Apartment Block Design: Massing Matters

This architectural design book focuses on massing studies for multi-unit housing projects, namely apartment blocks; it provides a fresh look at architectural synthesis for architects, students and architecture-curious readers. The author re-examines the apartment block as a design model, for today and tomorrow, through a simple, flexible and explicit design approach. The innovation of this book lies in the idea that any type of apartment block can be designed and understood using three programmatic areas/elements of any apartment building: housing units, circulation and communal spaces. The book’s author clearly and explicitly demonstrates multiple combinations of the three elements during the massing phase of schematic design for multi-unit housing projects by examining case studies of twelve globally renowned apartment buildings. This approach offers multiple design solutions rather than a single proposal. All case studies are examined using diagrams, drawings and photographs and a conclusion at the end of each chapter outlines the main knowledge acquired. Beautifully designed and illustrated with over 150 full colour illustrations, this book is essential reading for any architect, student or reader interested in apartment block design. Read more