Kubba - Blueprint reading: construction drawings for the building trades

Sam A. A. Kubba, Ph.D., is an award-winning architect whose practice includes projects in the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Middle East. He has more than 30 years of experience in all aspects of design, construction, and property condition assessments. A member of the American Institute of Architects, the American Society of Interior Designers, and the Royal Institute of British Architects, he has lectured widely on architecture, interior design, and construction. Dr. Kubba is the principal partner of The Consultants' Collaborative, a firm noted for its work in architecture, interior design, and project management. He is also the author of several books, including Mesopotamian Furniture, Space Planning for Commercial and Residential Interiors, Property Condition Assessments, and Architectural Forensics.

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A book of this scope would have been extremely difficult without the assistance and support of numerous individualsfriends, colleagues, architects/engineers, and contractorswho contributed greatly to the formation and crystallization of my thoughts and insights on many of the topics and issues discussed herein. I am also indebted to innumerable people and organizations that have contributed ideas, comments, photographs, illustrations, and other items that have helped make this book a reality instead of a pipe dream.

I must also unequivocally mention that without the unfailing fervor, encouragement, and wisdom of Mr. Roger Woodson, president of Lone Wolf Enterprises, Ltd., and Ms. Joy Bramble Oehlkers, senior editor with McGraw-Hill, this book might still be on the drawing board. It is always a great pleasure working with them. I must likewise acknowledge the wonderful work of Project Manager Jacquie Wallace for her unwavering commitment and support, and for always being there for me when I needed assistance or advice. I also wish to thank Ms. Wendy Lochner for copy editing the first drafts, and Ms. Leona Woodson for proofreading the final drafts and indexing the book. I would certainly be amiss if I did not mention my gratitude to Mr. Jeff Weeks for his excellent cover design.

Mechanical engineer Stephen Christian deserves a special thanks for reviewing . I must not forget to thank my wife, Ibtesam, for her loving companionship and support and for helping me prepare many of the CAD drawings and line illustrations. Last but not least, I wish to record my gratitude to all those who came to my rescue during the final stretch of this workthe many nameless colleaguesarchitects, engineers, and contractors who kept me motivated with their ardent enthusiasm, support, and technical expertise. I relied on them in so many ways, and while no words can reflect the depth of my gratitude to all of the above for their assistance and advice, in the final analysis, I alone must bear responsibility for any mistakes, omissions, or errors that may have found their way into the text.

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