From School Library Journal
Grade 9 Up-Cities, tents, teepees, tunnels, tombs, rapid transit systems, bridges, gardens, cathedrals, skyscrapers, and even a space station are just some of the "feats" included in this authoritative survey. From prehistory to the present, high-tech to low, more than 200 architectural and engineering achievements have been selected that reflect "humanity's propensity to `just do it'- against the odds" and the "social imperatives that stimulated people to push the available technology to its limits." The volume includes articles on structures that are frequent subjects of reports ("Empire State Building," "Great Wall of China") and lesser-known works, as well as selected design movements ("The Bauhaus," "Postmodern architecture") and building technologies ("Curtain walls," "Geodesic domes"). Each alphabetically arranged entry is covered in two pages or less. The book concludes with a poignant, up-to-date entry for the World Trade Center. The text is occasionally relieved by average-quality, black-and-white photographs. The dearth of illustrative material is, alas, a major impediment to readers' understanding and appreciation of the text. The index lacks cross-referencing, which is especially helpful for students. It is unfortunate that there is no listing of entries by country or a chronology. Though flawed, Encyclopedia is a valuable resource for serious students of structures and the man-made environment.
Mary Ann Carcich, Mattituck-Laurel Public Library, Mattituck, NYCopyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
History is full of great buildings and structures. Each age and society has harnessed existing technologies and developed new ones to meet the human imperative to build.
The Encyclopedia of Architectural and Engineering Feats presents information about 200 significant structures from antiquity to the present. Items selected for inclusion are not necessarily the largest, but the authors state in the preface that they "have sought to identify those achievements that demonstrate discovery, creativity and innovation." Architecturally significant structures such as cathedrals, dams, train stations, and ancient stone works are included. The data presented are very up to date, including an entry on the building and destruction of the World Trade Center.
Entries contain a page or two describing the historical context, architectural elements, materials used, significance, and, where relevant, recent uses and preservation schemes, followed by a brief list of further readings. Approximately half of the entries are accompanied by black-and-white photos. There are some inconsistencies with cross-references. For example, the entry for Hagia Sofia in Istanbul, Turkey, refers the reader to an entry on the Sultan Ahmet Mosque in the same city. However, the entry on the Sultan Ahmet Mosque refers the reader to the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem and the Masjed-e-Shah (Royal Mosque) in Isfahan, Iran, but not to Hagia Sofia.
This source is well suited to engineering and architectural students but will also appeal to general readers who may want information about worldwide structures. Emphasizing "biggest," "tallest," and so forth, The Reference Guide to Famous Engineering Landmarks of the World (Oryx, 1997) covers many more structures, though entries are generally shorter. The Encyclopedia of Architectural and Engineering Feats will be very useful in the reference collection and is highly recommended for engineering and architecture collections. RBB
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