The papers in this volume deal with the design of many types of buildings in Islamic countries and the influence that these structural forms have had in non-Islamic countries. Coverage will also include construction materials.There is much to learn from past experiences to arrive at solutions that are environmentally sound and sustainable in the long term. As conventional energy resources become scarce, the Islamic design heritage can offer invaluable lessons on how to deal with difficult and extreme environments in an efficient manner. Traditional architecture and urban environment in most Islamic countries is now being eroded by overemphasis on global type of architecture and city planning. Consequently, many regions are losing their identity. The papers review these developments in the light of what the classical Islamic urban designs and architectures have to offer modern society.The papers in this book cover such topics as: Architectural conservation; Architectural heritage; Architecture in Malaysia and Indonesia; Climate adaptability; Conservation and restoration; Historical aspects; Houses and gardens; Islamic art and globalisation; Mosques and minarets; Ottoman Istanbul; Schools; The African Coast; The Islamic urban environment; The Mediterranean region; The use of light; Vernacular architecture; Wood and wooden roofs. The contents will be of interest to all researchers, practitioners and government employees actively involved with Islamic Heritage Architecture.

An accessible look at the many regional styles of architecture in Spain, from Roman times to the present. Covering all regions of Spain, from Bilbao's Guggenheim Museum to Granada's Islamic palace of La Alhambra, and all periods of Spanish architecture, from the Roman aqueduct at Segovia to the modernistic German Pavilion in Barcelona, this volume examines 68 of Spain's most important architectural landmarks. Writing in a clear and engaging style, Lapunzina describes the features, functions, and historical importance of each structure. Besides identifying location, style, architects, and periods of initial construction and major renovation, the cross-referenced and illustrated entries also highlight architectural and historical terms explained in the glossary, and the book concludes with a useful listing of further readings. The volume also offers lists of entries by location and architectural time period, as well as a general bibliography, a subject index, and a detailed introductory overview of Spanish architecture. Part of the Reference Guides to National Architecture series, this book looks at Spanish architecture from all regions, and all periods of history.

The Birmingham Art Book is a tribute to a unique city whose visionary scientists and inventors made it famous as a manufacturing powerhouse. From heavy metal industry - here is where the first steam trains were built- to heavy metal music - Black Sabbath made their mark here, this is a place with a proud heritage. Its handsome university is the original of the 'Redbrick' universities, founded by a farsighted mayor in 1900 as a civic place of learning, open to all, now with many world famous alumni and staff, 10 of whom have won Nobel prizes. Local artists convey the architectural glory of Victoria Square and the city centre Museum and Art Gallery (which holds a sumptuous collection of Pre-Raphaelite art). In their drawings, they echo the modern vibrancy of buildings such as the iconic Selfridges department store and the REP theatre. Collages and sketches depict a city buzzing with vitality -from the world-renowned Hippodrome theatre, to the shopping centres and legendary nightlife that are national attractions. Quirky nooks like the Jewellery Quarter, the Electric Cinema or the tranquil Botanic gardens hidden so close to the centre are reflected in this lovely book. The green city with 8000 acres of public parks and many miles of canal paths dating from its heyday in the Industrial Revolution is lovingly drawn and painted by its artists. The Birmingham Art Book is where local artists shine a light on the grand and the humdrum with equal affection. Their love for the modern city is evident and their pride in its heritage comes to the fore in this lovely book.

In the years after the fall of communist governments in Central, Eastern, and South- eastern Europe (CESEE), a flood of memoir literature began to fill bookstores around the region. The turn to autobiography and personal narrative inspired the theme section in this volume of "Aspasia" women's auto-biographical writing and correspondence. Articles in this section examine women's autobiographical writing in the second half of the nineteenth century and women's written memories of epochal moments in the Soviet past: the Holodomor (or Great Famine) that convulsed Ukraine in the aftermath of forced collectivization, and the experience of women soldiers during World War II.

Also in this volume, we present the continuation of a fascinating forum on women's and gender history in CESEE, "Clio on the Margins," edited by Krassimira Daskalova (the first five essays appeared in Aspasia volume 6]). The eight essays in this section provide a comprehensive look at the state of the field of women's and gender history in Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, and Russia.

The volume concludes with two more general articles, two book review essays, twenty book reviews, and a conference report.

Origins of Form is about the shape of things. What limits the height of a tree? Why is a large ship or office building more efficient than a small one? What is the similarity between a human rib cage and an airplane or a bison and a cantilevered bridge? How might we plan for things to improve as they are used instead of wearing out? The author has chosen eight criteria that constitute the major influences on three-dimensional form. These criteria comprise the eight chapters of the book: each looks at form from entirely different viewpoints. The products of both nature and man are examined and compared. This book will make readers-especially those who design and build-aware of their physical environment and how to break away from previously held assumptions and indifference about the ways forms in our human environment have evolved. It shows better ways to do things.The author's practical, no-nonsense approach and his exquisite drawings, done especially for this volume, provide a clear understanding of what can and cannot be; how big or small an object should be, of what material it will be made, how its function will relate to its design, how its use will change it, and what laws will influence its development. The facts and information were gathered from many sources: the areas of mechanics, structure, and materials; geology, biology, anthropology, paleobiology, morphology and others. These are standard facts in these areas of specialization, but they are also essential to the designer's overall knowledge and understanding of form. The result is an invaluable work for students, designers, architects, and planners, and an informed introduction to a fascinating subject for laymen.

Overview: The Various Passive Cooling Systems and Their Applicability to Different Climates and Building Types.

Minimizing Cooling Needs by Building Design.

Ventilative Cooling.

Radiant Cooling.

Evaporative Cooling Systems.

The Earth as a Cooling Source for Buildings.

Cooling of Attached Outdoor Spaces.

Index.