People involved in architecture need to be familiar with construction methods in order to be in control of their designs. New technical requirements impact on our buildings and call for up-to-date specialist knowledge, which leads to new forms of architecture.

This handbook uses clearly comprehensible 3D isometric diagrams to introduce the world of contemporary construction, from concept through to the detail; photographs are used to illustrate the content.

The three main chapters deal with the structure, the building envelope, and the fit-out, starting with a clear introduction to the construction principles of modern building methods. Using drawings of selected built examples at scales of 1:10 and 1:20, a deeper examination of details is possible.

Daniel Mettler and Daniel Studer, Architects, Lecturers at the Department of Building Technology and Construction (BUK), ETH Zurich