Cultures of Glass Architecture (Design and the Built Environment)

Product Description
When designing, architects are responding to and creating a relationship between identity, culture and architectural style. This book discusses whether the extent of the use of glass facades has increased, or indeed enhanced, the creation of meaningful place-making, thereby creating a cultural identity of ‘place’.

Looking at the development of perceptions of glass facades in different cultures, it shows how modernist ‘glass’ buildings are perceived as an expression of technical achievement, as symbols of global economic success and as setting a neutral platform for multi-cultural societies - all of which are difficult for urban developers and policy makers to resist in our era of globalisation. Drawing on a number of modern and heritage design projects from Europe, the USA, the Middle East and South East Asia, the book reviews efforts of some regional towns and local places to move up the economic ladder by adopting a more ‘global’ aesthetic.

About the Author
Professor Hisham Elkadi is Professor of Architecture and Head of the Architecture Programme in the School of Art & Design at the University of Ulster, Northern Ireland.

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Light Zone City: Light Planning in the Urban Context

Product Description

The face of the nocturnal metropolis is marked decisively by light, and the number and variety of the light sources is increasing to the point of “light terror.” A well-lit urban space can be very inviting, giving residents and visitors a sense of well-being and security. A successful lighting design can also give the city at night an identity of its own and accentuate architectural qualities.

In this book, the author embodies her many years of experience as a practitioner and teacher of lighting design. In preparation, she visited ten European cities — including Paris, Brussels, Berlin, London, Budapest, Vienna, and Amsterdam — with different urban situations. This has enabled her to present different planning and design tasks systematically and to illustrate specific solutions. In addition to articulating basic planning rules for the outdoor lighting of buildings, traffic routes, and squares, she presents and elucidates new artificial lighting systems and outdoor lamps with the help of examples.

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The Complete Real Estate Encylcopedia

Product Description

Everything you need to know about real estate - no matter what your role - in one complete guide

Bonus online material!

From AAA-Tenant to Zoning Regulations, this alphabetically organized resource covers the laws, language, and concepts of real estate. You’ll also have access to an exclusive online tool that makes it simple to calculate, transact, and profit from real estate.

Authors with more than 65 combined years in real estate give you:

• Jargon-free definitions of almost 3,500 terms and topics
• Up-to-the-minute information on everything from mortgages to accelerated tax write-offs
• 250 illustrations covering architectural design, completed formulas, charts, and graphs
• Valuable lists such as 100 concepts to be an effective real estate agent, 50 must-know terms for homebuyers and sellers, 100 tax terms important to investors and homeowners, and secret buzz words and slang used by experienced real estate professionals
  • 75 fill-in-the-blank, legally binding real estate forms
  • 100 interactive real estate formulas
  • Real estate calculator for over 50 problems
  • Spreadsheet formulas for common real estate functions
  • Links to more than 450 real estate websites

The unique online real estate component gives you fast access to tools such as:

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