DETAIL is one of my favorite periodic publications in terms of construction inspiration. The reason? It’s packed with highly detailed drawings of contemporary projects.
Each volume features a specific building system (concrete in this case), presented in the form of articles, short reports, new technologies, products, and the most attractive section, recent projects with the mentioned detailed drawings.
For example, in this issue we find an interesting article by Hubertus Adam on the current state of concrete in Switzerland illustrated with photos of Valerio Olgiati projects; and projects such as the Children’s Playhouse by LAN Architecture, the Bus Operation Center by ECDM, or the MAXXI Museum by Zaha Hadid with detailed sections of walls, roofs and more.
This magazine is a good reference material, and even if the projects presented on each issue are very recent, the technical information is timeless.
More info after the break.
The new museum of contemporary art in Herning, Denmark, bearing a distinctive creased skin, and the just-completed MAXXI cultural centre in Rome, its form both sculptural and fluid, are currently two of the high-profile realisations in concrete. They express different characteristics of the material. While Steven Holl exploits the material’s potential primarily by developing an elaborate bas-relief surface, Zaha Hadid focuses on the building’s overall three-dimensional form. Contemporary architecture demonstrates that concrete has much to offer, both technologically and aesthetically. Equipped with a variety of aggregate and reinforcement and application. It is also well suited to low-budget work.
Concrete’s appearance is also adaptable, ranging from a velvety gloss, via sensual rawness, to a textured skin, such as the projections covering the ultra-thin precast units which constitute the envelope of an office building in Paris. Concrete can also be executed in nearly any colour: natural grey, shades achieved through pigmentation, or the extra-white, exquisite marble concrete which David Chipperfield utilizes in the monumental stair at the Neues Museum in Berlin (see Detail 4/2009, English Edition). This example, with its high-precision precast units, also demonstrates that concrete does not necessarily require the tolerances normally associated with it.
Concrete is increasingly being employed as large-format precast elements, as illustrated by Claus en Kaan’s rigorous office building in Amsterdam. At the same time, cast-in-place concrete – as monumental solid block – makes an appearance in a school in Austria by Marte.Marte, and is employed as building skin, as well as load-bearing framework. Due to its physical properties, it is increasingly edging out steel in the construction of skyscrapers. This is the case at the Burj Dubai – currently the world’s tallest building. One of the many challenges involved – as the engineer William F. Baker explains in his article – was to pump the viscous concrete to a height in excess of 600 m.
- Christian Schittich, editor-in-chief
Editor-in-chief: Christian Schittich
Drawings: Marion Griese, Emese M. Köszegi, Nicola Kollmann, Simon Kramer
Language: English
Cover: Paperback
Pages: 114
ISSN: 1614-4600
Index
Discussion
Concrete – A Versatile Building Material / Christian Schittich
Contemporary Concrete Construction in Switzerland / Hubertus Adam
Reports
Madinat al-Zahra Museum and Research Centre near Cordoba / Frank Kaltenbach
Renewal of the Student Apartments at the Olympic Village in Munich / Roland Pawlitschko
Books, Exhibitions
Documentation
Museum in Nottingham / Caruso St. John Architects
Children’s Playhouse in Bonneuil-sur-Marne / LAN Architecture
Boarding School for Handicapped Children in Kramsach / Marte.Marte Architecten
Office Building in Ijburg, Amsterdam / Claus en Kaan Architecten
Administration Building and Bus Operation Centre in Thiais / ECDM
Museum in Herning / Steven Holl Architects
Headquarters in London / Allford Hall Monaghan Morris
MAXXI Museum in Rome / Zaha Hadid Architects
Technology
Utilizing Concrete in High-Rises: Case Studies of the Burj Dubai, Trump Tower and Infinity Tower / William F. Baker
Strong, Long Lasting, Energy Efficient – Addressing Future Needs with Concrete / Martin Peck
Products
Concrete, Steel, Masonry and Offsite Building Construction
Bathroom and Sanitary Ware
Wall and Floor Tiles
External Works
Membrane and Textile Structures
Service
Persons and organizations involved in the planning / Contractors and suppliers
Programme / Photo credits / Editorial and publishing data
Over all I would not recommend this magazine. It’s quite ok for that what it is and i think it’s just the only one out there in this category? I have to say they often feature very good project and I like the “Every month another topic” – philosophy. I also like the very clean layout. But I have to mention the details of the project shown are often very “basic” and sketchy. Not everything but often you don’t get what you would expect… Also the descriptions are poor and short. You can’t really learn a lot about the architecture and the intensions of the architects. (Better see El Croquis or Mark). Almost half of the magazine is advertisement advertisement advertisement… I’m sorry but this is a reason not to buy it. El Corquis also has advertisement but it is featured in a separate section. For students they have kind of a platform which is called “DetailX” – some nice infos and extern competitions there but basically a very childish “wannabe very cool architects” category for 1st semesters…
David,
In my opinion, ElCroquis has a lot of drawings, but they aren’t presented in this scale. Actually, you almost need a magnifying glass to look at the details.
You can’t compare ElCroquis, Mark and Detail, as they have different approaches and goals. Detail is a technical publication. We love Mark, but they are way different.
I agree.. when it commes to details I would like recommend JA or some GA issues.
What is JA and GA? Would you like to provide the full name?
@David Basulto
I have to say you are right with this argument. They aren’t really compareable. What I wanted to say is that DETAIL is not the magazine if you want to know theoretical thoughts of the building -> For understanding the architecture you go along with other magazines, which also show the process of developing ideas, concepts and so on… The descriptions in DETAIL are very short and main focus lies on the details, for sure. But I have to say I’m not always satisfied with what they are offering. Sometimes there are wonderful super-high-quality-details but sometimes they print just simple sections with some basic information. I have subscribed the magazine and I got lots of issues which I like because of the one or the other project, but it often happens that I don’t get the details which I was awating… It would be a better magazine without so much advertising!
If you are looking for a magazine that provides the scale and level of detail that “detail” magazine provides, but want some excellent graphics, photographs and text documenting the project than I would suggest The PLAN. It’s an italian magazine with english translation. They release 8 issues a year and it’s one of my favourite magazines.
It really is a fantastic magazine, I have all the numbers since nº1 from 1960, (only a few numbers missing) :)
This magazine would be good if the details were drawing correctly! It seams as if the details are redrawn for the magazine, often there are blatant mistakes. On the positive side the range of projects is broad and the archives are easy to search online so if you have access to back issues its great. David, obviously this magazine is nothing like Mark or El Croquis, the clue is in the title.
RT @archdaily: Detail Magazine 2/2010 http://archdai.ly/bPG6CY
….The concept of all great architecture permeates every scale of the object…including of course its details…
DETAIL Magazine 2/2010. http://bit.ly/cXnAJb
RT @nicholaspatten DETAIL Magazine 2/2010. http://bit.ly/cXnAJb
The article shown is not the new museum of contemporary art in Herning, Denmark, but the Nottingham Contemporary Art Museum, UK…
Nice magazine. Well organized. Nice use of images and project details.
A must have.
detail is an absolutely mindboggling magazine …only wish it was available at subsidised rates in asia …..pakistan …iran etc …