[.ca] Additions: Design Ideas for Great American Houses (ISBN 1561586552)

The Art of the Seamless Addition:
As the owner of a small architectural practice that does many additions, I see this book as an excellent (and very affordable) sourcebook for residential additions. This book brings together twenty-five projects that have been featured in Fine Homebuilding magazine over the past five years. The additions range in scale form major complete home makeovers to small additions/remodelings such as adding a portico to a Georgian Colonial home. The projects are classified in terms of "Adding Up, Adding on the Side, Adding On, and Adding Out. These projects are mostly what I term "Seamless" additions, meaning that the addition/makeover/remodeling is done in a manner to create a seamless (oftentimes altogether new) building. Most of the projects featured are architect designed and all display a fine level of craftsmanship and inginuity that one expects from Fine Homebuilding Magazine. It is interesting to compare this book with James Grayson Truelove's book "New American Additions and Remodelings". Truelove's book, which I also highly recommend, features more avante garde, object-like projects, many by noted young architects. This is a paperback book and the articles are have been very nicely repackaged. Whether you are an architect, contractor, or homeowner, I highly recommend this book.

Design Idea for Great American Homes: Additions:
Beautiful book, beautiful photos, wonderful ideas IF you either have a two-story home or would like to add a second story addition to your one-story home. For me, however, the book served no particular purpose and was a great disappointment as my intent is to increase the size of our home by going outward, not upward.