Peter Rice (1935-1992) is widely regarded as the most distinguished structural engineer of the late twentieth century. Following early work on the Sydney Opera House; he defined the structural elements of significant buildings such as the Centre Pompidou; the Menil Collection museum; Lloyds of London; the Gare TGV at Roissy; the Pyramide Inverseacute;e of the Louvre; Kansai International Airport and the Full-Moon Theatre in the Languedoc. His influence has shaped a new generation of architects and engineers; who renew through their own work his exploration of materials; his commitment to the integrity of a structure; his refusal of precedent and his courage as a designer. He has imprinted les traces de la main on material culture and the built environment through his use of cast steel; ductile iron; stone; glass and ferro-cement. Whether adapting natures patterns to build flexible structures or transforming our experience of the ecology of light; Peter Rices public spaces delight and surprise us with their sensual mathematics and their triumphant integration of the human and the monumental. Traces of Peter Rice is a collaborative enterprise; British; French and Irish; representing the countries where Peter Rice passed most of his life and the cultures that formed him. These essays and cameos; amply illustrated from several archives; range widely across his career and legacy. Family; friends; scholars and colleagues write about his work; his solutions to intractable problems and his aesthetic sense; seeking to provide an understanding of his works and days.
#1261229 in eBooks 2012-12-18 2012-12-18File Name: B00AQZAH9I
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. been in many of these buildings hoping for a better description of one particularBy CustomerFormer iron worker and retired pipe fitter HVAC service; been in many of these buildings hoping for a better description of one particular; no such luck. To bad todays architects are incompetent; and use contract small print to cover. Richard is probably a distant relative who originally came from the same village his family went North when we came west to USA0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. A great book on Chcago architecture.By W. R. NelsonI was born; raised and still live in Chicagoland. As such; Im drawn to books that focus on my hometown. There is a reason why a cottage industry exists for books that analyze the architecture that is so unique about Chicago: its that good. Ive read a lot of the books about Chicago architecture; many good; some less so. This one is very good; but what I particularly like about this book is the attention given to the practical side of the process.There are many Chicago buildings that are now recognized as something akin to a work of art. Many are now gone; some replaced by a new structure that advances design and function; but too many that are ho-hum office buildings.One of the important points made by Mr. Leslie is that the buildings that are the focus of this book were buildings financed by investors who; at the end of the day; wanted a profitable building. To a large extent; the architects they employed understood that. It was Louis Sullivan who coined the phrase "Form follows function". What Mr. Leslies book offers to the mix is the degree to which those who actually did the build- the contactors who made sure all fell into place.Whats important about this book is the fact that it suggests the dynamic of architecture as well as to who pays for it.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Before the glass box skyscrapersBy LectitoThis is a detailed history of the beginning of the tall building in Chicago. The main focus is on building structure and envelope; the "skin and bones" of the skyscraper. Leslie explains the intricacies of transitioning from iron and masonry structure to the open steel frame. He also explains how structural engineering in Chicago was a mixture of precedent; calculation and experimentation. The theory and materials science that underlies today structural engineering was still being developed at the same time the buildings were being erected.A designer can relate to some of the dilemmas that Leslie discusses. What determines the size of the windows? The pushing and pulling between daylighting; glass cost; structural bay dimensions and heat loss/ gain. (As another reviewer wrote; this is not a coffee table book.)The illustrations are wonderful. Many are period photos and postcards. There are also structural diagrams from early engineering studies. Mixed in with these are a few photos by the author and several CAD drawings that offer further explanation of building assemblies. The book is 10" x 10" which allows for large and legible color plates.I think the book needs an introductory chapter that covers programming; period technology and all building systems in a general way. Leslie tends to dive into specifics quickly and lets the reader assemble the big picture. I also found that "City of the Century" by Miller provides an excellent background for this era.