No one can accuse Fitchen of lacking ambition. Here, he sets out to
survey the practices of "the builder" (as opposed to "the
designer") from prehistoric times to the present. The project is a
promising one: to investigate the methods of those anonymous
artisans who produced everything from sheds to Chartres.
Unfortunately for the general reader, Fitchen fails to enliven his
subject with the kinds of anecdotal details that would bring the
processes he describes - the use of falsework, estimation of
stresses, ventilation problems - down to a human scale. The tone of
the work is unremittingly scholarly, the text dotted with
references to such phrases as "hammer beams" and "casing blocks."
For professionals in the field of architecture, this will prove an
engrossing compilation of construction methods utilized by various
cultures. Discussing ventilation, for example, Fitchen ranges from
the solutions devised by medieval builders at the Abbey of Ste.
Marie de Breteuil in France, to those by Hopi Indians in the kivas
of the American Southwest, the igloo-builders in the Arctic and the
constructors of the great pyramids of Egypt. In addition, he
applies the same thoroughness to such matters as vaulting, ladders,
site selection and the procurement and training of labor forces.
Impressive, but for the general reader more than a little daunting.
An important addition to architectural literature, one that will be
welcomed by students and professionals in the field. General
readers may, however, prefer sticking to Popular Mechanics.
Copiously illustrated with photographs, drawings and diagrams, all
of which help to amplify the text. (Kirkus Reviews)
How were huge stones moved from quarries to the sites of
Egyptian pyramids? How did the cathedral builders of the Middle
Ages lift blocks to great heights by muscle power alone? In this
intriguing book John Fitchen explains and illustrates the solutions
to these and many other puzzles in preindustrial building
construction.This is the first general survey of the practices and
role of the builder (as opposed to the designer) in constructing an
array of structures. Fitchen's approach gives a valuable hands-on
feel for what it's like to work with ropes and ladders, wedges and
slings; with crews engaged in well digging, bridge building, and
the transporting of obelisks hundreds of miles by water and over
land. The buildings discussed range from the tents, tepees, and
igloos of nomadic tribes to the monumental pyramids of Egypt, the
temples of Greece, the aqueducts of Rome, and the cathedrals of
medieval Europe.John Fitchen, a registered architect, is Professor
of Fine Arts, Emeritus, at Colgate University and the author of The
Construction of Gothic Cathedrals and The New World Dutch Barn.
General
Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate?
Let us know about it.
Does this product have an incorrect or missing image?
Send us a new image.
Is this product missing categories?
Add more categories.
Review This Product
No reviews yet - be the first to create one!
Welcome to Loot.co.za!
Sign in / Register |Wishlists & Gift Vouchers |Help | Advanced search
(1)
