such as GRC (Glass-Fibre Reinforced Concrete), Ductal and CRC (Compact Reinforced Composite). A selection of some 24 projects which are of particular significance, are documented in detail and provide a wealth of inspiring design ideas. The appendix comprises an overview of the building practices in the individual European countries and the availability of concrete elements. Amongst the buildings documented are the Scottish Parliament Building in Edinburgh by Enric Miralles Benedetta Tagliabue, the Synagogue in Dresden by Wandel, Hoefer, Lorch + Hirsch, and the Mexican Embassy in Berlin by González de León.