Steel and beyond

Metals open up a vast range of new possibilities in today's building industry. With standards rapidly changing, this book presents the latest processes of design and fabrication through the study of numerous examples of the use of metal in contemporary architecture. Examining the most recent advances in a systematic overview, the book includes a series of essays discussing new conceptual strategies for structures, hybrid materials systems, computer-aided design and fabrication and parametric models for the generation of form. In addition, case studies examine twenty significant recent buildings, both completed and in design, which illustrate innovative concepts. These include Frank O'Gehry's Experience Music Project in Seattle, the Millennium Bridge by Norman Foster, Sendai Mediatheque by Toyo Ito, the Seattle Library by OMA, Gigon/Guyer's Signal Box in Zurich and the Museum of American Folk Art by Tod Williams and Billie Tsien. Each project is comprehensively documented in image and text, paying particular attention to the design, fabrication and assembly of metal structural and cladding systems. The buildings selected encompass a wide range of different types and functions, providing an intriguing record of current developments in metal technology.