New Books in the Store!

Head over to the BFI store to see the new books we have in stock! They include:

Materials for Design by Victoria Ballard Bell

As architecture programs throughout the country break out of the classroom and adopt the holistic methods of design/build programs, the need for a textbook that bridges the gap between construction materials and design sensibility is sorely needed. Materials for Design is that book.

Students must be taught how a choice of material affects the form and look of a structure; they must also learn how inspired design can inject any material with true personality and zeal. Broken into five sections: glass, wood, metals, plastics, and concrete, Materials for Design makes a thorough study of each material’s properties, followed by a series of 1012 case studies of that material put to imaginative use by today’s brightest architects from around the world.

Earth Architecture by Ronald Rael

Author Ronald Rael, founder of EarthArchitecture.org provides a history of building with earth in the modern era, focusing particularly on projects constructed in the last few decades that use rammed earth, mud brick, compressed earth, cob, and several other interesting techniques. Earth Architecture presents a selection of more than forty projects that exemplify new, creative uses of the oldest building material on the planet. With more than three hundred images, Earth Architecture showcases the beauty and simplicity of one of humankind’s most evolved and sophisticated building technologies.

Remarkable Structures by Sutherland Lyall

In the revolution of form-making that has taken place in architecture during the last ten years—from the crumbled folds of Frank Gehry to the cantilevered structures of Santiago Calatrava—the unsung heroes are the engineers who actually build these fantastic constructions. Their underappreciated task is the transform the designer’s vision—sometimes not much more than a cardboard model or computer rendering—into a built form of concrete, steel, glass, stone, or wood. In this balancing act between design and engineering, Remarkable Structures sets the record straight. It discusses and illustrates some of the best recent buildings from around the world, and looks at the relationship between architect and engineer, both from a practical and philosophical perspective.

Integrated Design in Contemporary Architects by Kiel Moe

Integrated Design in Contemporary Architecture takes a comprehensive look at projects that exemplify current approaches to this exciting new field. From museums to residences, from office buildings to universities and yogacenters, this book showcases twenty-eight examples of integrated design that cut across building types, budgets, climates, and locales. Drawings, diagrams, and photographs illustrate how the many disciplines involved in the building process work together to create sustainable spaces that acknowledge architecture’s critical role in our shared global community, economy, and ecosystem.