BC Books Online was created for anyone interested in BC-published books, and with librarians especially in mind. We'd like to make it easy for library staff to learn about books from BC publishers - both new releases and backlist titles - so you can inform your patrons and keep your collections up to date.
Our site features print books and ebooks - both new releases and backlist titles - all of which are available to order through regular trade channels. Browse our subject categories to find books of interest or create and export lists by category to cross-reference with your library's current collection.
A quick tip: When reviewing the "Browse by Category" listings, please note that these are based on standardized BISAC Subject Codes supplied by the books' publishers. You will find additional selections, grouped by theme or region, in our "BC Reading Lists."
A revealing look at the holistic, community-centred philosophy behind Bing Thom's internationally acclaimed architecture.
Forgotten spaces, declining malls and sterilized neighborhoods seem like odd places to find inspiration. But it is these awkward places that have driven much of the work of Bing Thom Architects. This highly visual book outlines the recent work and thoughts of Bing Thom Architects (BTA), recently awarded firm of the year by the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada. The book opens with a particular focus on BTA's most recent project, the Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. It takes the reader through the creative process, featuring detailed descriptions and illustrations of this beloved regional theatre's transformation into what will be the second-largest performing arts centre in Washington.
Architects, urban planners and even those in the theatre community will all appreciate Bing Thom Works for its informal essays about how the firm approaches each of its projects as both a philosophical and a practical process. The essays are followed by seven well-illustrated examples of recent BTA projects, ranging from an intimate single-family dwelling to a large-scale urban intervention, that have changed their communities.
"Beyond the traditional display of selected projects this book provides a range of essays by Bing Thom that deal with the questions he has been asking throughout his career. "What is architecture? What is the right approach to architectural design?" These essays provide a nice backdrop to the diverse range of projects presented in this monograph. It is easy to see how Bing Thom has tried to explore these questions with different scales and programs."
"For anyone inspired by nature, Thom's biophilic, environmentally-sustainable, and socially-conscious built sculptures are worth delving into."
"Bing Thom Works seems to be aimed at a wider readership than most architecture books. The writing is clear, articulate and unpretentious. It avoids arcane theoretical discussion or technical details, which makes it more user-friendly for the uninitiated."
"[Bing Thom has] articulated his thoughts in a new book called Bing Thom Works that reaches out with seven of his projects, seeking to dissolve the boundaries between architects and artisans."
"The book itself is as lovely as many of Mr. Thom's projects. The photography is lush and the floorplans and elevations exquisite. The text is mostly written from the internal perspective of the Bing Thom firm and is informative when it sticks to the facts about projects."