Why Buildings Stand Up: The Strength of Architecture

Book Description

Between a nomad's tent and the Sears Tower lies a revolution in technology, materials, and structures. Here is a clear and enthusiastic introduction to building methods from ancient times to the present day. B/W line drawings.

Customer Reviews:

Amazon Sucks!!!!.......2007-07-15

I never received this book from Amazon. Now I get to go through the fun process of trying to get a refund. Amazon sucks. Meanwhile, I bought this book at a bookstore and it is really good.

Accessible, Informational, and Fascinating.......2007-07-06

Salvadori's "Why Buildings Stand Up" is perhaps best introduced by the author's own words in the preface, succinctly and appealingly written: "This book was written for those who love beautiful buildings and wonder how they stand up." A somewhat lofty goal, the author nevertheless does a wonderful job of introducing the basics of building mechanics and then to describe how those mechanics - both static and dynamic - are at play in a wide variety of structures ancient and modern. The book is a thoroughly enjoyable read that leaves one much more greatly informed than one might expect, despite the obvious implication and stated goal of the title.

The book truly represents a door opening into the world of structural issues in architecture. After a brief introduction on the historical background of the field of architecture, Salvadori introduces the pyramids of Egypt as one of the earliest examples of empirical approaches to structural erection ("empirical" meaning that much of this effort was trial-and-error, in spite of some basic understandings of how gravity affects, and creates, structural "loads" in any construction). Having allowed us to focus our thoughts on these early construction programs, we then are introduced in turn to essential engineering architecture concepts such as loads, beams, columns, and building materials. These discussions, which are covered in extensive, but nevertheless clear, text, serve as the foundation pieces for everything else examined throughout the remainder of the work.

The text next moves into numerous specific building types, and examines the specific engineering issues surrounding each. By presenting the material in this manner, we are able to learn all about the sometimes complex statics and dynamics issues in a contextual manner, i.e., we see the actual real-life application of these concepts in the instances the author chooses as venues to teach these concepts. We look at houses from all ages, every major type of bridge, at domes, tents, balloon structures, and even "hanging dishes." We are also provided neatly crafted line drawings illustrating these concepts, and often reproducing specific sites that represent salient examples of the concepts under discussion.

Beyond discussing structural concepts, we are also treated to specific examinations, by chapter, of some of the most fascinating building projects around the world, and are made to consider the unique and often complex structural issues at work in these buildings. These include the Eiffel Tower, the Hagia Sophia, the Brooklyn Bridge, and even a whole chapter on the fascinating elements in play in the classic medieval European gothic cathedral. In the case of gothic cathedrals, Salvadori selects one of the most interesting of cases, the Saint Pierre cathedral of Beauvais, as a dual example of how gothic structural forces are controlled through the pointed arch, the ribbed vault, and the flying buttress, but also how that, in some cases, such as at Beauvais, collapse still ensued under certain conditions. The Beauvais case is particularly interesting, as the lofty goal of the edifice - to be the tallest gothic cathedral ever built - may not have been the actual cause of collapse, and the steps taken to prevent further collapse (such as the adding of additional interior piers in the 14th century) are not necessarily the only reason why collapse has not since occurred in the structure since the 16th century.

Salvadori's text is a companion to his other volume, "Why Buildings Fall Down," and although this might sound like a marketing ploy, upon reading the two texts one can see the very different approach and outcomes produced by these two approaches. You can certainly read either volume by itself and walk away satisfied, but if you read BOTH volumes, the opportunity is presented to the reader to more carefully integrate the learning into a more meaningful whole. One might view one approach as a top-down approach, and the other a bottom-up approach, although that metaphor slightly fails in some respects. But there is nevertheless a great value in seeing how stressors, tension, lateral forces, and so on balance in harmony in structurally-sound buildings and structures, and how unbalanced loads can force collapse in all types of structures.
As an adjunct reading to the mechanical engineer, I can heartily recommend both these texts to help contextualize and illuminate the concepts learned in engineering classes. For the general reader, I can equally recommend these books as fascinating and educational forays into the world of structures, both standing and not.

Essential Read for Architecture Students.......2007-02-18

This book is an essential read for architecture students entering the first years of architecture school or entering into Structures class, as well as curious people just interested in architecture in general. It is topically comprehensive in its description of critical physics, structure, and historical events that effect the building industry today.

Architects Taking Credit Yet Again.......2006-11-03

This is a "pet peeve" of Structural Engineers generally. Whenever the lay-person is given a presentation on structural engineering, almost invariably it is described as "architecture." Ignorant journalists will go to an architect for "expert copy" on structural failures, for instance.

While it is true that, centuries ago, architects and structural engineers were synonymous, that hasn't been true for many generations. In fact, the divide between architects and structural engineers has, lamentably, never been greater. The typical architect has so little understanding of structures beyond the aesthetics, and structural engineers are constantly called upon to "fix" their designs so that they work.

A perfect example is the John Hancock Building (JHB) in Boston, MA. Designed in the 1960s by reknowned architect I. M. Pei, the JHB has received numerous awards for "design," because of its striking appearance.

Yet as a building, it has been a miserable failure. Pei reportedly spurned the notion of having a structural engineer "interfere" with his work, and as a result the building after construction was so flexible that about 30% of the glass panels in its outer envelope popped out of their casings and crashed to the ground. At one time in the 1970s, this "pinnacle of the architect's art" was festooned with a checkerboard of plywood panels where the glass had been.

Be very wary of any work on "structural engineering" that substitutes the word "architecture" in its title and content. You will almost invariably be dealing with ignorance and misinformation.

Ok but gets a little fruity. .......2006-03-31

Overall this book gives good information on building, general techniques and general material usage. It pretty well covers all of the big general building concepts and is suitable for a structural or civil engineering novice.

However, there are a few problems I found with the author and the parts of his character that he put in the book. Mainly centering around his compulsion to make all things mystical or special in some way that they are not deserving.

First of all he refers to a computer as a "slave". Why does he feel the need to personify the computer? I have a few ideas but they are beyond the scope of this review.

Next he dedicates an entire chapter to The Eiffel Tower and in this chapter, his tones are as if he nearly worships the thing. From an engineering perspective, this seems a bit silly. There was no special feat in building the tower as it only has to hold itself up with very little extra. It has no solid walls to catch the wind, so it didn't even have to be braced in that regard. Further the tower serves no real purpose other than to just give a view of Paris, so I fail to see how an architect or civil engineer could hold it in such high regard.

My last complaint about the book is that in nearly every chapter he tends to digress from the topic and go on some mystical, political or social rant that usually only lasts for one or two lines and a paragraph at most. The most irritating of which is on Page 141 where speaking of the building of the Panama Canal by the French (and Eiffel) he says "A combination of bribes, political corruption, anti-Semitism, and hostility from the United States put a sudden end to this gigantic endeavor". Ignoring the factual standing of his statements for the moment, such blatantly socially "agenda-ized" remarks have no place in a book about architecture.

Why Buildings Stand Up - The Strength Of Architecture

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Why Buildings Stand Up - The Strength Of Architecture
Mario; Illustrations by Hooker, Saralinda and Ragus, Christopher Salvadori
Manufacturer: Mcgraw-hill Book Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000V0KWPC

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WHY BUILDINGS STAND UP THE STRENGTH OF ARCHITECTURE
Mario Salvadori
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000S96DQ8

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WHY BUILDINGS STAND UP-THE STRENGTH OF ARCHITECTURE

Manufacturer: W.W. Norton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000H28TPE

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Why Buildings Stand Up: The Strength of Architecture

Manufacturer: Norton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000HJI9XO

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Why Buildings Stand Up : The Strength of Architecture
Mario G. Salvadori
Manufacturer: Mcgraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OFZ7ZY

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Why Buildings Stand Up: The Strength of Architecture
Mario; Hooker, Saralinda; Ragus, Christopher Salvadori
Manufacturer: Norton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OM3NRG

Customer Reviews:

Dazzled...not quite.......2007-05-17

Truth be told, and I am a hard-core Versailles-o-phile, this book left much to be desired in the history department. What, no reproductions of the Enfants de France? And where's Marie Therese? The binding was superior to what I'd been lead to believe by other reviews. Overall, an adequate addition to a casual collection of the Chateau de Versailles.

This book would even make the Sun King proud.......2005-04-15

What an amazing book, it is nothing short of spectacular. The pictures are vivid and the book quality is of the highest caliber. The other reviewer was correct in noting that the reader has to been careful with this book, the pages are so heavy that it will pull from the binding if you are not careful when positioning the book. I have always had a facination with Versailles and this book really captures the chateaux, it makes you feel like you are stolling the gardens and taking in the sumptuous wonders of the palace. Unlike other books on Versailles this one is complete, it covers everything and in striking detail. I urge anyone with any interest in Versailles to buy this book, even used at 200 U.S., it is a bargain. I assure you you will not be disappointed in this book.

NEWEST EDITION BETTER BOUND!!!!.......2004-08-11

Five stars PLUS! I have a new edition and it is very well bound - no need to worry about it falling apart! If you've ever been to Versailles this book will mist you up! If you're planning a return trip this book will be your bible... It is amazing how inexpensive this book is when you consider the spectacular colour photos.

Really deserves 10 stars! However, I must warn you..........2001-11-15

This is THE BEST book there is on Versailles (which is probably why its normally a hundred bucks!) There is only one problem I have ever had with the book and that is the poor physical quality. I had to order it twice because my first copy fell completely apart within a few weeks. Needless to say I was not happy at all when that happened. Every copy that I have seen (in libraries, other bookstores) has the same problem. Normally, I would not have tried again after that, but I HAD to have this book. My second one has also begun to separate from the binding, so I rarely read it... but when I do, I use **EXTREME** care. I think the main reason for this is the size and weight of the book, so if you decide to purchase it, keep that in mind. I recommend turning the pages *slowly* and not leaving it completely flat and/or open for any long period of time. Also, store it horizontally, NOT vertically... the pages are so heavy, they will end up tearing themselves out!

Absolute perfection!.......2001-09-12

Without a doubt, the most beautiful and informative book ever on the Palace of Versailles. Architectural history , decorative wonders, sumptuous furniture, this book explores it all! THE BOOK for all lovers of Versailles or eighteenth century French art.

The smaller houses and gardens of Versailles from 1680 to 1815, (The Pencil Points Library)

Average customer rating:

C'est magnifique!

The smaller houses and gardens of Versailles from 1680 to 1815, (The Pencil Points Library)
Leigh French
Manufacturer: The Pencil Points Press, inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0008567S6

Customer Reviews:

C'est magnifique!.......2007-06-29

An incredibly beautiful book documenting the exquisite details of the smaller house and gardens of Versailles. I am honored to be the newest caretaker of this book.

It was described as being in "acceptable" condition. However, considering it is 80 years old it is practically in "prime" condition. Merci beaucoup!

The Sun King's Garden: Louis XIV, Andre le Notre and the Creation of the Gardens of Versailles

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LOUIS' EDEN

The Sun King's Garden: Louis XIV, Andre le Notre and the Creation of the Gardens of Versailles
Ian Thompson
Manufacturer: Bloomsbury USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Versailles: A Garden in Four Seasons
Versailles
New Gardens in Provence: 30 Contemporary Creations
Gardens of Versailles
Great Gardens of the World: In Search of Paradise

ASIN: 1582346313
Release Date: 2006-10-31

Book Description

Warmonger, womanizer, and autocrat, Louis XIV may also have been history’s most fanatical gardener. At Versailles, twelve miles outside Paris, France’s self-styled “Sun King” created not only Europe’s most lavish palace, but, beginning in 1661, the most extensive gardens the Western world has ever seen. Assisting Louis in this enterprise was the low-born gardener André Le Nôtre, whose character and temperament were as different from those of his sovereign as it is possible to conceive. Where Louis was ruthless and relentlessly driven, Le Nôtre was down to earth, witty and amiable – and also phenomenally talented. While Louis could strike fear into the highest in the land with just a look, Le Nôtre enjoyed the king’s trust and friendship for more than 40 years. In this lavishly illustrated book, Ian Thompson tells more comprehensively than ever before the intertwined stories of an extraordinary garden and an extraordinary friendship.

Customer Reviews:

LOUIS' EDEN.......2006-11-08

Louis XIV was fortunite in his association with the great Le Notre or I should say he was lucky to have the power of the devine right monarch, so he could steal him from Fouquet and Vieux le Vicomte to work on his Vallala, Versailles. Louis was king incarnate, he was the state, period, the epitome, the very definition of the devine, absolute monarch, and he knew exactly what he wanted and with the genius of Le Notre he created a garden that was and to this day still is the envey of the world. This book does a fine job of capturing Le Notre's gardens at Versailles at their best. The text is enlightening and the images are well conceived. If you have any interest in Versailles or French Formal Gradens, the I highly recommend this book.

Versailles Gardens: Sculpture and Mythology

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Beautiful!!

Versailles Gardens: Sculpture and Mythology
Jacques Girard
Manufacturer: Vendome Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Landscape | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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Customer Reviews:

Beautiful!!.......1998-06-27

This is a very beautiful book filled with many lavish photos of the gardens and statues at Versailles. It's an excellent source of pictorial reference for anyone who aspires to travel to France, and in particular, to visit the magnificent Palace of Versailles.

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VERSAILLES

Versailles: A Garden in Four Seasons

Manufacturer: "Harry N. Abrams, Inc."
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Photography | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

Versailles
The Sun King's Garden: Louis XIV, Andre le Notre and the Creation of the Gardens of Versailles
Gardens of Versailles
The Splendor of France: Great Chateaux, Mansions, and Country Houses
Paris, City of Art

ASIN: 0810959917

Book Description

The sumptuous palace and gardens of Versailles represented both Louis XIV's celebration of himself and a perfectly balanced integration of art and nature. Millions of tourists have long admired the gardens for their inexhaustible source of new life and enduring mystery. The allées and parterres resonate with memories of pomps and promenades, feasts and follies. As a monument to the Sun King, the solar symbolism of Apollo reigns over both architecture and ornament at Versailles, yet French classicism dominates the gardens, imposing a strict geometrical order on the forest, shaping the flowerbeds and boxwood, and brightening the bosky depths with fountains and statuary.

Photographer Jacques Dubois presents Versailles through the cycle of the seasons and the shifting intensities of their light. His evocative images show the great facades, the stone goddesses, the flowers and pools, the masks, columns, and towering trees transformed by the ever-shifting forces of nature. Brief essays provide historical perspective and insight into the development of this enduring landmark. This gorgeous book will be treasured by visitors to Versailles as well as any garden lover.

Customer Reviews:

VERSAILLES.......2006-02-09

This is a wonderfully realized book on a most deserving subject. The gardens of Le Notre, at Versailles, are the most spectaular in the world and the apex of French classical garden design, Louis XIV was heavily envoled in their creation, and the Sun King took most of the credit, but it was mostly the great Le Notre. This book has some spectacular images and the palace and grounds are just breathtaking, it really is hard to wrap your mind around this much splendor. If you have any interest at all amazing landscape architecture or just appreciate opulance then you will love this book. Thank goodness the palace was not pulled down during the Revolution, it was said because it was so vast it would be too much work to destroy so they let it languish in glorious decay, to this day France is trying to restore it to its apex during the ancient regime, this book lets us in on some of that opulance reflected in the splendid gardens. Highly recommended.

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Breathtaking pictures!
Great Pictures.... but kinda small

Versailles Gardens
Beatrix Saule
Manufacturer: Vendome Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Landscape | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

Versailles: A Garden in Four Seasons
The Sun King's Garden: Louis XIV, Andre le Notre and the Creation of the Gardens of Versailles
Versailles
The Most Beautiful Gardens in the World

ASIN: 0865652449

Book Description

The park of the palace of Versailles spreads out from the foot of the château to as far as the eye can see. In designing it, Louis XIV shared the same aim as the Medicis in Florence and Henri IV at the Louvre-to manifest the ideal of rational government through the mastery of nature by intellect.

The seasons and the time of day dramatically transform the park in a matter of days, hours, or even minutes. The photographs here capture the moments when light suddenly colors the pools and basins crimson; when the Swiss Pond is transformed into a storm-tossed lake by the wind; or when, in the morning haze, phantoms emerge evocatively from the Basin of Neptune. The author tells the story of vision that Louis XIV, great gardener André le Nôtre, artist Hardouin-Mansart, and architect Charles Le Brun had for the gardens. Even those that know the gardens well will have the impression that they are encountering their magic for the first time in this splendid publication.

Customer Reviews:

Breathtaking pictures!.......2004-01-01

The pictures in this book, by photographer Jean-Babtiste Leroux, are breathtaking. Somewhat in the style of the painter Claude Monet, many of the pictures are taken of various fountains, walk-ways, and other areas of the gardens at different times of day and in different types of weather. Another reviewer said that one can see the shadow of the photographer in some of these pictures, but they are actually reflections of nearby statues and other objects in the gardens. I only gave this book four stars because it is hard to keep open and I wish that the pictures were bigger. Although, the smaller size does allow the book to be more affordable.

Great Pictures.... but kinda small.......2002-11-28

I'm going to be honest - I bought this book to more-or-less "complete" my collection of books on Versailles. The photos in this book are okay (any tourist could have done it, and the first two photos were shot through window to the interior so you can actually see a reflection the photographer). The majority of them have been shot from places most tourists wouldn't normally think to take a picture, which is good, but they're very small because the book itself is small, so you're not going to get the feeling that you're actually standing in the gardens at Versailles. I got the hardcover edition and it is really thick for such a small book, so it's a bit hard to keep open (the paperback MIGHT be slightly easier to use). Also, there is virtually no text accompanying the photos other than the tiny captions telling when and where the photo was taken, and a bit of text in the very back of the book - as an appendix. I don't know about you, but I like to know something about what it is I'm looking at. So, if you're looking for a book with detailed discriptions of the gardens, and intense, true-to-life photos that will make you feel as if you're really there, then this is NOT the book for you. If you only want a book with decent photos and don't mind a little struggling to keep it open, then you'll probably like it. I'm not planning to return it, but I don't find myself running back to it time, and time again. Get the paperback - it's cheaper!

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The Gardens of Versailles
Pierre Andre Lablaude
Manufacturer: Zwemmer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Sun King's Garden: Louis XIV, Andre le Notre and the Creation of the Gardens of Versailles
Versailles: A Garden in Four Seasons
The Fabrication of Louis XIV
Louis XIV and Absolutism: A Brief Study with Documents (The Bedford Series in History and Culture)
Versailles

ASIN: 0302006591

Versailles, Guide of the Tour of the Chateau and the Gardens

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Versailles, Guide of the Tour of the Chateau and the Gardens

Manufacturer: Mahé
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Product Description

A delightful visual tour of Versailles through a wide collection of color photographs, oil paintings, and maps. Includes a comprehensive chronology from 1607 to 1986.

The way to present the gardens of Versailles

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The way to present the gardens of Versailles
Louis
Manufacturer: RÃ©union des MusÃ©es Nationaux
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

All French Books | French | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books
ASIN: 2711824780
Release Date: 1992-04-23

Palace Of Versailles: France's Royal Jewel (Castles, Palaces & Tombs)

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Palace Of Versailles: France's Royal Jewel (Castles, Palaces & Tombs)
Linda Tagliaferro
Manufacturer: Bearport Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

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Marie Antoinette: Princess of Versailles, Austria-France, 1769 (The Royal Diaries)
Marie Antoinette: A Film by David Grubin
Versailles

ASIN: 1597160032

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