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For the broadest possible coverage of terms that make up the basic language of architecture and construction, look no further than Dictionary of Architecture & Construction, Third Edition. Extensively revised, updated, and expanded by editor Cyril M. Harris, 50 expert contributors, and 20 key associations, this classic, the only dictionary comprehensive and inclusive enough to serve the needs of contractors as well as architects, covers terms in over 80 working areas: terms found in drawings and in specifications...building products and materials, and terms dealing with their design, appearance, performance,installation, and testing...definitions of finishes, coatings and surfacings...types of units, assemblies, systems and modules....tools, devices, machines, and construction equipment,and much more. Featuring enhanced page design for easier reading, this edition now provides you with:

• 25,000 definitions in clear, concise language
• Over 2,000 illustrations
• Full coverage of new technologies and new building materials
• Greater emphasis on conservation, preservation, and restoration terms, reflecting their increased importance in the field

Average Customer Rating:

Complete, Easy to Use

Customer Rating:

This book is the most complete I have ever come across, and extremely easy to use. The illustrations (2500) and terms (26000) are well-described and easy to use, yet concise. As a Project Manager for a General Contractor, I find this book extremely handy in the construction world. Working with an Architect on a daily basis, I find myself using it several times per day sometimes. You can never learn every term in architecture and construction, but this book will help you learn those unfamiliar words we come across every single day in construction and architecture.

Ideal gift for a graduate headed to design school?	Customer Rating:
I'm not trained in the field, yet needed a gift for an extremely bright graduating high-school student who's headed to design school. Having (very superficially)researched available titles in on the subject I ordered this volume on-line and was very pleasantly surprised by it's scope and depth. I'm certain it'll be frequently used for years to come.

The Standard by Which Others are Compared

Customer Rating:

The masterpiece. Now upgraded with some 2,800 new terms for a total of 25,000, and 200 new illustrations for a total of 2,500, this book is in its fourth edition. Architecture and Construction like any profession has developed it's own terminology its own jargon. An outsider coming into the field is faced with a daunting task just to be able to communicate with the professionals in the business. The dictionary is designed to be comprehensive in scope. Its range spans terms encountered in the practiceof architecture from Classical to green, from traditional materials to the latest products, from precise definitions of architectural styles to the particulars of specification writing. In addition to the physical construction terms, the dictionary covers ancillary areas such as electrical, fire, security, waste disposal, water supply. In short the dictionary covers every specialized word, every specialized meaning of standard words that are to be encountered in the building of a building of any size from house to cathedral. Simply put, this is the standard of the industry.

A Dictionary without Pronunciations?	Customer Rating:
I have seen this book and borrowed it often. An invaluable reference... BUT: how do you pronounce all of these scientific and foreign-sourced words? I guarantee you will not find them in Webster's. This is a major oversight for a book calling itself a "dictionary."

Just right for you	Customer Rating:
For anyone who just wants to know more about architecture. Perfect for non-english speaking architectural students like me. I really improved my knowledge of architecture.