Customer Reviews

Structure and Architecture, Second Edition

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Now in an updated and expanded second edition, Angus MacDonald's Structure & Architecture showcases the relationship between architecture and structural engineering using both historical and contemporary examples. This new edition is enhanced with an expanded and re-written chapter dealing with structural criticism and the relationship between structure and architectural style; as well as a new section on the relationships between architects, builders and engineers, and the influence which these relationships have on architectural styles and forms. Structure & Architecture is an invaluable and highly recommended addition to any personal, professional, or academic architectural studies collection.

This book describes the different types of structural elements in buildings (steel, wood, reinforced concrete) and how they are constructed for maximum efficiency. A lot of the book deals with spans and how the efficiency of materials must accomodate different spans and weights. The concepts were very well written and easy to understand (the appendices were a little bit more complex) with lots of examples. I would recommend this for anyone who would like to try framing a structure or who is interested in more than just the picture books of architecture and would actually like to know what's inside the walls and how those objects are functioning.