Why do buildings and bridges stand up? How do they withstand the tremendous forces of wind, earthquakes, and gravity? The Art of Construction draws on examples from every period in history to explain the principles of building.
Use drinking straws, tongue depressors, paper, sponges, balloons, rulers, Styrofoam, and even eggs from the kitchen for projects as simple as illustrating tension and compression and as complex as building a model Takenaka space truss. Demonstrate the laws of equilibrium, make a creased paper barrel arch that can support 300 times its own weight in toy cars or books, produce a model pneumatic roof. The projects and their explanations show how basic principles and human ingenuity combine to create durable and engaging architecture.
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