"International Facades - CROFT" links the fields of architecture, building services and building physics. It aims at an international diversity in façade design to reduce energy consumption in building design.Current architectural planning practices, such as the International Style, perceive the climate often as a problem, rather than an opportunity to work with it.This doctoral thesis presents a “Facade Expert Tool” (FET) that analyses the climate and the combination of th...

Courtyards have been used for thousands of years in different climates in the world. In hot climates they provide shading, in humid climates they cause a stack effect helping ventilation, in cold climates they break cold winds and protect their microclimate. In temperate climates (such as of the Netherlands), the thermal behaviour of courtyards has been studied less. In this dissertation, low-rise residential courtyard buildings were therefore studied among (and along) different urban bloc...

The starting point of the research is the need to refurbish existing residential building stock, in order to reduce its energy demand, which accounts for over one fourth of the energy consumption in the European Union. Refurbishment is a necessary step to reach the ambitious energy and decarbonisation targets for 2020 and 2050 that require an eventual reduction up to 90% in CO2 emissions. In this context, the rate and depth of refurbishment need to grow. The number of building to be renova...

This book shows the potential of Additive Manufacturing (AM) for the development of building envelopes: AM will change the way of designing facades, how we engineer and produce them. To achieve today’s demands from those future envelopes, we have to find new solutions.The term ‘AM Envelope’ (Additive Manufacturing Envelope) describes the transfer of this technology to the building envelope. Additive Fabrication is a building block that aids in developing the building envelope from ...

This year's fifth issue of A+BE outlines the relevance of the building substance as factor for the overall sustainable performance of the built environment. It wants to sensibilize the designer for the ecological dimension of planning decisions and to show how to optimize them. Design and construction of buildings include harvesting resources and producing emissions and stating a burden to nature. This can be perceived equivalent to a financial investment where the monetary value has to ex...

A survey of the built environment distills the work of legendary author and illustrator Francis D. K. Ching into a single volumeIntroduction to Architecture presents the essential texts and drawings of Francis D. K. Ching for those new to architecture and design. With his typical highly graphic approach, this is the first introductory text from Ching that surveys the design of spaces, buildings, and cities. In an easy to understand format, readers will exp...

Digital Fabrications, the second volume in our new Architecture Briefs series, celebrates the design ingenuity made possible by digital fabrication techniques. Author Lisa Iwamoto explores the methods architects use to calibrate digital designs with physical forms. The book is organized according to five types of digital fabrication techniques: tessellating, sectioning, folding, contouring, and forming. Projects are shown both in their finished forms and in working drawings, templates, and...

A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO STRUCTURAL GLASS FACADES FOR ARCHITECTS, ENGINEERS, AND BUILDERSOnce an experimental building form, structural glass facades have matured into a fully robust technology. Structural Glass Facades and Enclosures documents, defines, and categorizes the current state of the art in long-span glass facade design and construction, with a focus on structural systems, glass cladding options, and implementation strategies for innovative desi...

150 Best Sustainable House Ideas features the latest innovations in environmentally friendly home design. From heating and cooling solutions to wind energy systems, solar paneling, thermal glazing, and even Trombe walls, the ideas featured inside are complemented by photographs and architectural plans of gorgeous, sustainable houses around the world.

The comprehensive guide to furniture design— expanded and updatedFurniture designers draw on a range of knowledge and disciplines to create their work. From history to theory to technology, Furniture Design offers a comprehensive survey of the essential craft- and practice-related aspects of furniture design.Generously illustrated with photographs and drawings—including a new color section—this Second Edition features updated coverage of m...

Blaine Brownell s best-selling Transmaterial series has introduced designers to hundreds of emergent materials that have the potential to transform our built environment. In our new Architecture Brief, Material Strategies, Brownell shows architects how creative applications of these materials achieve such transformations. Chapters based on fundamental material categories examine historical precedents, current opportunities, and future environmental challenges. Case studies featuring detail...

A stunning look at how people around the world are using prefabrication to create energy-efficient, sustainable, and stylish homes.Prefabulous World is the fourth book in Sheri Konnes's revolutionary Prefabulous series. Presenting an international look at sustainable home design, it explores a compelling range of design styles and cutting-edge green technologies. The rising cost of fuel and the growing commitment to protect the environment have sparked exci...