Designing the Exterior Wall

Book excerpt: By presenting the basics of building science along with a prescribed set of details, Designing the Exterior Wall helps you understand why buildings fail and how they can be made more durable through design. Author Linda Brock connects the science and aesthetics of building envelopes through the examination of a variety of construction and cladding types. She features details from real world projects in a variety of climates, successful and unsuccessful case studies, and checklists you can use on your own projects. Helps you reduce your liability by showing why building envelopes fail and how they can be designed to endure. Moves from theory to actual construction by including hundreds of building envelope details from a broad array of projects and climates. Integrates numerous contemporary case studies, including Frank Gehry's Experiential Music Center in Seattle (thin skins), Renzo Piano's Rue de Meaux housing in Paris (terra cotta cladding), and Mario Botta's San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (prefabricated brick panels). Designing the Exterior Wall is a must-have book, whether you're an architect or a student. Order your copy today.