Iano's backfill

The Architect's Studio Companion, Fourth Edition

This author recently completed the manuscript for the upcoming fourth edition of The Architect's Studio Companion. Coauthored with Edward Allen, the mission of the text is to provide guidelines for the configuration of building systems during early design. The book concentrates on systems that impact the form or organization of a building, such as structure, mechanical systems, building code height and area constraints, and more. Using the information provided, designers can quickly approximate the size and layout of various building systems, allowing the impact of these systems to be incorporated at the earliest possible stages of design. Highlights of the upcoming new edition include the following.

Designing the Structure

• New guidelines for the selection of common structural systems have been added.
• Guidelines for the design of highrise building systems have been updated.
• Charts for the preliminary sizing of columns and walls of various structural materials been improved and updated.

Designing Spaces for Mechanical and Electrical Services

• Guidelines for the selection of elevator systems have been updated.
• Information on the newest, machine room-less or compact machine room electric traction elevator systems has been added.

Designing Parking

• This all-new chapter provides guidelines on the sizing and configuration of at-grade and structured parking facilities. With the information provided, the designer can quickly approximate the size and capacity of any parking facility. In the case of structured parking, the facility's circulation system, height, choice of structural system, and layout of structural elements can also be determined.

Designing With the Building Codes

• Building code information throughout the text has been updated to reflect the latest North American model building codes (International Building Code 2006 and National Building Code of Canada 2005).
• Information on design for accessibility has been significantly expanded and updated.
• Information on building egress systems has been expanded and reorganized for easier reference.
• Information on the selection of construction systems, and height and area limits for buildings has been completely updated to reflect the latest model building code requirements.

refabricating Architecture

REVIEW
refabricating Architecture, by Stephen Kieran and James Timberlake (McGraw-Hill, 2004), is subtitled "How Manufacturing Methodologies Are Poised to Transform Building Construction". In a nutshell, this book proposes that techniques of prefabrication and modularization common in other industries should be applied to the design and construction of buildings, so as to achieve less expensive, higher quality buildings that can be constructed in less time.

At its best, this book draws on the authors' own research into contemporary trends in design and manufacturing in the automobile, commercial airline, ship building, and other industries; it presents examples of the authors' attempts at applying lessons learned to their own projects; and it offers interesting insites into how the traditional organization of construction trades and suppliers inhibits innovation in project delivery methods.

Though at times the writing style seemed to this author a bit ponderous, for readers interested in innovations in project delivery methods within the design and construction industries, this book is a worthwhile read.