Author: Muriel Barbery
Publisher: Europa Editions
ISBN: 1609450132
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 282
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Book Description
The phenomenal New York Times bestseller that “explores the upstairs-downstairs goings-on of a posh Parisian apartment building” (Publishers Weekly). In an elegant hôtel particulier in Paris, Renée, the concierge, is all but invisible—short, plump, middle-aged, with bunions on her feet and an addiction to television soaps. Her only genuine attachment is to her cat, Leo. In short, she’s everything society expects from a concierge at a bourgeois building in an upscale neighborhood. But Renée has a secret: She furtively, ferociously devours art, philosophy, music, and Japanese culture. With biting humor, she scrutinizes the lives of the tenants—her inferiors in every way except that of material wealth. Paloma is a twelve-year-old who lives on the fifth floor. Talented and precocious, she’s come to terms with life’s seeming futility and decided to end her own on her thirteenth birthday. Until then, she will continue hiding her extraordinary intelligence behind a mask of mediocrity, acting the part of an average pre-teen high on pop culture, a good but not outstanding student, an obedient if obstinate daughter. Paloma and Renée hide their true talents and finest qualities from a world they believe cannot or will not appreciate them. But after a wealthy Japanese man named Ozu arrives in the building, they will begin to recognize each other as kindred souls, in a novel that exalts the quiet victories of the inconspicuous among us, and “teaches philosophical lessons by shrewdly exposing rich secret lives hidden beneath conventional exteriors” (Kirkus Reviews). “The narrators’ kinetic minds and engaging voices (in Alison Anderson’s fluent translation) propel us ahead.” —The New York Times Book Review “Barbery’s sly wit . . . bestows lightness on the most ponderous cogitations.” —The New Yorker
Author: Ali Rahim
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 0470029684
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 129
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Book Description
Elegance represents an important watershed in architectural design. Since the onset of computer-driven technologies, innovative designers have, almost exclusively, been preoccupied with the pursuit of digital techniques. This issue of AD extrapolates current design tendencies and brings them together to present a new type of architecture, one that is seamlessly trying processes, space, structure and material together with beauty. ‘Elegance’ here is cast with a new contemporary meaning as it is applied to work that is effortlessly complex. It is analogous to an elegant algorithm that uses a small amount of initiative code to great effect. In a structure elegance may be expressed by a complex surface that retains its continuity and integrity even when punctured. In many ways, Elegance marks a coming of age for, ‘digital architecture’, as architects become more adept at producing complexity and integrating digital design technologies, production and assembly systems producing elegant solutions. It is the potent finesse that is often associated with the work of Zaha Hadid Architects and other featured architects, such as Mark Goulthorpe of Decoi and Hani Rashid of Asymptote.
Author: Tianjian Ji
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 0429878257
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 229
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Book Description
Deflections tend to have more significance in modern structures, especially those that are either taller, longer or have wider spans than earlier designs. It is also necessary to provide desirable distributions of internal forces in order to achieve effective, efficient and elegant structures. This book presents four structural concepts relating to deflections and internal forces in structures. It demonstrates a number of routes and physical measures together with their implementation for creating desirable distributions of internal forces and for designing structures against deflection. Hand calculation examples, with and without using the implementation measures, are provided to quantify the effectiveness and efficiency of the structural concepts. Practical examples, including several well-known structures, are considered qualitatively to illustrate the practical implementation of the structural concepts and show their structural rationale. The book is especially suitable for advanced undergraduate and graduate students studying civil engineering or architecture and should enhance the holistic comprehension of structural engineers and architects. Features Develops the concepts from their principles through to their implementation Provides worked examples in pairs and analyses real structures Especially suits final year undergraduates and graduate students in structural engineering Author Bio Dr. Tianjian Ji, CEng, FIStructE, FHEA, is Reader in Structural Engineering at the University of Manchester, UK. He received the Award for Excellence in Structural Engineering Education from the Institution of Structural Engineers, UK, in 2014 and the Teaching Excellence Award from the University of Manchester in 2016. He is the primary author of Understanding and Using Structural Concepts, 2nd edition, also published by Taylor & Francis.
Author: Ian Glynn
Publisher: OUP Oxford
ISBN: 019150713X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 304
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Book Description
The idea of elegance in science is not necessarily a familiar one, but it is an important one. The use of the term is perhaps most clear-cut in mathematics - the elegant proof - and this is where Ian Glynn begins his exploration. Scientists often share a sense of admiration and excitement on hearing of an elegant solution to a problem, an elegant theory, or an elegant experiment. The idea of elegance may seem strange in a field of endeavour that prides itself in its objectivity, but only if science is regarded as a dull, dry activity of counting and measuring. It is, of course, far more than that, and elegance is a fundamental aspect of the beauty and imagination involved in scientific activity. Ian Glynn, a distinguished scientist, selects historical examples from a range of sciences to draw out the principles of science, including Kepler's Laws, the experiments that demonstrated the nature of heat, and the action of nerves, and of course the several extraordinary episodes that led to Watson and Crick's discovery of the structure of DNA. With a highly readable selection of inspiring episodes highlighting the role of beauty and simplicity in the sciences, the book also relates to important philosophical issues of inference, and Glynn ends by warning us not to rely on beauty and simplicity alone - even the most elegant explanation can be wrong.
Author: Matthew E. May
Publisher: Crown Currency
ISBN: 0385526504
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 226
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Book Description
What made the Sopranos finale one of the most-talked-about events in television history? Why is sudoku so addictive and the iPhone so darn irresistible? What do Jackson Pollock and Lance Armstrong have in common with theoretical physicists and Buddhist monks? Elegance. In this thought-provoking exploration of why certain events, products, and people capture our attention and imaginations, Matthew E. May examines the elusive element behind so many innovative breakthroughs in fields ranging from physics and marketing to design and popular culture. Combining unusual simplicity and surprising power, elegance is characterized by four key elements—seduction, subtraction, symmetry, and sustainability. In a compelling, story-driven narrative that sheds light on the need for elegance in design, engineering, art, urban planning, sports, and work, May offers surprising evidence that what’s “not there” often trumps what is. In the bestselling tradition of The Tipping Point, Made to Stick, and The Black Swan, In Pursuit of Elegance will change the way you think about the world.
Author: Tianjian Ji
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 1482288451
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 286
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Book Description
The pioneering website www.structuralconcepts.org, by Tianjian Ji and Adrian Bell, goes back to basics and explains in detail the basic principles of structural concepts and how they relate to the real world. Following on from and expanding upon the website, comes this book. Essential for the civil engineering student, it examines the concepts in closer detail with formulae and technical terminology, while remaining grounded in the website's practical approach. With hundreds of photographs and diagrams, you are encouraged to visualize each concept in turn and to understand how it applies to every day life.
Author: Rush Jenkins
Publisher: Vendome Press
ISBN: 9780865653726
Category : Design
Languages : en
Pages : 0
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Book Description
The refined rustic style of WRJ, the preeminent interior design firm in the Mountain West Natural Elegance showcases the award-winning interiors of WRJ Design, headquartered in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and led by Rush Jenkins and Klaus Baer. The firm's homes are set against the backdrop of dramatic western landscapes from the Rockies to the Pacific. Their interiors are infused with a unique elegance--one versed in the beauty of the wilderness combined with sophisticated contemporary design. Juxtaposing a warm palette with rugged elements, they create homes that have a deep connection to the natural world just outside the windows. Illustrated with photographs by the masterly William Abranowicz, the book features more than a dozen gloriously sited houses decorated in WRJ's signature rustic yet refined style.
Author: Will Larson
Publisher: Stripe Press
ISBN: 1953953336
Category : Computers
Languages : en
Pages : 281
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Book Description
A human-centric guide to solving complex problems in engineering management, from sizing teams to handling technical debt. There’s a saying that people don’t leave companies, they leave managers. Management is a key part of any organization, yet the discipline is often self-taught and unstructured. Getting to the good solutions for complex management challenges can make the difference between fulfillment and frustration for teams—and, ultimately, between the success and failure of companies. Will Larson’s An Elegant Puzzle focuses on the particular challenges of engineering management—from sizing teams to handling technical debt to performing succession planning—and provides a path to the good solutions. Drawing from his experience at Digg, Uber, and Stripe, Larson has developed a thoughtful approach to engineering management for leaders of all levels at companies of all sizes. An Elegant Puzzle balances structured principles and human-centric thinking to help any leader create more effective and rewarding organizations for engineers to thrive in.
Author: Tianjian Ji
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 1498707319
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 390
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Book Description
Understanding and Using Structural Concepts, Second Edition provides numerous demonstrations using physical models and practical examples. A significant amount of material, not found in current textbooks, is included to enhance the understanding of structural concepts and stimulate interest in learning, creative thinking, and design. This is achiev
Author: Andrew Charleson
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1317660846
Category : Architecture
Languages : en
Pages : 712
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Book Description
Structure as Architecture presents a comprehensive analysis of the indispensable role of structure in architecture. An exploration, as well as a celebration, of structure, the book draws on a series of design studies and case study examples to illustrate how structure can be employed to realize a wide range of concepts in contemporary architecture. By examining design principles that relate to both architecture and structural engineering, Andrew Charleson provides new insights into the relationship between both the technical and aesthetic aspects of architecture. Now in its second edition, the text has been extensively revised and updated throughout. Features include: A brand new chapter on hidden structure, adding to the material on exposed structures Two new chapters on using structure to realise common architectural concepts through a combination of precedents and creative design Over 50 new case studies from across the globe Easy-to-understand diagrams and a highly visual design to aid understanding and accessibility More than two hundred case studies of contemporary buildings from countries such as the UK, the US, France, Germany, Spain, Hong Kong, Australia and Japan illustrate how a thorough integration of structure adds layers of richness and enhances the realisation of architectural design concepts.
