Creativity and Innovation

Illustrating the many ways that structural engineers can bring their creativity and innovation to contribute to the design of the best buildings, this book presents the full value of the engineer in helping clients and architects achieve their goals. The structural engineer's primary contribution to a project is clear - to ensure the building stands up and carries the loads to which it may be subjected. However, good engineers can bring so much more than this minimum. They add value to a project, enable it to function more effectively, reduce the risk of time and cost overruns, and enable architects greater opportunities for expression. Addis presents a complete understanding of structure, by explaining the processes, variety of materials and philosophical issues involved, through over forty case studies. These examples illustrate why innovative engineers are now recognized as creators in their own right, able to explore the infinite ways of making and joining materials to create structure and form. It also proves their essential role as an integral member of the design team. This text is useful to engineers in demonstrating how to apply a knowledge of materials and form to their clients needs, and useful for architects in knowing how to get the best from a structural engineer and realise their dreams. This book provides a resource for architects in understanding and making effective use of materials and structures. It encourages more architects to ask for more imaginative input from their structural engineers to inspire building designs. It includes international case-studies that reveal ways in which engineers can help develop architects' ideas.