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

The time-saving resource every architect needs

The Architect’s Studio Companion is a robust, user-friendly resource that keeps important information at your fingertips throughout the design process. It includes guidelines for the design of structure, environmental systems, parking, accessibility, and more. This new sixth edition has been fully updated with the latest model building codes for the U.S. and Canada, extensive new information on heating and cooling systems for buildings, and new structural systems, all in a form that facilitates rapid preliminary design. More than just a reference, this book is a true companion that no practicing architect or student should be without.

This book provides quick access to guidelines for systems that affect the form and spatial organization of buildings and allows this information to be incorporated into the earliest stages of building design. With it you can:

• Select, configure, and size structural systems
• Plan for building heating and cooling
• Incorporate passive systems and daylighting into your design

• Design for parking and meet code-related life-safety and accessibility requirements

Relying on straightforward diagrams and clear written explanations, the designer can lay out the fundamental systems of a building in a matter of minutes—without getting hung up on complicated technical concepts. By introducing building systems into the early stages of design, the need for later revisions or redesign is reduced, and projects stay on time and on budget. The Architect’s Studio Companion is the time-saving tool that helps you bring it all together from the beginning.