Building Type Basics for Housing

Book excerpt: Essential information for the design of housing Building Type Basics for Housing, Second Edition is your one-stop reference for the essential information you need to confidently begin the design process and successfully complete the design for housing, large or small, on time and within budget. Members of the award-winning design firm Goody Clancy share their firsthand knowledge to guide you through all aspects of designing and building residences. The book presents knowledgeable, real-world advice for architects, planners, engineers, and developers to create excellent residential design projects for a variety of housing types. This updated edition offers a new collection of detailed project examples that represent the best in today's housing designs, including more information on sustainable design and a fresh look at mixed-use developments increasingly popular in urban areas. It walks the reader through the guidelines, planning concepts, and lessons learned—from single-family detached homes and townhouses to multi-family, mid-rise, and high-rise buildings. Coverage also includes essential topics such as community planning, site layout, zoning and code issues, parking strategies, and the selection of building materials. This new edition: Asks and answers twenty questions that frequently arise in the early phases of a residential commission Provides a number of residential examples—new to this edition—from the last decade, covering the full range of housing densities Is illustrated with numerous photographs, diagrams, plans, and sections Shows how to obtain financing, approvals, and support for developments Includes new information on sustainability, which is incorporated throughout the book This conveniently organized quick reference is an invaluable guide for busy, dedicated professionals who want to get moving quickly as they embark on a new project. Like every Building Type Basics book, it provides authoritative, up-to-date information instantly and saves professionals countless hours of research.