Component Design. (Making Modern Buildings).

By Michael Stacey. Oxford: Architectural Press. 2002, [pounds sterling]30

In the days when buildings were built of brick and slate, architects had an abundance of books available to tell them how to build. Now that buildings are built with elastomeric membranes and lost wax castings, architects find that they have to rely on other people, and may not even know the right questions to ask of manufacturers or suppliers. 'The majority of building envelopes are detailed by the cladding subcontractor,' says Tim Macfarlane in the introduction to this book. How sad!

But if we believe that architecture is, in part, an expression of the way that the building is made, then we must try to gain some comprehension of the processes that go to make a modern building. This is difficult, whereas styling is easier and is superficially more fun. Hence the many blind alleys of recent architecture.

Michael Stacey has written a good primer on his subject. My only worry is that he assumes some knowledge of industrial processes -- he may not have realized how ignorant we are. But with effort, and frequent reference to the glossary, the book is not too difficult to follow. Michael Stacey is a partner in Brookes Stacey Randall and there are so many examples in the book from that firm's work that it smacks of self-promotion, but as BSR are among the most technically advanced architects in Britain, this is acceptable. The book has a chapter on each of the principal industrial processes -- extrusions, castings, sheet metal forming, composites, glass and testing.

Control by computers makes it reasonable to have short production runs where a few years ago one would have had to accept a standard product. This makes it even more essential for the architect to understand the world of making things if we are to justify a position at the head of the building team.