Check out “ARE Mock Exam Series,” and FREE ARE exam prep tips, ARE forums, slides, and mnemonics at GreenExamEducation.com
“Exceptional for what it does
“If I were becoming an architect, I'd want this on my bookshelf... but actually it wouldn't be there long. I'd have it opened every day! Table of Contents alone is an education in what's important and where to go. All in all, it's a thorough and yet digestible treatment about becoming an architect from which any student, intern and even newly licensed professional could glean helpful information and advice.”
—S. Freeman
“Gang Chen hits it on the spot!
“In a world of books that contain the words Architectural Practice, Gang Chen's book stands apart. They say the time it takes for a person to decide if a technical book is good or not is a few minutes. Go to any page of this book and you will find something useful. When I made the transition from school to a full time job at an Architectural firm, every day was a nightmare since I would find a hundred things that I didn’t know. I wish I had this book at that point.This is a must read and must have for someone making this transition from education to real world practice. Architecture is not just about design but also the numerous other processes which make it a whole. "Architectural Practice Simplified" makes you aware of those processes which you were not taught at school.
I could write a long essay about why you should buy this book, or I can summarize it one sentence. True to its title, this book does simplify the practice of Architecture into its most simple blocks! Architectural Practice Simplified: A Survival Guide and Checklists for Building Construction and Site Improvements as well as Tips on Architecture, Building Design,Construction and Project Management”
—Prashanth K. Mahakali
“Mother of all Handy books
“An excellent "handy book," Building Construction by Gang Chen is probably the only book that can be kept as a guide by both, a student and a practicing professional. It not only talks of codes and standards but also makes an attempt to simplify the Architecture profession for the students and the fresh graduates. It subtly hints and prepares you for the jump from academic Architecture to professional practice.
Project Management, Codes, Logs, Forms, Checklists, Standards, Spec writing tips, punch lists, types of bids and every possible detail you can think of from Project inception to Design Development and from Bidding to completion.
Language is simple, well illustrated and easy to understand which I have always found with Gang Chen's material. I am currently using it for my ARE and find it quite helpful. I have also used his LEED books for my exams and have cracked them with ease. A must-have and mother of all handy books.”
—swankysenor
“Wonderful Desktop Resource
“When I became aware of this book, I knew I wanted a copy. To think that any book would be able to provide a comprehensive reference of that which is architecture is pure folly, but Chen's 'Building Construction' is a wonderful desktop reference.
I believe the book will prove to be of great value to interns and to design/build firms...
In my `previous life', I was responsible for training all sales and research personnel for an international construction data group and I really wish I had this book back then.”
—Bobby Darnell
“Concise Compilation of Architectural Office Processes
“Having worked in a variety of offices for architects, engineers and construction firms of various sizes, I have become more and more aware over the years that there's a lot of content covered over the course of an education centered around the AEC industry which seems to be overseen by academics, leaving students ill-prepared for actual work in offices. Typically, internships and professional practice courses attempt to remediate this problem, but more often than not, they are insufficient in providing students with the necessary experience to avoid stumbling through their first few years as designers. In this kind of economy -trite as it is - it has become more important for those seeking entry-level positions to exhibit a greater understanding of that which helps an office operate on a fundamental level, beyond design. Realistically, individuals with strong business acuity and project execution ultimately end up more successful than those who have strong design skills and aesthetic sense.
This book essentially covers all the material that fails to be addressed in many professional practice courses in a concise, comprehensive manner. Large portions of the book cover the essentials of compiling construction documents, lists of resources used by offices, submittals, reviews, and many other functions. This book is highly recommended for architecture students in the process of interning, recent graduates, and younger licensed professionals.”
—TJ Tutay
“Great Source of Information
“I really enjoyed reading "Architectural Practice Simplified." The language is simple and coveys a lot...a fabulous survival guide for all of us.Thumbs up...”
—Dhar
“A Practical Guide
“It provides not only a transition from school to office, but it is also a complete and helpful checklist for day to day architectural practice. It is easy to understand, remember, and apply. Through it, you can understand how a project can be easily run. I found that much of the experience I gained from working in an architectural firm for a number of years is summarized and concisely presented here. Very practical, highly recommended.”
—Yingchun Lu "Eileen"
“A great book!!!
“This book was easy to read and follow. I found all the check lists very helpful. I would recommend this book to anyone making the transition from school into the working field or someone who just started working. It summarizes all aspects of the business of architecture, from client interaction to project management.Thank you.”
—Angie
“Useful Collection of Tips and Guidelines
“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...All in all, Architectural Practice Simplified is a useful collection of tips and guidelines for both new and seasoned professionals.”
—M. Kilkelly
“It is all here: a practical and straightforward guide, highly recommended!
“The transition from Architectural School is difficult for most young professionals for a number of reasons, such as:
1. Architectural education is not compatible with architectural practice: what you learn in school is different from what is needed for your job.
2. You can read books to teach yourself about architectural practice. Some large architectural offices have a copy of the"The Architect's Handbook of Professional Practice (AHPP)," but it has too many pages (1028 pages), and is too complicated. It is comprehensive,and a lot of the information is good to know, but you rarely deal with it on a daily basis. When you do need some information and zoom in to look for it in a certain section, AHPP is not detailed enough, and it is not tailored to your needs.
Most offices will only have one set of AHPP for everyone to share since it is expensive (about $250 each). Nobody really have time to read it from cover to cover either: it simply has too many pages, and you do not have so much time to plough through it.
3. If you have questions regarding your project, you could ask more senior staffs in your firm, but you do not want to ask "stupid" questions and make yourself look like you do not know want you are doing. You do not want to ask too many questions to annoy others either. As a result, your professional growth will be delayed.
"Architectural Practice Simplified" is a great book. It covers a lot of information that you use daily in an architect's office, it is concise and to the point, and covers just the right amount of information that you need to know to thrive in the constructionindustry.
For example, it covers entitlement, ALTA andCALTA survey, consultant coordination, governing agencies coordination, green buildings, marketing, the procedures of handling shop drawings and submittals, what to look for when you review shop drawings and submittals, what are the key elements in a contract between the architect and the owner, and a contract between the owner and the contractor, what to look for when you do a quality control of plans and specifications, sheet-by-sheet checklists for architectural plans and consultants' plans, how to create or modify a specifications book, how to deal with contractor's change order request, what are the key elements in the certificate of substantial completion, and collections, etc.
You probably learn more from this book about architectural practice than what you can learn in five years in an architectural school.
"Architectural Practice Simplified" works like a great mentor for young professionals, it is also very useful for experienced architects. It is a practical and straightforward guide. Highly recommended!”
—Brad Chandler
Check out “ARE Mock
Exam Series,” and FREE ARE exam prep tips, ARE forums, slides, and mnemonics at
GreenExamEducation.com
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