| Table Of Contents |
Introduction; Prologue Evolving Balance; Part One: Time; Matters of Research; Time and Materials; Part Two: Material; Material Families and Properties; Metals; Polymers; Ceramics; Composites; Natural Materials; Selecting Materials; Part Three: Systems; Assemblies; Structural Morphologies; Epilogue Material World; Bibliography; Glossary.
Book Review
Materials are on the stage again. We see buildings that are using
emergent materials creating cutting-edge walls.
For instance, aquatics center
for recent Beijing Olympics wowed public and professionals alike.
The wow effect was a direct result of using Teflon. Building
professionals are asked by friends what that transparent film is. Yet,
not many can answer it offhand. This book, by Prof. Fernandez can cure
that. The book will tell the reader ETFE (Teflon) falls under thermoset
of synthetic polymers, how it was invented, what are its characteristics and potentials.
The book covers many diverse issues in a very smart way. The book begins
by introducing how knowledge has been produced and distributed since the
industrial revolution and how emerging industrial ecology discipline
influences the invention, selection, and assembly of materials.
Then the body of the book provides taxonomic analysis of materials.
Basically they are divided into five material families; Metals, Polymers,
Ceramics, Composites, and Biomaterials and Loam. Each section provides
brief history, physical properties, behavior patterns, current usage and
potentials in the industry.
When a book becomes taxonomic, especially with the jargons of chemistry
and physics, it could easily become dull and flat. Fernandez is
well aware of that danger, so he very diligently at the right time of
reading pulls the reader into actual applications and design potentials.
Personally, the book was extremely helpful. Unlike most architectural
material books out there that is mainly focused on the trendy effects of
skin play, this book probes diligently and thoroughly bridging diverse
disciplines.
Two thumbs up for his extensive bibliography. Ample websites are also
provided for further research. Building Science book put together by a
first-class minded designer. What a book! |
