vongundlach.com

Note: image courtesy of Austin Hargrave

Sin City’s Underground Tunnels (via Environmental Graffiti)
http://tinyurl.com/yam6kp6

Read more on The Ghost City of Ordos: http://tinyurl.com/ye5otdg

A good construction manual is a must have for any architect’s library.

The Modern Construction Handbook by Andrew Watts is in my opinion one of the best construction manuals these days, covering construction systems in an extensive way. The best of this book are the details: good quality of the drawings and 3D sections that help you understand the details in a better way.

Construction manuals tend to be very outdated, even if they are brand new. On the contrary, this book includes a whole section on energy and alternative materials, along with a section called “Future” which helps us resolve complex geometries, twisted facades, new glazing systems and more.

The book has 500 pages printed in good quality paper, something very important for  a book that you will be constantly flipping when needing help on a project.

The Modern Construction Handbook has become a building construction classic. Its systematic approach with chapters on materials, walls, roofs, construction and environment offers clear and efficient orientation.

The second edition underwent a considerable expansion and has been thoroughly updated:

Digital fabrication techniques are included and presented in an instructional book for the first time, in addition to traditional production processes
- Constructive building principles are shown with new, color 3D drawings and illustrated with photos of built examples of the work of renown architects
- More and densely packed information provided by 3D drawings of the individual components and structures
- Glossary following every chapter containing explanations of terminology and related information
- Environmental aspects and properties of the different materials
- New design and rendering methods such as parametrical design, CAD/CAM and 3D Modeler are explained, shown and integrated in the respective chapters.

Modern Construction Handbook / Andrew Watts http://bit.ly/4QlVez

Now Introducing the Burj Dubai: http://tinyurl.com/y8va66s

For Some in Japan, Home Is a Tiny Plastic Bunk – NYTimes: http://bit.ly/7lo8pF

Happy New Year everyone!