Book Review

This book is an intellectual biography of the famous structural engineer, Dr. Fazlur R. Khan (1929 - 1982). The author is herself a structural engineer, simply telling her father's story pf achievements in an understandable fashion. Dr. Khan is known for pioneering structural systems for high rise buildings, namely the framed tube system, the bundled tube system and the composite steel concrete system. He managed to translate these systems into famous buildings such as the John Hancock Center and Sear's Tower, which gave greater assurance of structural integrity, of course, through architectural logic. Apart from many high rise buildings, he planned and designed the Hajj Terminal at the International Airport Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the U.S. Airforce Academy and The United Airlines Building complex.

The book is divided into the following three parts:

Part 1: Structural Logic in Architecture
Part 2: Expanded Design and Variations on Structural Systems
Part 3: Contemporary Structural Rationalism

All these parts cover constructing and design planning and features. Dr. Khan's well known innovations have been vividly examined. Each part is supported by detailed design data, tables of parameters and diagrams/photographs. The author and the publishers have made a great effort to produce this excellent biography for which they need to be congratulated.

Unfortunately the appearance of the Bangladesh crisis in the book has marred its continuity.

Every year the family has offered an award known as "The Fazlur-Rahman Khan Award for Engineering/Science Technology." The Muslim News, Harrow, Middlesex administers this award. Prince Charles and Tony Blair, among others, have been the chief guests at award ceremonies. I happened to be the recipient of the award in 1999.

Structural engineers involved in innovative work and advanced engineering research can certainly be nominated.

The book is well presented and has materials of great interest for structural engineers.

M.Y.H. Bangash