Climate change, technology, and regulation are just some of the challenges faced by the architecture, engineering and construction industry in the design and build of modern buildings. This book explores these trends, highlighting how higher education and the construction sector can address these challenges through modern design practices and integrated approaches. It explores the following topics: conflicting design tensions in projects; the concept of Defornocere ('ugly through harm'); the emerging role of the design manager; buildings and their impact on health and wellbeing, and the importance of information modelling for enhanced design. Energy modelling and life-cycle analysis along with multidisciplinary building design and design trade-offs are covered too. With case studies and supporting illustrations this book will guide you to a better understanding of modern building design.

"So the book is in several minds. Therein lies its strength, and the conceptual space set up between the various treatments leaves the reader plenty of room room to speculate on the future of building design, the deployment of new tools and the transformation of information as it is manifested in built form. It’s enjoyable and timely, part of the general thrashing around to fi nd something upon which to ground contemporary design." - The Structural Engineer magazine of the Institute of Structural Engineers