The Architect's Studio Companion: Rules of Thumb for Preliminary Design

At your fingertips—reliable, usable answers to thousands of technical and code-related questions

When you're in the preliminary design phase of an exciting project, you need fast reliable answers to important questions about building codes, egress planning, structural systems, and mechanical systems. This second edition of the book that Architectural Record calls a "must have" renders engineering and building code information in simple approximations that you can work right into your designs.

The Architect's Studio Companion, Second Edition is completely updated to cover the latest editions of BOCA, The Standard Building Code, The Uniform Building Code, and the National Building Code of Canada. It is fully cross-referenced to guide you through the major provisions of all the model building codes; and extensive appendixes provide important supplementary information on height and area limitations, toilet room fixture requirements, construction types, units of conversion, and more.

This indispensable guide makes it fast and easy to:

• Determine which building code applies to your design
• Proportion the elements of the structural system—no calculations required
• Lay out a code-conforming egress design
• Size and lay out necessary spaces for mechanical and electrical systems

For students and professional architects alike, this is one of the most important books you will ever place in your library—a user-friendly tool for ensuring code compliance before you get too deeply into the design process.

Edward Allenis a faculty member at the Yale University School of Architecture. His books on architecture are read and used in universities and professional offices throughout the world, with more than 150,000 copies in print.