Constructing Shadows

Constructing Shadows

Trees are ideal sources of shade; where they cannot be used, their function is taken over by tents, pergolas, and pavilions. In the context of global warming, shade-providing construction is becoming an increasingly important building task. In Part One of this book, specialists in the field present the typical forms of shade-providing construction as well as the design approach associated with each. Part Two presents easily consultable overviews of 140 plants that have proven to be effective givers of shade in temperate, subtropical, and tropical zones. Part Three presents thirty built projects by celebrated architects and landscape architects from five continents. These constructions illustrate a wide variety of functions and scales and cover various climatic zones and cultural contexts. All structures are constructionally and systematically analyzed with texts, true-to-scale drawings, and photographs from their foundations to their connections and the shadows they cast.

CAD and Robotics in Architecture and Construction

After two decades, data processing has finally, and probably forever, found its niche among civil engineering and construction (CEC) professionnals, through word processors, digitizing tables, management software, and increasingly via drawing software and computer-aided design (CAD), recently, robots have even started invading work sites. What are the main trends of CAD and robotics in the field of architecture and civil enginee ring? What type of R&D effort do university and industrial laboratories undertake to devise the professional software that will be on the market in the next three to five years? These are the issues which will be addressed during this symposium. To this effect, we have planned concurrently an equipment and software show, as well as a twofold conference. Robotic is just starting in the field of civil engineering and construction. A pioneer, the Civil Engineering Departement of Carnegie-Mellon University, in the United States, organized the first two international symposia, in 1984 and 1985 in Pittsburgh. This is the third meeting on the subject (this year, however, we have also included CAD). It constitutes the first large international symposium where CAD experts, specialists in architecture and CEC robotics will meet. From this standpoint, it should be an ideal forum for exchanging views and expe riences on a wide range of topics, and we hope it will give rise to novel applications and new syntheses. This symposium is intented for scientists, teachers, students and also for manufacturers and all CEC professionals.

Technical Education Program Series No. 9. Architectural and Building Construction Technology