The Metric Handbook is the major handbook of planning and design data for architects and architecture students, with over 100,000 copies sold to successive generations of architects and designers. It remains the ideal starting point for any project and belongs in every design office.
The seventh edition references the latest regulations and construction standards and includes new chapters on data centres and logistics facilities alongside basic design data for all the major building types. For each building type, the book gives the basic design requirements and all the principal dimensional data, and succinct guidance on how to use the information and what regulations the designer needs to be aware of.
As well as buildings, the Metric Handbook deals with broader aspects of design such as materials, acoustics, and lighting, and general design data on human dimensions and space requirements. The Metric Handbook is the unique reference for solving everyday planning problems.
Preface
Acknowledgements
DESIGN BASICS
1. Design information and dimensional coordination
Revised by Simon Douch.
Original text: Terry Nichols with David King
2. People and space
Revised by Professor Norman Wienand
3. People and movement
Revised by Professor Norman Wienand
4. Inclusive and accessible design
David Dropkin and Neil Smith
5. Capital and whole life costs of buildings
Chris Bicknell and David Holmes
ESSENTIALS
6. Structure
Revised by Andrew Peters, Arthur Lyons
Original text: David Adler and Norman Seward
7. Materials
Arthur Lyons with AHR Architects
8. Thermal environment
Phil Jones
9. Light
Revised by Theo Paradise-Hirst
Original text: Joe Lynes
10. Sound
Russell Macdonald and Chris Steel
11. Fire
Beryl Menzies
12. Flood-resilient design
Robert Barker and Richard Coutts
13. Crime prevention design
Nick Hughes
Revised by Peter Wozniak
BUILDING TYPES
14. Agricultural buildings
John Weller, Rod Sheard, Frank Bradbeer and others
15. Auditoria
Revised by Mark Foley and Stefanie Fischer (cinemas).
Original text: Ian Appleton; Stefanie Fischer (cinemas)
16. Civic buildings
Revised by David Selby (town halls); Martin Sutcliffe and Neil Sansum (law courts)
17. Community centres
Jim Tanner
18. Data centres
Simon Brimble, Emilia Dobrzynska, Naiane Esteve, Chris Neighbour, Daniel Silva, Miguel Vazquez Cid of Arup
19. Emergency services
Including Fire stations by Michael Bowman
20. Hospitals
Christiane Anders, Claudia Bloom, Vicky Braouzou. Duncan Finch, Mary Reid, Mariangela Zanini of Avanti Architects. Christopher Shaw of Medical Architecture (mental health)
21. Hotels
Fred Lawson
22. Houses and flats
Revised by Kathy Watkins.
Original text: John Chapman and Kathy Watkins
23. Homes for older people
Justin Bannister and Judith Brown
24. Student housing and housing for young people
Revised by Michael Ritchie.
Original text: MJP Architects Ltd
25. Laboratories
Revised by Eugene Sayers
Original text: Neville Surti and Catherine Nikolaou
26. Libraries
Brian Edwards with Ayub Khan
27. Logistics facilities
Marcus Madden-Smith
28. Museums, art galleries and temporary exhibition spaces
Geoffrey Mathews
29. Offices
Frank Duffy with Jack Pringle, Angela Mullarkey and Richard Finnemore
30. Payment and counselling offices
Richard Napier
31. Places of worship
Revised by Ian Brewerton (Non-conformist and Free Churches), Atba Al-Samarraie (mosques); Gurmeet Sian (gurdwara), Maurice Walton (Church of England buildings)
Original text by David Adler, Ian Brewerton, Leslie Fairweather, Derek Kemp, Atba Al-Samarraie
32. Primary health care
Geoffrey Purves
33. Restaurants and foodservice facilities
Fred Lawson
34. Retail shops and stores
Lucy Dewick-Tew and Eddie Miles
35. Schools
Anthony Langan
36. Security and counter-terrorism
Mark Whyte and Chris Johnson
37. Sports facilities: indoor and outdoor
Philip Johnson and Tom Jones
38. Streets and spaces for people and vehicles
Revised by Ben Hamilton-Baillie (introduction, shared space and place-making), James Horne (vehicles, roads and road design) and Sustrans (cycling routes and parking)
39. Transport terminals and interchanges
Airports revised by Andrew Perez with additional contributions by Richard Chapman. Railways revised by Declan McCafferty
40. Tropical design
Patricia Tutt
41. Universities
Revised by Rupert Goddard and Tony Poole
Appendix A – SI system
Appendix B – Conversion factors and tables
Index
Biography
Pamela Buxton is a freelance architecture and design journalist. She has contributed to many architecture and design publications including RIBA Journal, Architects’ Journal and Building Design. She was the editor of 50 Architects 50 Buildings, published by Batsford in 2016.
