Best Architectural Materials Books of 2025

Perspective Made Easy by Ernest R. Norling is a fundamental guide for artists to clarify the laws of perspective. The book uses over 250 simple line drawings to illustrate the concepts involved in creating successful perspective drawings. The author begins by explaining the horizon, vanishing point, and the crucial relationship of eye level to perspective drawing. The book is clear, concise, and immediately applicable, making it an essential addition to any artist's bookshelf. The author's approach is so simple and direct that even those with little raw talent or experience can apply the techniques almost instinctively. Overall, Perspective Made Easy is a must-have for any artist looking to master the basics of perspective drawing.

The Seventh Edition of Fundamentals of Building Construction: Materials and Methods by Edward Allen and Joseph Iano is a must-have reference for architecture, engineering, and construction technology professionals and students. This edition has been updated with the latest advancements in the industry, including new illustrations, photographs, and discussions of sustainability standards, environmental impacts of materials, and mass timber construction. The book covers all major construction systems, making it a comprehensive guide for anyone in the field. Overall, this book is an excellent resource for those seeking a working knowledge of building construction.

Best-Selling 1-Story Home Plans, 5th Edition is the perfect guide for those seeking to build their own one-story dream home. The book features over 360 home plans, including a wide variety of styles and sizes suited for any budget, from Traditional Ranch style to Country Craftsman cottages. With complete construction blueprints and CAD files available for each house plan, readers can customize their homes to fit their needs. The book also includes special sections on outdoor living trends, kitchen design ideas, and maximizing living space. With plans from top architects and designers, this book is a must-have for anyone looking to build their dream one-story home.

The PPI ARE 5.0 Exam Review All Six Divisions, 2nd Edition is a comprehensive manual that covers all six NCARB ARE 5.0 division exams. This book offers over 200 new pages of content and thoroughly reviewed and updated exam objectives to prepare readers to pass all six divisions. With hundreds of tables and figures, exam taking strategies, and over 150 example questions, this book is an excellent resource for anyone preparing to take the ARE 5.0 exam. The pages are tabbed in six different colors, making it easy to lookup a particular exam division. Overall, this book is an indispensable tool for architecture students and professionals.

The Ultimate Book of Modern Farmhouse Plans is a comprehensive guide for finding the perfect modern farmhouse design. With a collection of 350 popular designs and expert articles on design and decorating, this book provides everything needed to build the ideal farmhouse. The book offers ready-to-purchase plans, so builders can save time and start building right away. The construction blueprints are available in both print and digital formats, making it easy to find the perfect plan. The Ultimate Book of Modern Farmhouse Plans is a must-have for anyone looking to build a modern farmhouse.

The "Manual of Biogenic House Sections: Materials and Carbon" is a 352-page book that explores the use of materials that either sequester carbon or have low embodied carbon in the construction of houses. The book features cross-sectional drawings of fifty-five modestly-sized houses from around the world, highlighting the tectonics and materials used in their construction. It also includes life cycle diagrams showing how raw materials are processed into building components. This book seeks to change how we build now and for the future by drawing connections between the architecture of the house, environmental systems, and material economies. Overall, this book provides a deep insight into the use of low carbon-emitting materials in building design.

The book "Learn to Timber Frame: Craftsmanship, Simplicity, Timeless Beauty" is a beginner-friendly guide to timber framing, from sourcing the timber to a finished building. With detailed drawings, full-color photos, and step-by-step instructions, Will Beemer takes readers through the process of building a simple 12' x 16' timber-frame structure that can be modified to suit individual needs. The author also teaches the proper handling of chisels, saws, and other essential tools. This book is an excellent introduction to the historic craft of timber framing and a valuable resource for those interested in home design and construction.

Get Your House Right: Architectural Elements to Use & Avoid is the ultimate guide for designing and building a timeless, beautiful home. The author, Marianne Cusato, a renowned architect and creator of the award-winning Katrina Cottages, shares traditional architectural principles, including structural common sense, form aesthetics, neighborhood appropriateness, and sustainability. The book features hundreds of elegant line drawings, displaying both the “avoid” and “use” versions of architectural elements side by side, making it an indispensable resource for livable home design. Overall, this book is a must-have for anyone looking to build a home that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing.

The Big Book of Small Home Plans, 2nd Edition is a comprehensive guide for building small homes, including cabins, cottages, and tiny houses. With over 360 expertly prepared plans, this book provides easy-to-follow construction blueprints and materials lists for each project. The book also includes advice on maximizing living space with organization, decorating, and storage solutions. This practical do-it-yourself guide is ideal for those looking to save money and reduce their ecological impact. Overall, this book is a valuable resource for anyone interested in building a small home.

The book "M³: modeled works [archive] 1972-2022" is a comprehensive retrospective of the models that preceded the buildings designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Thom Mayne and his firm Morphosis. This book features an exhaustive look at the models upon which all the rest has been built and is an essential history of the work of Mayne and Morphosis. The book includes outside commentary from architecture historians, critics, and practicing architects, making it a must-read for anyone interested in the evolution of architectural models and the work of this prestigious firm.