Dictionary of Architecture & Construction [Hardcover]

Cyril M. Harris (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1993 | ISBN-10: 0070268886 | ISBN-13: 978-0070268883 | Edition: 2nd

This reference encompasses the entire language of architecture and construction. Featuring concise definitions of terms used in everyday practice, and written clearly for the specialist and non-specialist alike, the book contains over 2000 entries on: architectural styles and specifications; traditional and new building products and materials; units, assemblies, systems, and modules; tools, devices, machines, and equipment; air conditioning, heating, refrigeration, water, waste disposal systems; and foundations and structures. Moreover, the book covers such diverse areas as the history of architecture (with terminology from the classical, medieval, and renaissance periods), urban planning, landscape architecture, and architectural engineering, as well as purchasing and manufacturing. With the input and approval of several standards groups and professional committees, and with 52 contributing experts, its accuracy is guaranteed.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Revised, updated, and expanded, this comprehensive new edition of the most definitive reference in architecture brings you the broadest possible coverage of the language of architecture and construction. Special care has been taken to include the latest terms from preservation, new technologies, techniques, materials, and trends. This classic dictionary now features 25,000 definitions, 2,200 illustrations, enhanced page design for easier reading, and higher quality paper stock for better illustration reproduction and greater durability. Prepared by a renowned architectural editor in association with 52 expert contributors and incorporating the work of many standards groups, the book presents clear, concise definitions of terms in nearly 80 working areas. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

CYRIL M. HARRIS, one of the world's leading authorities on shock, vibration, and noise control, currently lectures at Columbia University where is is the Charles Batchelor Professor Emeritus of Electrical Engineering and Professor Emeritus of Architecture. Dr. Harris has received many honors for his scientific and engineering achievements, including membership in both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering. He has been the recipient of the Gold Medal and the Sabine Medal of the Acoustical Society of America, the Franklin Medal of the Franklin Institute, the Gold Medal of the Audio Engineering Society, and the A.I.A. Medal of the American Institute of Architects.

He received his Ph.D. degree in Physics from M.I.T. and has been awarded honorary doctorates by Northwestern University and the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Among books written or edited by Dr. Harris are the following McGraw-Hill publications: HANDBOOK OF ACOUSTICAL MEASUREMENTS AND NOISE CONTROL, Third Edition (1991); NOISE CONTROL IN BUILDINGS (1994); DICTIONARY OF ARCHITECTURE AND CONSTRUCTION, Third Edition (2000); and HANDBOOK OF UTILITIES AND SERVICES FOR BUILDINGS (1990. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 736 pages
• Publisher: Mcgraw-Hill (Tx); 2nd edition (January 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0070268886
• ISBN-13: 978-0070268883
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 7.6 x 2.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #333,812 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dictionary of Architecture & Construction, June 21, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Dictionary of Architecture & Construction (Hardcover)

A must-have for students and professionals alike. Clear definitions, useful illustrations, everyday terminology. Contains terms used by building professionals in coordinating with other trades. Resolves office terminology disagreements to provide for more accurate construction documents. For non-professionals - gain the knowledge you need in order intelligently communicate your needs to your architect or contractor.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Standard by Which Others are Compared, October 19, 2005

By 

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

This review is from: Dictionary of Architecture and Construction (Dictionary of Architecture & Construction) (Hardcover)

The masterpiece. Now upgraded with some 2,800 new terms for a total of 25,000, and 200 new illustrations for a total of 2,500, this book is in its fourth edition.

Architecture and Construction like any profession has developed it's own terminology its own jargon. An outsider coming into the field is faced with a daunting task just to be able to communicate with the professionals in the business.

The dictionary is designed to be comprehensive in scope. Its range spans terms encountered in the practiceof architecture from Classical to green, from traditional materials to the latest products, from precise definitions of architectural styles to the particulars of specification writing.

In addition to the physical construction terms, the dictionary covers ancillary areas such as electrical, fire, security, waste disposal, water supply. In short the dictionary covers every specialized word, every specialized meaning of standard words that are to be encountered in the building of a building of any size from house to cathedral.

Simply put, this is the standard of the industry.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Complete, Easy to Use, July 3, 2007

By 

M. Metzler (PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Dictionary of Architecture and Construction (Dictionary of Architecture & Construction) (Hardcover)

This book is the most complete I have ever come across, and extremely easy to use. The illustrations (2500) and terms (26000) are well-described and easy to use, yet concise. As a Project Manager for a General Contractor, I find this book extremely handy in the construction world. Working with an Architect on a daily basis, I find myself using it several times per day sometimes. You can never learn every term in architecture and construction, but this book will help you learn those unfamiliar words we come across every single day in construction and architecture.