Table Of ContentTEACHER'S MANUAL
for
Building Construction
and Design
TEACHER'S MANUAL
for
Building Construction
and Design
James Ambrose
University of Southern California
~
SPRINGER SCIENCE+BUSINESS MEDIA, LLC
Copyrighl ©1992 by Springcr Scicncc+l3l1siness Media New York
Originally pllhlished by Van NOSlrand Rcinhold in 1992
Sollco\'cr rcprinl of lhc hardoo\'cr ISI cdilion 1992
Library of Congrcss Calalog Card Number
ISBN 978-1-4613-6565-5 ISBN 978-1-4615-3526-3 (eBook)
DOI 10.1007/978-1-4615-3526-3
Ali righls re~rved. No p~rt of lnis worl< covcred by
Ine copyrignl nereon may bc reproduced or us.ed in any
fonn by ;lllY means- grapnic. elet:lronic. or
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16 15 14 13 12 II 10 9 8 7 ti 5 4 3 2 1
Contents
Preface 5 The Professional Designer, 21
5.1 Working Context, 21
1 Introduction, 1 5.2 Professional Liability, 23
1 .1 About Me, 1 5.3 Contracts, 23
1 .2 Why I Wrote the Book, 2 5.4 Working Drawings, 24
1.3 Why I Wrote the Teaching 5.5 Specifications, 24
Manual, 3 5.6 Economics, 25
2 Teaching and Learning, 5 6 Situations for Teaching, 27
2.1 Teaching Tasks and 6.1 The Architecture
Responsibilities, 5 Curriculum, 27
2.2 Teaching Techniques and 6.2 Lecture Courses, 28
Methods, 6 6.3 Lecture/Lab Courses, 30
2.3 Learning: Context, 6.4 Studios, 31
Process, Goals, and 6.5 Level (Year) in the
Objectives, 7 Curriculum, 31
2.4 Communication, 8 6.6 Courses for Non-Architects, 32
2.5 Learning Progress: Testing 6.7 Ad Hoc Courses (Within
and Evaluation, 8 Studios, Etc.), 33
6.8 Exam Blasters, 34
3 Aids for Teaching and Learning, 11
3.1 Texts, 11 7 Basic Course Forms and Work, 35
3.2 Course-Specific Materials, 1 2 7.1 Lecture Courses: Schedule,
3.3 References and Data Bases, 13 Readings, Tests, 35
3.4 Visual Aids, 13 Course Information, 36
3.5 Samples, 14 Course Schedule, 38
3.6 Field Observations and Quizzes, 40
Experiences, 14 In-Class Exams, 42
Final Exam, 46
4 Construction as a Study Subject, 1 5 Word Lists for Exams, 51
4.1 Existing and Emergent 7.2 Lecture Course Assignments, 55
Technologies (The 7.3 "Design" Assignments, 59
Inventory), 15 7.4 Short Courses, 60
4.2 History of Technology, 16 7.5 Independent (Guided)
4.3 Finding Out About Studies, 61
Construction, 1 6
4.4 Using the Construction 8 General Sources for Study of
Inventory, 17 Construction, 63
4.5 Creating (Designing) 8.1 Books, 63
Construction, 1 8 8.2 Industry Catalogs & Ads, 64
4.6 Evaluating Designs, 18 8.3 Visual Aids, 65
4.7 Design-Oriented Studies, 19 8.4 Field Trips, 65
Epilogue, 67
Index, 69
Preface
This publication is intended for persons who are study or teaching. This manual explores the
planning to use my book, Building Construction various possibilities for using the book in just
and Design, as a basic text or reference for some about all the ways I can imagine in terms of
teaching effort. The book was indeed written to teaching situations and learning goals.
be used for study purposes, including those in Most college teachers get no teacher education
volving some classroom situation with a teacher. or training (me included). If both totally unpre
The book itself is organized and presented es pared by training and also inexperienced in
sentially for the utility of the readers; with or teaching work, the teacher faces a vast abyss of
without the benefit of guidance by a teacher. unknowns in approaching the classroom and the
This manual is written for the teacher and deals blank stares of a room full of students. Any help
with teaching in general, as well as with the is wanted, and this manual may hopefully supply
specific use of my book. some for the less experienced teachers. In
The preparation of the book - and of this man addition to a lot of discussion, there are many
ual - come forth after some 50 years of work by samples of typical course schedules, assignments,
me in building construction; ranging from actual quizzes and exams; all related specifically to the
construction labor to professional design, teach use of my book. Surely the creative educator
ing, and writing. The book is intended to share will quickly develop some original approaches,
that experience with the generally uninformed but but meanwhile, here is some very time-tested,
motivated reader, having a basic interest in the generic teaching material. Teach; learn; enjoy!
design of buildings. However, there are many
ways to use the book for particular forms of Ja mes Ambrose
1
Introduction
1.1 About Me Subsequently, I finally finished architecture
school (architectural engineering, actually) and
worked as a structural designer/draftsman, work
ing up to project engineer in a large architecture
office. Out of a combination of freak opportunity
This manual is about how to use my book for
and job burnout, I took my first teaching position
various purposes in teaching building construc
at my alma mater, the U. of Illinois at Urbana, in
tion. While the book itself stands as the primary
1959. Thirty-three years later, I am still at it,
evidence of my involvement, it may behoove the
trying to squeeze some things into the skulls of
reader to consider somewhat where I come from
architecture students.
in terms of experience, attitudes, and involve
Along the way since graduating from the U. of
ments in the subject. To that end, I offer the
Illinois, I have accumulated a variety of profes
following short bio.
sional experiences and licenses in the fields of
My earliest involvement in construction started
architecture and structural engineering. Although
at age 12 when I got my first job as a construc
I have now given up professional practice (includ
tion worker (mason's helper). Never mind child
ing the phone calls, lawsuits, etc.), I still have
labor laws, it was the Great Depression. I also
vivid memories of many encounters in the office,
pursued all the offerings available in school in
the field, and other places of battle.
drafting, which then included three years before,
and four years during high school. All of that
before entering architecture school. In my first semester of teaching, I found it nec
Despite the school work, and for purely eco essary to supplement the text I was assigned to
nomic reasons, my money-earning work contin use with some of my own class notes. In sub
ued to be in construction jobs - from laborer to sequent semesters the notes grew - eventually
scab carpenter. Even during my service in the outweighing the text. At that point, I decided to
US Army, although they put my architectural write my own text(s), and my writing/publishing
training to work by having me design some build career was launched.
ings, it worked out that - where we were in Korea This book - Building Construction and
at the time - there were no people who could read Design - represents my first major departure
my drawings. So, I had to also build the build from the subject area of my previous writing,
ings. A traumatic experience indelibly etched in which was essentially investigation and design of
my memory. building structures. You understand - I have
1
worked, studied, and professionally practiced in Once sold, of course, the designer (or some
building construction since the age of 12! But my body) must proceed to figure out how to build it
writing in the fully engaged topic started with this and go on to develop the necessary instructions to
book. (Actually with its predecessors, which the builders (complete construction drawings and
were the four-book series on the topic.) specs). The nine case studies in Chapter Ten of
So - that's where I come from. I have taught the book pick up the story at the end of the pre
just about every topic except history in the archi liminary sketches and proceed to a sort of
tecture curriculum (including design studios) and definitive design of the typical elements of the
have written some kind of text materials for most construction. Some of the considerations in this
of the courses. With that behind me, I offer the development are discussed in the text in Chapter
advice in this manual for use by teachers who Ten, but they also draw on the individual topic
may consider using my book. presentations in the earlier chapters.
The building construction shell (walls, roof,
floors) cannot be developed without major consid
erations for the full incorporation of the various
building subsystems (structure, HV AC, lighting,
etc.). In this regard, some presentation is made
in my book of the schemes and some significant
1.2 Why I Wrote the Book
details of the various subsystems; especially those
that often have some notable impact on decisions
about the building form and the general construc
tion.
I had a number of personal reasons for writing For my own teaching purposes, Chapter Ten is
this book. What I mean to address here is what the key chapter, and I use the preceding materials
motivated me to write it in this particular form. as background for the most part. The extent of
This had to do somewhat with setting the book need for that "background" depends largely on the
apart from other current texts, but also with some students being taught. Beginners need a lot of
particular issues I had in mind for such a book. basic preparation; advanced students maybe very
First and foremost - as it says repeatedly in the little.
book - it is developed from a designer's point of So that is how the book is intended to work: as
view. Building construction as a topic is enor a vehicle for involving students in a process of
mous if all approaches and all subjects are figuring out the construction for a building. The
addressed. This book assumes that an interest in example building may be one of the cases in my
building design precedes the need for concerns Chapter Ten, one of a similar type with the same
about the technology and methods of construction. basic considerations of use and scale, or a whole
Thus, the pursuit of information about construc different example - such as one designed for a
tion essentially comes up within the basic studio assignment. The student is thus first
process of building design. engaged in a study of a familiar form - a whole
With this primary concern, I felt it necessary to building as defined by use and shape. We then
present a number of examples of situations that dissect the corpse to analyze its parts and proceed
occur in ordinary design work. A process that to reassemble it in detail.
repeatedly occurs is that where a building scheme I think this whole view is important, and to my
(preliminary design) is developed in the form of knowledge is not much presented elsewhere in the
plans, elevations, and views that define a build literature. While the materials in Chapter Ten do
ing's form and appearance. This is sufficient to not consist of actual complete construction draw
explain the visible building (inside and out) and ings and specs, they do present a reasonably
its arrangement of spaces and items. Many buil complete view of the building in whole and in
ding designs are essentially "sold" to design part for a comprehensive grasp of the basic con
clients on the basis of such studies. struction.
2
The first nine chapters of the book contain for the course, even though it is my own book.
treatments of various aspects of the subject of Architects are congenitally resistant to being fully
building construction. Most fundamental issues contained with regard to their futures as
are raised and a full treatment would produce a designers in some established package. A
reasonable basic background in the subject. I wrapped-up deal is always a challenge; eliciting
think the basic ingredients are there for a whole endless retries and criticisms. I expect to really
development of the subject - at least as far' as butcher this book up in the second edition; based
architects and other designers of buildings are on my own experiences, if not on other's.
concerned.
Study of particular single topics can be pursued
through outside readings, field trips, class discus
sions, or supplementary teaching aids (slides,
movies, samples, etc.). Later chapters in this
manual give examples of courses that can be
1.3 Why I Wrote the Teaching
developed for these purposes.
For all its size, however, this book is a very Manual
brief sample of the whole topic of building con
struction. For some viability, it assumes that the
teacher and students have access to some very
standard references, such as Sweets Catalog FIles Every teacher who writes textbooks tends to mod
and Architectural Graphic Standards, as well as el them to some extent around their own teaching
various other current texts on construction. In experiences and involvements. It is hard to
other words, common 'l'eferences that you would develop a text that lends itself to many courses; of
expect to be in an architecture school library or different form, duration, and specific orientation.
somewhere in any large design office. My book Still, a text that presents a generally developed
does not remotely attempt, therefore, to be a self subject in a fundamental way can usually be used
contained source of endless detail about the to some degree for many different purposes.
subject of building materials and processes. Besides presenting some of my own observa
As a matter of fact, I consider it vital to get the tions and experiences in 33 years of teaching, this
students used to the idea that they have to go out manual is intended to show how my book can be
and find information that is not provided in the used for some very common courses (in architec
text or classroom in order to complete assign ture programs), but also for a variety of teaching
ments. Learning to find that information may be purposes. Face it, I want to sell the book to a
the single most useful accomplishment from the wide market.
course efforts. Feeding them everything they More practically, I want to provide teachers
need really defeats that purpose. Of course, you with some sample course materials to make it
need to be sure that they can actually find some easier to make up a course around my book.
necessary information or it is not a fair game. Many teachers have little experience, and typical
Well, that is what I had in mind for the book. ly little guidance, in the organization of a course.
At this moment of writing, I have not tried the I ':fant to help them do the dirty work: making a
book out myself, so I don't really know how class schedule, writing a course syllabus, writing
successful it is. I expect, however, based on my assignments, quizzes, and exams. I can't help
umpteen years of experience, that I will end up with the worst part - the grading - but I hope
using some supplementary materials to help out what is here may be useful.
3
4
2
Teaching and Learning
If you will pardon me, I will make an assumption 3. To assure that the students have the neces
here: that the vast majority of you who are both sary resources to accomplish what you are
ering to read this manual have probably never had asking of them; through some combination of
five minutes of useful instruction about how to classroom lectures and discussions, texts and
teach. Me either. I won't break your record handouts, available references, etc.
much here, but will try to address some very
basic considerations about the general task of 4. To provide them as best you can with the
teaching and about the more critical concern - necessary advice and counselling they need
learning. while pursuing the work.
5. And then to be as tough as you can in
2.1 Teaching Tasks and
dumping on them when they don't do the work
Responsibilities right and/or on time.
You can't really make people learn. But you can If you know the subject at least a little more
try to inspire, cajole, persuade, or - when all else than the students and have any reasonable ability
fails - threaten them into studying. On various to organize, you can accomplish the first three of
occasions I try all of these approaches; but always these with some effort. Item four is often a chal
use fear when it is available to me. For students lenge, frustrated by students who do not come to
in a credit-earning course I always keep the spec class, by students who are too shy to ask ques
ter of flunking readily at hand. tions, and by simple logistics if you have a large
The fundamental responsibilities of a teacher class.
are the following: Item five is fraught with difficulty, principally
by the following:
1. To clearly define a body of subject material
and the goals for the course of study; in other Your own will, resolve, and thin skin.
words, what the course is going to try to
accomplish. The student's ability to cheat and weasel.
2. To clearly indicate what it is that you Give students any excuse: the war, the weather,
expect the students to do and when. gender, cultural heritage, health, religion, studio
5
