Welcome to NBS |

Reading list

The following titles relate to design and specification , and are available to buy from RIBA Bookshops.

Changing Hospital Architecture

What can good design offer that most functionally-distinct of building types, the hospital? Few well-known architects have been involved in their design and even fewer big architectural prizes have been awarded for them. And yet in almost no other building type are the consequences of getting the design wrong quite so serious.

Richly illustrated in full colour, Changing Hospital Architecture shows what can be achieved by reflecting on the UK's current huge hospital building programme in the light of historical and international experience. Aimed at health policy makers, architects and other construction professionals in the health sector, it points to potential exemplars, presents key issues and occasionally signals caution.

Space Craft

The handsomely illustrated Space Craft is a snapshot of the rapidly developing subject of architectural 3-D computer modelling. Increasingly important in contemporary architecture, many of today's iconic free-form structures simply couldn't be made without the advanced digital techniques described here. Packed with cutting-edge case studies by acknowledged leaders in the field, the book explores the contemporary state of the art and hints at its monumental potential, a potential that is within reach of very small practices – even sole practitioners.

Unified Design

Is the present obsession with the icon and the promotion of image over substance symptomatic of a general trend in contemporary architecture? Arup Associates provides the alternative: unified design, a radical pan-disciplinary approach that focuses on people from the outset, through the united vision of architects, engineers, artists and social scientists. Arup Associates rejects the imposition of an external image: there can be no standard solutions and no predefined styles. Instead, design must evolve from fundamental research and experiential goals, to form a holistic architecture entirely driven by a ‘whole life' sustainability that maintains human culture – tradition, religion, the intangible components of humanity – in the face of modernity.

Specifying Buildings: A Design Management Perspective

Selecting the best materials, techniques and systems for each project and then specifying them correctly to meet all the requirements of quality, time, value, constructability, maintenance and durability is a fundamental aspect of architectural design. It also helps to determine the quality and environmental impact of the project. Specifying Buildings: A Design Management Perspective provides a unique insight into the entire specification process, from selecting materials and products to writing the specification, dealing with changes and minimising risk.

This new edition has been extensively revised and includes new case studies, research findings and reviews to illustrate how to translate design intent into building assembly. The book is structured to meet the needs of students on construction-related programmes such as architecture, engineering, surveying and construction management. It provides valuable insights and practical guidance, with end of chapter exercises helping students achieve a thorough understanding of the specification process.

BackToTop