Architectural Practice Simplified: A Survival Guide and Checklists for Building Construction and Site Improvements as Well as Tips on Architecture, Bu Paperback – December 11, 2009

Building Construction begins as a very informative, readable synopsis of office culture, with great references to books and websites that even a practiced architect will find useful. Chen gives varying persepctives on how architectural offices are run, valuable information for those starting out or moving between firms.It becomes clear here, in chapter two, when project times frames are defined that this book is very much geared towards those in commercial work- very specifically, retail design. Those whose focus is primarily residential may find many of the detailed checklists somewhat un-relatable. There are no illustrations in the book which would have been helpful in some instances.However, many of the rules of thumb Chen gives and the general emphasis on attention to detail cross the commercial/ residential line and are quite useful. I would recommend this book to those new to the profession.

if your a student, then this book is for you. if your a professional or architect, i think this book would be very elementary/ basic for you. my opinion is that this book is expensive...

As a construction professional with almost 30 years in the carpentry trade, I have been on the receiving end of the architect's communiques. In the last ten years of my career I was alternately foreman and superintendent and with a brief stint as site superintendent for a commercial project and as such able to communicate directly with the architect. I also worked briefly for an architect as an intern for the remodel and re-purpose of a large building in an urban setting. In all of these experiences the organization of the project appeared at times to be haphazard at best. The protocol for communication was also not properly established so that I never knew to whom my RFIs and other questions should be addressed. To say that the experiences were frustrating to someone who cared about the job they were doing is an understatement. This book by Gang Chen should be on the desk and/or shelf of every architectural office as this book serves not only as a primer for the architectural profession but also and more importantly as a checklist that when followed will result in a job that proceeds in good order without either time or money wasted. The management principles and procedures described are critical to the success of a project. The projects that were failures that I was required to contend with failed to follow the steps this book outlines and then goes on to describe. I appreciate the opportunity to review Building Construction by Gang Chen and I can assure you that the book has a permanent place on the shelf of my library.Respectfully, Steven Davis MRICS ASA

This book is a collection of useful information gathered over the course of a career. It provides a briefing for young professionals on what to expect and look out for as they start working. As such, it provides some valuable insights into the mechanics of the practice of architecture. I found the design development and construction document checklists to be particularly valuable for navigating some of the trickier aspects of the design and documentation process. Given the recent attention on the value of checklists in managing complex tasks topics, this book seems particularly timely. That said, the book seemed to focus on one particular building type (retail) in one state (California) so a lot of the information and time lines are specific to that type of work in that region. Also, the book would have benefited from more diagrams and visual aids. Architects think visually and can better process information when presented in a visual format. Finally, one complaint I had was that some of the information seemed rather dated. In particular, there was a reference to using sticky back paper and while the author discussed the use of AutoCAD, there was no mention of Building Information Modeling or other current design tools that new professionals might encounter. All in all, Architectural Practice Simplified is a useful collection of tips and guidelines for both new and seasoned professionals.

This book was not what I was expecting. I was looking for a book with a lot of prose and nice descriptions on the philosophy and techniques of building construction, but what I got was a wonderful surprise: This book is a handbook for the trade. If you are a beginner on building construction, a newcomer to LEED building design an construction. A young architect or engineer this is the book for you. It is a simple, and straightforward repository of the basic information you need to know to be successful on your project. The beauty of this bok is that the author put himself on the shoes of the young construction professional who has a lot of theoretical knowledge obtained at the University or College, but knows nothing of the real deal. This book introduces you to the basic tools, and day to day "domestic" issues which will bother you during the development of the project. If you are new in this business, this book wil be a really nice help for you. If you are not located in the USA, and work on LEED certification, this book will guide you through all the regulations and organizations that are relevant to your project. I whish I had this book when I began in this business!

There's no way this book should be rated an average of 4.5 stars. I purchased it when I began a full time construction administration job and the supposed tips and useful forms are readily available on line if they're already not at your firm. I don't even believe this book would be useful to an architecture student or a beginning intern. Don't waste your money.

My son isn't here at present to write his review.From what he has said about it he would recommend it to anybody on his course.