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Curious about how Alsop Architects managed to construct that flying, translucent rectangle at the Ontario College of Art and Design? Wonder about the sustainability of the Genzyme Building? The saying "the truth is in the details" reveals an essential quality of architectural design. How a staircase curves, a roof seemingly floats, or a concrete wall illuminates are critical questions for architects looking at or creating new work. You might forgive designers for closely guarding their signature techniques. Fortunately, editors Christine Killory and René Davids culled an amazing collection of the best trade secrets in Details in Contemporary Architecture.

By looking at the best work of the past two years, the book demonstrates how complicated design problems have been handled by architects to achieve beautiful, functional, innovative, sustainable, and, where necessary, economical results. Including work by David Chipperfield, Herzog and deMeuron, Morphosis, ShoP, and many other well-known firms, Details in Contemporary Architecture extensively explores the common as well as more exotic architectural detailing (screens and walls, doors and windows, roofs, bridges, and stairs) that so often gets lost in the pages and photographs of the design media.

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Almost a 'How Did They Do That'

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AsBuilt is a new series of architecture books beint published by Princeton Architectural Press. This is the first book in the series and seems to be the prototype for the concept of the series. This book, and all of the planned books in the series, feature 25 buildings that were actually constructed in the US or Canada. Besides being interesting buildings in their overall design, the author, a practicing architect in her own right, goes beyond the facade to present how the special features of the building were designed/constructed. As the saying goes, 'the Devil is in the details.' And here are the details of these buildings discussed in the open. Many of these feature new construction materials, old materials used in new ways, or merely have designs that go beyond the expected. Ms. Killory has been able to get the architects involved to share their newest developments, right down to including the engineering drawings of particularly difficult parts of the structure. This book goes beyond the normal 'idea book' to give you the how as well. And showing only 'AsBuilt' buildings, here are buildings not just concepts on paper.