Architectural Detailing

PATRICK RAND, FAIA, is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Architecture in the College of Design at North Carolina State University. Rand has also authored or co-authored Materials for Design and Detailing for Landscape Architects, and his books have been translated into French, Chinese, and Korean. He has been named by Design Intelligence as a recipient of the Thirty Most Admired Design Educators. He was named a Distinguished Professor by ACSA in 2014. In 2019 he was a Fulbright Distinguished Chair, teaching and carrying out research for six months at Aalto University in Otaniemi and Helsinki, Finland. He was honored as the 2019 recipient of the NCSU Board of Governor’s Award for Teaching Excellence. JASON MILLER, AIA, is a professor of Building Sciences at Appalachian State University. A practicing architect, Miller emphasizes an integrated, collaborative design approach to achieve design excellence in professional and academic settings. His research interests include design pedagogy, sustainable design-build practices, and the role of architecture as an agent of community change. For his work in professionally based design education, Miller received the 2014 Appalachian State University Board of Governors Excellence in Teaching Award and the 2019 UNC Board of Governors Excellence in Teaching Award. EDWARD ALLEN, FAIA, (1938-2020) was a member of the faculties at both Yale University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and frequently taught as a guest at institutions across the United States for over 30 years. He also authored The Architect’s Studio Companion; Shaping Structures: Statics; and Fundamentals of Building Construction. Among his many honors, Allen was selected as a Topaz Laureate by ACSA in 2005.

“Being both a practicing architect and design professor, I find Architectural Detailing to be an essential reference book for any practicing architect or student of architecture.   The book is extremely effective in presenting how to think about details in terms of form and function and has wonderful detail drawings that help explain the concepts very clearly.   I have many books on details but this is the first that helps explain the many issues that go into designing a detail to be both beautiful and lasting by dealing with water, air, vapor, heat, sound, movement, aging and assembly.” --Don Kranbuehl, FAIA, LEED AP BD+C"Previous editions of "Architectural Detailing" have been a fixture in my architecture office for years and can regularly be found on my team's desks.  The updated, Fourth Edition builds on what was already a comprehensive resource with even more drawings, explanations and insights that are extremely well presented.  There are a LOT of details covering everything from controlling water to accommodating movement with thoughtful and clear descriptions accompanying them.  Even though we are familiar with a wide range of construction details and methods, this book remains a valuable resource in my office and would be ideal for an architecture student or new professional." --Jeff Jordan, Architects LLC

• Acknowledgments xiIntroduction xiiiPart I – Detail Patterns 1Section 1 Function 3Chapter 1 Controlling Water 5Wash 7Overlap 12Overhang and Drip 15Drain and Weep 19Unobstructed Drainage 21Ventilated Cold Roof 22Foundation Drainage 24Moisture Break 25Capillary Break 26Labyrinth 28Rainscreen Assembly and Pressure Equalization 29Upstand 34Sealant Joints and Gaskets 36Chapter 2 Controlling Air 45Air Barrier System 47Weatherstripped Crack 49Chapter 3 Controlling Heat Flow 51Thermal Insulation 52Thermal Break 54Multiple Glazing 59White and Bright Surfaces 60Reflective Glazing 61Reflective Surface and Airspace 62Outside-Insulated Thermal Mass 64Chapter 4 Controlling Water Vapor 67Warm Interior Surfaces 68Warm-Side Vapor Retarder 70Vapor Ventilation 75Condensate Drainage 78Chapter 5 Controlling Sound 79Airtight, Heavy, Limp Partition 80Cushioned Floor 83Quiet Attachments 85Sound-Absorbing Surfaces 86Chapter 6 Accommodating Movement 89Seasoning and Curing 91Vertical-Grain Lumber 94Equalizing Cross Grain 96Relieved Back 98Foundation below Frost Line 99Structure/Enclosure Joint 100Abutment Joint 102Expansion Joint 103Control Joint 106Sliding Joint 109Building Separation Joint 111Chapter 7 Providing Structural Support 113Small Structures 114Connecting Dissimilar Materials 116Distributing Loads 118Chapter 8 Providing Passages for Building Services 121Vertical Chase 122Horizontal Plenum 125Chapter 9 Health and Safety 129Safe Footing 130Fall Protection 132Safe Edges 134Safe Glazing 135Nontoxic Materials 136Fire-Safe Materials 137Fire-Resistant Assemblies 138Barrier-Free Design 140Universal Design 141Chapter 10 Providing for the Aging of the Building 145Life Cycle 146Expected Life 148Surfaces That Age Gracefully 150Repairable Surfaces 152Cleanable Surfaces 153Maintenance Access 154Dry Wood 156Protected and Similar Metals 158Less Absorbent Materials 161Robust Assemblies 163Building Armor 164Extreme Event Protection 166Section 2 Constructability 169Chapter 11 Ease of Assembly 171Uncut Units 172Minimum Number of Parts 174Parts That Are Easy to Handle 176Repetitious Assembly 179Simulated Assemblies 181Observable Assemblies 183Accessible Connections 184Detailing for Disassembly 186Installation Clearance 188Nonconflicting Systems 189Chapter 12 Forgiving Details 191Dimensional Tolerance 192Sliding Fit 197Adjustable Fit 201Reveal 204Butt Joint 206Clean Edge 209Progressive Finish 211Forgiving Surface 213Chapter 13 Efficient Use of Construction Resources 215Factory and Site 216Repetitious Fabrication 218Rehearsing the Construction Sequence 220Off-the-Shelf Parts 223Local Skills and Resources 224Aligning Forms with Forces 226Refining the Detail 229All-Weather Construction 230Pride of Craftsmanship 232Accepted Standards 233Section 3 Aesthetics 235Chapter 14 Aesthetics 237Contributive Details 237Timeless Features 240Geometry and Proportion 241Hierarchy of Refinement 243Intensification and Ornamentation 245Sensory Richness 247Formal Transitions 248Didactic Assemblies 251Composing the Detail 252Part II – Detail Development 253Section 1 Applying the Detail Patterns 255Chapter 15 Detailing a Building in Wood Light Framing 257Chapter 16 Detailing a Building in Architectural Concrete 291Chapter 17 Detailing a Building in Masonry on a Concrete Frame 313Section 2 Getting Started 349Appendix A: The Detailer’s Reference Shelf 351Appendix B: Formulating Exercises for Self-Study, Studio, or Classroom Use 359Index 361