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How Buildings Learn: What Happens After They're Built

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How Buildings Learn: What Happens After They're Built (Hardcover)

by Stewart Brand (Author)

5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)

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Product details

Hardcover: 256 pages
Publisher: Viking (14 Nov 1994)
Language English
ISBN-10: 0670835153
ISBN-13: 978-0670835157
Product Dimensions: 28.2 x 22.1 x 3 cm

Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)

Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 458,367 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Product Description

This book on buildings asks the question why so many buildings punish and restrict us because almost none of them adapt well. In real use, buildings need to adapt because their uses are constantly changing. All buildings are predictions, and yet more high-style buildings are designed not to change, not to accommodate new use. A good portion of how buildings learn will be a natural history of how buildings change with time and what things work to make buildings adapt gracefully, what building layouts allow easy redefinition of space and building code considerations that permit remodelling. This practical book aims to integrate all the different aspects of the fragmented design and construction process, so that buildings can be seen as embodying a functional, yet aesthetic and capacious vision, not the conflicts, compromises and conveniences of clients, architects, engineers and contractors, all working in their interests, not the buildings.

From the Author

The best version of the book
The British edition of my HOW BUILDINGS LEARN is much the best, because it is so well printed, and the 250 photographs read very well. Critical remarks about buildings by Richard Rogers, however, were censored out of this edition, thanks to legal threats by Mr. Rogers. They are intact in the American editions. The BBC did a fine 6-part TV series based on the book. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Customer Reviews

4 Reviews

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5.0 out of 5 stars (4 customer reviews)

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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A call for "adaptable architecture", 20 Feb 2004

By	"mrwilsonyau" - See all my reviews

This review is from: How Buildings Learn: What Happens After They're Built (Paperback)

We assume a building is permanent when it's built and will pretty much remain the same. But the reality is that buildings are dynamic, they constantly change, as the owners or occupiers make small or large scale alterations. Brand's book highlights the fact that no building is permanent in its present condition, all buildings must change to adapt, buildings that cease to change, cease to function and are abandoned.

This is a theory backed up by real examples, drawn mainly from the USA, but also from Europe. Using photos from archives Brand records the changes individual buildings go through and the diverse results these demands create. We get to see how the appearance and function of individual buildings change in many real life examples.

The book shows the reader how time adds to a building. He recognises the different pressures for change for different types of buildings: Commercial, residential and institutional buildings, go through.

The author is not an architect, which explains why it is so refreshing, enjoyable and easily read. It has a clear message to all those involved in architecture and building design, that we must be able to build structures that are adaptable. We are given examples of "high road" or signature architecture that can not be changed, and since it can't adapt it is causing real difficulties for its users.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A truly fascinating read..., 22 April 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: How Buildings Learn: What Happens After They're Built (Paperback)

I first read this book when I borrowed the American edition from the local library; I was so impressed that I bought the British edition shortly afterwards.

It really makes you think about the nature of buildings and how they can change/adapt over time. Some great photographs too, especially the sets of photographs of the same building over a period of years, illustrating just how fundamentally the appearance/use of a building can change over the course of its lifetime.

Top marks, Mr. Brand! Hope you've got something just as good in the pipeline.

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excelent study of how time and people shape Buildings, 4 Jan 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: How Buildings Learn: What Happens After They're Built (Paperback)

I read the book about 4 years ago as a sixth Year student of Architect in the UK. Its is excelent and some of the simple diagrams in it influenced my sixth year disertation. As an Architect it is sometimes difficult to read Brands valid criticism of over specific design, but having done so i would recommend it to anyone, particularly Architects.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Love it love it love it
If you love books which are heavy in images and text than this is it - Fastinating look into how buildings are adapted over time.

Published on 25 Jul 2006 by T. Cain

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