Cracking the Codes: An Architect's Guide to Building Regulations

Cracking the Codes: An Architect's Guide to Building Regulations is a down-to-earth guide that offers architects valuable insight into building codes and standards that are often seen as obstacles to the design process. Both professionals and students can benefit from this guide, which will make standards and codes accessible by promoting a sound understanding of different regulatory issues. The book provides a detailed explanation of all codes without getting caught up in the minutiae, and provides a steady approach to covering each stage of the planning process in order to identify and consolidate the basic regulatory requirements that have to be addressed at every step along the way. The book also suggests strategic directions that are compatible with regulatory requirements and how to make informed decisions in response to consultant advice.

Topics covered in this book include historic preservation, accessibility, environmental quality, consumer protection and a host of other critical issues within the field. The information is extensively cross-referenced to make topics simple to find while also using uniform methodology to each regulatory issue, making the book easy to follow and design friendly. This text gives architects the freedom that they need to break the rules without breaking regulations, so that no project team will ever be held hostage by a lack of familiarity with standards and codes. 352 pages.

Cracking the Codes: An Architect's Guide to Building Regulations - Table of Contents:

• BACKGROUND
  • People
  • Rules
• SITE SELECTION AND DESIGN
  • Use
  • Position
• URBAN DESIGN
  • Massing
  • Enclosure
• BUILDING DESIGN
  • Fundamentals
  • Rooms
  • Circulation
  • Detailing
• PROCESS AND APPENDIX
  • Method
  • Appendix
  • Suggested Readings
  • Endnotes
• Index