Summer Reading

The list below covers several basic sources in the broad Design, Technology and Environmental Studies area that are widely used at the GSD.  The list is long and there is no expectation that you should be familiar with all of these sources prior to coming to the GSD, but you should look over the list with respect to your own interest area and start becoming acquainted with the relevant works.

DESIGN TECHNOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

In general, Antoine Picon’s French Architects and Engineers in the Age of Enlightenment provides historical background to the development of technology in architecture that should be of interest to all of you.  For those of you interested in materials should especially take a look at Smart Materials and Technologies and Fernandez’ Materials and Design.  Those of you interested in design computation should look at Expressive Form: A Conceptual Approach to Computational Design, Architecture and Science, The Language of New Media, Architecture and Sciences: Exchanging Metaphors, and Digital Design and Manufacturing: CAD/CAM Applications in Architecture and Design.  Product Design and Development and Mass Customization are especially suitable for students interested in product/industrial design. Students with this interest should also look at Digital Design and Manufacturing and the books on materials. Students interested in environmental issues should look at the collection of essays by GSD Faculty in the Harvard Design Magazine No.18.  It is a good collection of essays on all sides of the environmental debate.  Readings in other areas will be assigned in individual courses. Student interested in structures could read Innovative Surface Structures, an in-depth introduction to rigid shells and membranes. For those of you interested in BIM we recommend the BIM Handbook (Eastman et.al.).