The Architect's Studio Companion: Rules of Thumb for Preliminary Design [Hardcover]

Edward Allen (Author), Joseph Iano (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0471736228 | ISBN-13: 978-0471736226 | Publication Date: November 28, 2006 | Edition: 4

The architect's favorite handbook-more informative and easier to use than ever!

The Architect's Studio Companion is the laborsaving design resource that architects and builders have relied on for years. Now in its fourth edition, this industry standard continues its reputation as a reliable tool for the preliminary selecting, configuring, and sizing of the structural, mechanical, and egress systems of a building. Bestselling authors Edward Allen and Joseph Iano reduce complex engineering and building code information to simple approximations that enable the designer to lay out the fundamental systems of a building in a matter of minutes and get on with the design.

Now in a flex binding that makes it even easier to use, The Architect's Studio Companion, Fourth Edition provides quick access to reliable rules of thumb that offer vital help for selecting, configuring, and sizing:
* Structural systems
* Heating, cooling, and electrical systems
* Egress provisions, including exit stairways, parking garages, and parking lots
* Daylight provisions

The book concludes with precalculated tables of building code height and area limitations.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"It provides vital help for selecting, configuring and sizing structural systems; heating, cooling, and electrical systems." (Book News, February 2008)

From the Back Cover

The architect's favorite handbook—more informative and easier to use than ever!

The Architect's Studio Companion is the laborsaving design resource that architects and builders have relied on for years. Now in its fourth edition, this industry standard continues its reputation as a reliable tool for the preliminary selecting, configuring, and sizing of the structural, mechanical, and egress systems of a building. Bestselling authors Edward Allen and Joseph Iano reduce complex engineering and building code information to simple approximations that enable the designer to lay out the fundamental systems of a building in a matter of minutes and get on with the design.

Now in a flex binding that makes it even easier to use, The Architect's Studio Companion, Fourth Edition provides quick access to reliable rules of thumb that offer vital help for selecting, configuring, and sizing:

• Structural systems
• Heating, cooling, and electrical systems
• Egress provisions, including exit stairways, parking garages, and parking lots
• Daylight provisions

The book concludes with precalculated tables of building code height and area limitations.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 480 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 4 edition (November 28, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471736228
• ISBN-13: 978-0471736226
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #51,108 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Tool to Speed Preliminary, February 15, 2007

By 

John Matlock "Gunny" (Winnemucca, NV) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Architect's Studio Companion: Rules of Thumb for Preliminary Design (Hardcover)

This book is designed to help architects in their design of new buildings. Spedifically, the book is organized about the common building codes in place around the United States. The intent of the book is to minimize the time that an architect need spend on checking building codes themselves so that he can proceed to working on the design of the building.
The book establishes a simple system of seven steps to help the architect in his initial design effort.

The first step is to determine the Building Code and occupancy, then check as to what types of construction are permitted by the code, move on to a preliminary structural design, consider using daylighting, plan for mechanical and electrical systems, determine building code requirements for egress and accessibility, and finally parking.

By having all this informaion at your fingertips a great deal of time can be saved.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Student Friendly Content, October 26, 2007

By 

Molly Doodle "Molly" (Indiana, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Architect's Studio Companion: Rules of Thumb for Preliminary Design (Hardcover)

As an architecture student, I was required to purchase this text book to accompany my studio course. I have quite often reached for this book from my expansive library of required texts to find answers to rules of thumb for preliminary design. I found that this book is very good at explaining the basics that one needs to accommodate early in the design process. If you are looking for something dealing more with code regulations, this is not really the book to purchase. It includes a wide range of topics which can help answer many student questions. I have been happy with my purchase!

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very popular in the studio, November 23, 2008

By 

D. Bartley "Dave" (Eugene, OR USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Architect's Studio Companion: Rules of Thumb for Preliminary Design (Hardcover)

My only problem with this book is I can never find it because all my fellow studio classmates keep borrowing it. This saved hours having to calculate spans and dimensions. Definitely worth the price.