Available:*
Library | Item Barcode | Call Number | Material Type | Item Category 1 | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Searching... | 30000010253374 | NA2542.35 D73 2009 | Open Access Book | Book | Searching... |
On Order
Summary
Summary
The Elements of Architecture is a clear and well structured introduction to sustainable architecture, which concentrates on general principles to make an accessible and comprehensive primer for undergraduate students.The author takes a fresh and logical approach, focusing on the way aspects of the built environment are experienced by the occupants and how that experience is interpreted in architectural design. He works through basic elements and senses (sun; heat; light; sound; air; water and fire) to explain and frame effective environmental architectural design - not only arguing that the buildings we inhabit should be viewed as extensions of our bodies that interact with and protect us from these elements, but also using this analogy to explain complex ideas in an accessible manner.
Author Notes
Scott Drake is a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning and the University of Melbourne, Australia.
Reviews 1
Choice Review
The title of this book by Drake (Univ. of Melbourne) might imply a hefty reference work. However, this slim volume might more appropriately be titled "The Elements AND Architecture," as conveyed in the arrangement of chapters according to natural phenomena: "Sun," "Heat," "Light," "Sound," "Air," "Water," "Fire" (and "Ecological Design"). Each chapter addresses fundamental concepts of earth science and anatomy and their application to built environments; e.g., "Water" includes an explanation of the Earth's hydrological cycle and illustrations of typical bathroom drainage layouts. Drake's research into the relationship between the human body, science, and buildings is evident. The volume's focus on the most basic principles of architecture and science is distinctive among the accumulation of more technical titles that teach methods of sustainable architecture. Drake's approach, however, lacks real-world examples that could enliven the text. The directness of the book's organization is compromised by its prose, which is heavy with compound sentences and dense text blocks. Its lack of clarity makes it best suited only to very comprehensive architecture libraries. A more useful (albeit more technical) volume is Environmental Design: An Introduction for Architects and Engineers (3rd ed., 2006; 1st ed., CH, Feb'97, 34-3325), ed. by Randall Thomas. Summing Up: Optional. Lower-level undergraduates. A. H. Simmons National Gallery of Art
Table of Contents
| Preface |
| Introduction: Architecture, Technology and Environment |
| 1 Sun |
| 2 Heat |
| 3 Light |
| 4 Sound |
| 5 Air |
| 6 Water |
| 7 Fire |
| 8 Ecological Design |
| Appendices |
| Notes |
| Further reading |
| Index |
