Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.

Start by marking “Why Buildings Stand Up: The Strength of Architecture” as Want to Read:

Other editions

Enlarge cover

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Open Preview

Why Buildings Stand Up: The Strength of Architecture

Mario Salvadori,

Saralinda Hooker (Illustrator)

Christopher Ragus (Illustrator)

3.93 · Rating details · 633 Ratings · 40 Reviews

Between a nomad's tent and the Sears Tower lies a revolution in technology, materials, and structures. Here is a clear and enthusiastic introduction to buildings methods from ancient times to the present day, including recent advances in science and technology that have had important effects on the planning and construction of buildings: improved materials (steel, concrete ...more

Get A Copy

Or buy for

Paperback, 320 pages

Published February 17th 2002 by W. W. Norton Company (first published 1980)

More Details... edit details

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Reader Q&A

To ask other readers questions about Why Buildings Stand Up, please sign up.

Be the first to ask a question about Why Buildings Stand Up

Lists with This Book

The New Science of Strong Materials by J.E. Gordon

The Wonder of Stuff

32 books — 8 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30)

Rating details

Sort: Default

Filter

Jul 07, 2011 Charles rated it really liked it

Without having read much to compare it to, I'd call this a good, comprehensive introduction to the mechanics of architecture. The discussion stays at a generalist's level and covers a lot of ground from the pyramids to the Superdome. And then, in the final chapter, semiotics.

Things I know now that I didn't know before:
1. The construction of the pyramids does not necessarily demonstrate knowledge of π. The book doesn't quite explain what π was theorized to have to do with the pyramids, but throu ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Oct 20, 2014 Lee Fritz rated it liked it

Shelves: owned

Our intro to structures class references this book (along with its "fall down" companion) as recommended reading, so I thought I should know what it says. Periodically insightful, the book walks through history explaining architectural developments through the lens of structural and technological advances.

At times the author has utmost respect for the engineering profession, which is a nice change of pace from many coordination meetings. The book falls short in two ways. First, the intro and co ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Sep 05, 2008 erock rated it did not like it

This is a poor showing when compared to the sheer awesomeness of Why Buildings Fall Down. Which will kick your ass.
Inherent in 'Fall Down' is the imminent disaster about to take place, which is just thrilling. There is no thrill regarding why buildings stay up. 'Why do the pyramids stay up?' you ask? Well I'll tell you, they are a GIANT HEAP OF HEAVY ASS ROCKS that's why.
There, I just wrote a chapter of this book.
If you're interested in learning why shit works in a discovery channel for the m ...more

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Mar 17, 2013 Dvd (VanitasVanitatumOmniaVanitas) rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: ingegneria-e-architettura

il libro divulgativo che avrei voluto scrivere io...

...ma che ha già scritto Salvadori...scritto benissimo, intuitivo, appassionato, comprensibile quasi da tutti pur parlando di concetti che così facili proprio non sono...applausi!

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Jul 30, 2011 Canard Frère rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Livre très didactique sur des concepts qui sont pourtant à première vue assez rébarbatifs (compression, flambement, transferts de charge et autres problèmes structurels), l'auteur se permet même par moment quelques envolées poétiques.

flag 1 like · Like · see review

Feb 18, 2018 Petras rated it liked it

Man patinka paimti į rankas knygą apie tokią temą, apie kurią ničnieko nenutuokiu. Mario Salvadori „Why Buildings Stand Up“ – apie statinių konstrukcijas ir inžineriją, ji paprasta žmonių kalba paaiškina, kaip statomi tiltai, kupolai, ant ko laikosi stogai ir kodėl pastatai negali būti bet kokio aukščio bei ploto. Jei iki tol buvau tik kažką girdėjęs apie arkos veikimo principus, tai perskaitęs „Why Buidings Stand Up“ jaučiuosi suprantąs žymiai daugiau.

Skaitydamas įvairių pastatų istorijas sužin ...more

flag Like · see review

Mar 19, 2017 Bob rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: science

As a review of structures, their principles and the monuments they support (p. 259) the book is very readable, and the authors explanations (totally non-mathematical) are easy to follow and remember. While the principles remain unchanged, materials and techniques have changed a lot since the books 1980 publication date. Information about well-known monuments like the Eiffel Tower, the Pyramids of Giza, Hagia Sophia, the Duomo in Florence and the Cathedral of Beauvais are interesting and well-pr ...more

flag Like · see review

May 02, 2013 David Chen rated it it was amazing

The Book Why Buildings Stand Up by Mario Salvadori is a very stunning book. It talking about different kinds of buildings, the discovery of the buildings, how they 1st started building them, and many others. 1 of the most important thing about building tall buildings is that we need to know the strengths in them and the weakness. We need to make sure that the building is strong so it doesn't collapse and kill innocent people. The history of buildings are very old and are still used today. They m ...more

flag Like · see review

Feb 24, 2008 Mark rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: architects, poets, writers

I've worked in the trades for years which probably accounts for why I'm always looking up when I enter a large auditorium, entrance hall, or any structure with vertical heft.

Salvadori examines classic structures of the west, from antiquity through the medieval and baroque periods, illustrating his concise primer on structures (beams, columns, loads etc) many are familiar with.

The final chapter is dedicated to the semiotics of structure. He notes that aesthetics of architecture are dynamic and ...more

flag Like · see review

Aug 22, 2013 Zenko rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2013

Uno de los libros más curiosos que he leido nunca. Explica de forma muy amena como funcionan los edificios y en general cualquier cosa construida, casas, puentes, teatros, estadios etc. Es un libro que me ha hecho pensar lo poco que sabemos sobre los edificios que vemos todos los días o en los que vivimos y trabajamos.

Habla de edificios antíguos como las pirámides, el partenón o la caderdál de Chartres pero también de modernos como el puente de Brooklyn o la torre Eifel. Me ha hecho entender com ...more

flag Like · see review

Sep 27, 2008 Barbara rated it it was ok

I'll admit upfront that I only got halfway through this book and I'm labeling it as "read" because I can't make myself pick it up again. It had been recommended to me by a student, so I excitedly asked my class this past semester to purchase and read it. Bad mistake. I don't like to say this, (and I probably wouldn't if the author were still alive), but Salvadori can take even the most interesting concepts and make them boring. My class was too polite to say much, but when I'd ask the students p ...more

flag Like · see review

Dec 02, 2011 Nik rated it liked it

This book does a good job of introducing the basic principles of structural engineering with few if any equations or highly technical jargon. I enjoyed the range of types of architecture covered, and learned something about thin concrete structures and shells. The writing is for the most part commendably direct and easy to understand, though there were a few instances where I found myself skipping forward a few paragraphs. In all this is a good primer for someone interested in pursuing a career ...more

flag Like · see review

Apr 15, 2012 Joni Baboci rated it liked it

Shelves: architecture, engineering, non-fiction

Why buildings stand up is an interesting account of the science of construction in a historical perspective. It is really easy to read even for a person with no background in architecture or engineering while at the same time being fun since the theory of building is continuously supplanted by awesome historical examples. While the book is a bit dated, it still is informative and information packed since it mostly discusses the theory behind structure explaining the main concepts which can be ex ...more

flag Like · see review

Sep 04, 2013 Matt Johnson rated it really liked it

Coming from an architecture student who understands the principles overviewed in this book, it was still very interesting. This book is intended as a large overview of the physical principles that are at work in a building such as forces, moment, deflection, shear, weight distribution, etc, as well as multiple building systems, ideas and designs. It is well written and easy to understand. Includes great illustrations and historic examples of architectural styles.

flag Like · see review

Dec 12, 2016 Munthir Mahir rated it did not like it

The book is outdated. Didn't mind the fact, having the objective of learning about the fundamentals and basics of structures and building. However, the book is so unstructured and disorganized. The schematics and drawings are hard to read and are visually complicated. The historical contexts and references seem to be more of fillers rather than logical and practical references.
The book does cover the fundamentals and basics though a study/reading companion book is in order.

flag Like · see review

Apr 18, 2013 Don rated it really liked it · review of another edition

A layman's book about the fundamentals of how buildings, which includes bridges, stand up. No too technical and full of informative line drawings. I found it fascinating. I have never really trusted reinforced concrete. I do now that I understand how it transfers weight. And now I can truly appreciate, as well as name, a hyperbolic paraboloid.

flag Like · see review

Jul 10, 2015 Robert Fritz rated it really liked it

I read this book because my engineer son uses it in a class he co-teaches at the School of the Art Institute. The class is for graduate students in architecture to learn a bit about what goes into engineering their creations. The book does a great job of sharing the history of materials used in building... from the pyramids to contemporary structures.

flag Like · see review

May 18, 2008 Damian rated it liked it

This is a great introduction to architecture, and answers questions you may have thought of concerning how some of the most famous buildings and structures actually hold together and dont come crashing down. What's funny is that you may not want to know how poorly some things are built. Pyramids, Eiffel Tower, mathmateical calculations if you feel so inclined.

flag Like · see review

Jan 04, 2014 Dawn rated it it was amazing

fantastic. not recommended for everyone, but if one is structurally inclined, at all, this is an extremely well-written book. interesting anecdotes and examples, not too technical, but mature enough that i wasn't bored.

flag Like · see review

Jul 30, 2008 Kelan Steel Lowney rated it liked it

At times a bit too vernacular, but chock full of cool information. I really like the phenomenon by which, once someone learns something, s/he can't help but see the world differently. Whenever I look at waffled concrete ceilings, I will always see them in light of this book.

flag Like · see review

Nov 02, 2011 Evelyn rated it really liked it

Shelves: historical, nonfiction, 2012-summer

Quite excellent. Not sure what to make of the author's attitude toward engineers, but for a complete novice this book was accessible. I cannot judge how thorough the author's treatment of the subjects was; it felt solid. Recommended.

flag Like · see review

Oct 02, 2016 kathleen searfoss rated it really liked it

Very good for anyone who teaches or would like to incorporate STEM principles in teaching. Very basic and comprehensible architectural laws. Classic and would recommend to any STEM instructor for adding hands-on models to train the brain in architectural tenets.

flag Like · see review

Jun 10, 2015 Isaac rated it liked it

Very good descriptions of great buildings and structural principles for lay people. Especially good are the chapters on specific buildings, although the whole book was interesting.

flag Like · see review

Feb 09, 2008 John rated it really liked it

An excellent book.

flag Like · see review

Nov 24, 2009 Francisco Reivax rated it it was amazing

Shelves: technical-must-read, mind-changers

It is one of the few books that turned me on to take all my elective classes in the field of Architecture while I was doing my MFA/Sculpture at Parsons School of Design in New York City.

flag Like · see review