first book of attempt to unify developments in building science with approaches to architectural criticism
describes in an holistic way the fragmented construction industry and the many different design influences
written by an Architect Builder who works for the leading engineering consultancy, Ove Arup
thoroughly reviewed by The Building Centre Trust
'One of the few genuinely thoughtful books about the intellectual and physical actions involved in building.' - Architecture Today
'This book is like a good gale with a turbulence of whirlwinds to give fresh ideas on the whole process of building. It is stimulating and throught provoking...and should be read by all in the industry. - Chartered Builder
Preface. Foreword. Preliminaries. Book one: the flight from equilibrium. Buildings as unstable systems in dynamic environments. Flows of matter and energy. Uncertainty in the industrial environment. The decline of technical precedent. The social demand for buildings. Interlude. Some polemical remarks. Book two: building knowledge and building experience. Historical concepts of building science. The analysis of sensations. The analysis of energy. Building engineering. Building pathology and its lessons. Intelligent buildings and intelligent sites. The building process. Systems and conventions. What industry follows function? Representation and regularity. Technology transfer. Who is the builder? The idea of technology, and its critics. Book three: another critical position. The typical detail. Building details in structure and form. The buildings of Alvar Aalto. In conclusion. Index.