At Home in Steel

A compact and concise survey of the use of steel in residential architecture, reflecting on historic icons and featuring outstanding contemporary examples

Since the introduction of steel as a building material in the early 20th century, its superior performance has challenged conventional wisdom about construction, enabling designs of surprising lightness and span. From the Eames House in Los Angeles to the Hôtel Tassel in Brussels and the Maison de Verre in Paris, At Home in Steel celebrates the use of steel in residential architecture. These icons of steel construction should inspire architects to rediscover the advantages of this versatile material in contemporary residential architecture, from industrial prefabrication and a swift and dry construction process to structural adaptability over a building's lifetime.

Drawing on recent research at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Institute of Constructive Design, the essays in At Home in Steel reflect on steel residential architecture from today's perspective. The book features contemporary examples by Atelier Bow-Wow, Christian Kerez, Lacaton and Vassal, and Made In, among others.

• Concise surveys of the use of steel in contemporary residential architecture and vertical extension of existing buildings
• Explore the advantages of steel, such as prefabrication, swift and dry construction process, or structural adaptability over a building's lifetime
• Features examples by well-known Swiss and international architects

• Based on recent research at Zurich University of Applied Sciences' Institute of Constructive Design

  Autorentext

Daniel Stockhammer has been a research assistant at ZHAW, Institute of Constructive Design, in 201617 and is a teaching and research assistant at University of Liechtenstein's Institute of Architecture and Planning.

Astrid Staufer is an architect, professor at Technische Universität Vienna, and Co-director of the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), Institute of Constructive Design in Winterthur, Switzerland.

Daniel Meyer is a civil engineer and a lecturer at ZHAW, Institute of Constructive Design.

Zurich University of Applied Sciences' (ZHAW) Institute of Constructive Design is an interactive hub for teaching and research in building design and construction.