''Architects' Data'' (), also simply known as the ''Neufert'', is a reference book for spatial requirements in
building design
Building design, also called architectural design, refers to the broadly based architectural, engineering and technical applications to the design of buildings. All building projects require the services of a building designer, typically a licen ...
and
site planning
Site most often refers to:
* Archaeological site
* Campsite, a place used for overnight stay in an outdoor area
* Construction site
* Location, a point or an area on the Earth's surface or elsewhere
* Website
A website (also written as a w ...
. First published in 1936 by
Ernst Neufert, its 39 German editions and translations into 17 languages have sold over 500,000 copies.
The first English version was published in 1970 and was translated from the original German by Rudolf Herz.
History
Teaching at
Weimar's ''Bauhochschule'' from 1926 after graduating from the
Bauhaus
The Staatliches Bauhaus (), commonly known as the , was a German art school operational from 1919 to 1933 that combined Decorative arts, crafts and the fine arts.Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 4th edn., ...
,
Ernst Neufert began to collect data about building, in a way of rationalization.
[Neufert Consulting]
, retrieved 21 February 2012 It was first published in 1936, as a handbook for students and architects. Since then, more than half a million books have been printed, in 39 German editions and 17 other languages.
The first English edition was published in 1970. In the US, it competes with the most common
Architectural Graphic Standards and is little known compared to Germany.
Domus
, retrieved 21 February 2012 Until 1986, Ernst Neufert was its editor, after which his son Peter took over the publishing with his company AG Neufert Mittmann Graf Partner, until his death in 1995.
Contents
The book is conceived to help the initial design of buildings by providing extensive information about spatial requirements. Dealing mostly with ergonomics
Ergonomics, also known as human factors or human factors engineering (HFE), is the application of Psychology, psychological and Physiology, physiological principles to the engineering and design of products, processes, and systems. Primary goa ...
and with functional building layouts, thousands of drawings illustrate the text, organised according to building typologies. Weighting now slightly less than two kilograms, it has been continuously updated.
Influence
The Argentine artist Guillermo Kuitca worked on the rationalization of architecture within his piece "Neufert Suite" in 1998.
References
{{reflist
Further reading
* Neufert Ernst and Peter, ''Architects' data'', 3rd English Edition, Blackwell Sciences
External links
Neufert Foundation: About the book
Architecture books
1936 non-fiction books
German-language literature