Building Construction Illustrated [Paperback]

Francis D. K. Ching (Author), Cassandra Adams (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0471358983 | ISBN-13: 978-0471358985 | Publication Date: October 2, 2000 | Edition: 3rd

Comprehensive and up-to-date-

the classic visual guide to the basics of building construction

For twenty-five years, Building Construction Illustrated has offered an outstanding introduction to the principles 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 construction, 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.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Comprehensive and up-to-date-

the classic visual guide to the basics of building construction

For twenty-five years, Building Construction Illustrated has offered an outstanding introduction to the principles 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 construction, 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.

About the Author

FRANCIS D.K. CHING is a registered architect and a professor at the University of Washington. He is the author of six highly successful architecture books, including Design Drawing and Architectural Graphics, all published by Wiley. CASSANDRA ADAMS is an architect and consultant in construction management and ecological design. She has taught architecture, construction, and environmental courses at the University of Washington and the University of California-Berkeley.

Product Details

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 3rd edition (October 2, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471358983
• ISBN-13: 978-0471358985
• Product Dimensions: 10.7 x 8.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (54 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #121,960 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

124 of 124 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars easy to understand for constuction novices, November 1, 2000

By 

L Lucas - See all my reviews

This review is from: Building Construction Illustrated (Paperback)

I teach construction technology to future General contractors and Interior Designers...and this is the best reference book I have found for beginners. When they ask me the size of a door or height of a kitchen cabinet I tell them to look it up...and I have the utmost confidence that it is both in this book and so well illustrated that the students can easily understand it. I call this book the Beginners Graphic STandards. And at about 1/3 the cost. I also reccomend KaffeeKang' book called Graphic Guide to Frame Construction for residential framing.

36 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Still a classic after twenty-five years., September 15, 2002

By 

Robin Benson - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Building Construction Illustrated (Paperback)

I bought the first edition of this book years ago and what attracted me to it was the very accessible way it was produced, it just looked so inviting. Francis Ching writes about technical matters in a simple straightforward style and Cassandra Adams illustrations are a joy to look at. She produced the entire book (except for the bar-code) by hand, cover, title page, contents, index and drew over a thousand technical illustrations and even hand wrote the detailed captions. This latest updated edition uses the same illustrations but the text is now typeset in a typeface (Tecton, I think) very similar to her handwritten style.

As other reviewers have said this is not a book for the DIY handyman but a guide to construction basics, chapters deal with the site, the building, foundations, floors, walls, roofs, moisture protection, doors and windows, finish work, mechanical and electrical, materials. The thirty-two page Appendix gives addition technical information, followed by a ten page index.

I do have one very minor criticism of this latest edition though, for some odd reason the publisher's have decided to print all the illustrations in a tint of black which detracts them from their original beauty. However this will not stop readers from enjoying and learning from a unique looking book that can hardly be improved on. A masterpiece.

***FOR A LOOK INSIDE click 'customer images' under the cover.

50 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This book was a steal, December 4, 2001

By 

Richard Sherwood (Detroit, MI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Building Construction Illustrated (Paperback)

This book is jam packed with almost everything you could need to know about construction. When I say that, I mean it covers all of the major components. It does not walk you through tiling a floor, but as an example it does show the different methods of framing and provide clear illustration of how each method is done. I only wanted information on residential construction, but this book covers commercial building as well. The drawings are excellent. I found it tough to put the book down and found myself re-reading several sections because of all the information contained in them. It will serve as an excellent reference guide for all of my future projects. I have already changed many of the details for my upcoming project as a result of this book.