Thomas Auer

My beloved grandparents, whom I call Honey and Grapes, spent their Thanksgiving holiday of 2018 in the extraordinary Amazon Rainforest, which is the most biodiverse place in the world. First, they flew from upstate New York to the country of Ecuador in South America and stayed in the capital city of Quito near the old town. Then they flew over the very long Andes Mountains to the small town of Coca on the powerful Napo River, which is in the heart of the Amazon. From Coca, they took a two-hour motorized canoe ride and then a two-hour paddled canoe to reach a remarkable and remote eco-lodge called the Napo Wildlife Center. They stayed there for four days and took daily hikes and canoe trips to visit the Kichwa A angu community and to experience the magnificent wildlife in the jungle and around the many sparkling streams. They observed salt licks where birds feast on salt and clay, and they hiked under the rainforest's overlapping branches and leaves that are called canopies. Next, they boarded a small boat called the Anakonda, whose superb staff works hard to protect the Amazon Rainforest and preserve its wildlife. The boat glided down the Napo River to the border between Ecuador and Peru. They spent four days on the boat and took daily excursions by motorized canoe to explore the community villages, national wildlife reserves, and observation towers to study the astounding wild animals. In the villages, they spoke to the indigenous people to learn about this stunning region and its challenges and the people's varied lives on the Napo River and in the Amazon Rainforest. They visited the Yasuni National Park and Limoncocha National Biological Reserve, which were breathtakingly beautiful. Finally, the boat steamed back up the Napo River to return to the town of Coca. They flew back to Quito to stay at the Hacienda la Jimenita, a dedicated eco-reserve and a marvelous refuge for wild birds and hummingbirds. On the last day, they flew back to the United States to return to their countryside town in upstate New York. I helped my grandpa create this photo book in 2020 so that my sister and I could share their experiences and so that our whole family will always remember their magical journey.

My beloved grandparents, whom I call Honey and Grapes, spent their Thanksgiving holiday of 2018 in the extraordinary Amazon Rainforest, which is the most biodiverse place in the world. First, they flew from upstate New York to the country of Ecuador in South America and stayed in the capital city of Quito near the old town. Then they flew over the very long Andes Mountains to the small town of Coca on the powerful Napo River, which is in the heart of the Amazon. From Coca, they took a two-hour motorized canoe ride and then a two-hour paddled canoe to reach a remarkable and remote eco-lodge called the Napo Wildlife Center. They stayed there for four days and took daily hikes and canoe trips to visit the Kichwa A angu community and to experience the magnificent wildlife in the jungle and around the many sparkling streams. They observed salt licks where birds feast on salt and clay, and they hiked under the rainforest's overlapping branches and leaves that are called canopies. Next, they boarded a small boat called the Anakonda, whose superb staff works hard to protect the Amazon Rainforest and preserve its wildlife. The boat glided down the Napo River to the border between Ecuador and Peru. They spent four days on the boat and took daily excursions by motorized canoe to explore the community villages, national wildlife reserves, and observation towers to study the astounding wild animals. In the villages, they spoke to the indigenous people to learn about this stunning region and its challenges and the people's varied lives on the Napo River and in the Amazon Rainforest. They visited the Yasuni National Park and Limoncocha National Biological Reserve, which were breathtakingly beautiful. Finally, the boat steamed back up the Napo River to return to the town of Coca. They flew back to Quito to stay at the Hacienda la Jimenita, a dedicated eco-reserve and a marvelous refuge for wild birds and hummingbirds. On the last day, they flew back to the United States to return to their countryside town in upstate New York. I helped my grandpa create this photo book in 2020 so that my sister and I could share their experiences and so that our whole family will always remember their magical journey.

On an amazing trip to Cambodia in 2019, my wife and I spent a week on the Saigon, a small cruise ship run by Avalon Waterways. It was a wonderful way to explore the Mekong River Valley and to see and meet the people who live and work there. One of the things that impressed me the most were the children. They were friendly, intelligent, engaging, and loved to have their pictures taken. Even though they lacked many of the comforts afforded to children in the U.S., they expressed a keen interest in the outside world and an appetite for learning. They were excited to meet our small group of outsiders and to welcome us into their surroundings. We saw them at play, at work, and at school. They entertained us, smiled at us, and cooked for us. They exuded a sparkle in their eyes and a joyful expression on their faces. Their smiles were warm and sincere. Their interactions with their parents demonstrated a respectful and loving relationship. It was clear that their parents were proud of their children and gladly showed them off. This photographic journal is intended to show the reader the wonders, the energy, and the beauty of the children of the Mekong River Valley in Cambodia. Enjoy

On an amazing trip to Cambodia in 2019, my wife and I spent a week on the Saigon, a small cruise ship run by Avalon Waterways. It was a wonderful way to explore the Mekong River Valley and to see and meet the people who live and work there. One of the things that impressed me the most were the children. They were friendly, intelligent, engaging, and loved to have their pictures taken. Even though they lacked many of the comforts afforded to children in the U.S., they expressed a keen interest in the outside world and an appetite for learning. They were excited to meet our small group of outsiders and to welcome us into their surroundings. We saw them at play, at work, and at school. They entertained us, smiled at us, and cooked for us. They exuded a sparkle in their eyes and a joyful expression on their faces. Their smiles were warm and sincere. Their interactions with their parents demonstrated a respectful and loving relationship. It was clear that their parents were proud of their children and gladly showed them off. This photographic journal is intended to show the reader the wonders, the energy, and the beauty of the children of the Mekong River Valley in Cambodia. Enjoy

Mopeds are the primary form of transportation in Cambodia and Vietnam. As such, they are used in many unusual ways. This photo journal displays many of these uses seen during a trip to these countries in 2019.

Mopeds are the primary form of transportation in Cambodia and Vietnam. As such, they are used in many unusual ways. This photo journal displays many of these uses seen during a trip to these countries in 2019.

Lehm und Holz im Gewerbebau sind heute die Ausnahme. Aber warum? Denn gerade hier versprechen diese ökologischen Baustoffe viele Vorteile. Die in dieser Publikation vorgestellten Beispiele haben eines gemeinsam: Sie generieren durch das jeweils eingesetzte Material einen enormen Mehrwert. Mal stehen Flexibilität und Vorfertigung im Vordergrund, mal das Raumklima bzw. Behaglichkeitsfaktoren, mal die Beständigkeit, die Nutzerzufriedenheit, die CO2-Bilanz, die Recyclingfähigkeit – und manchmal alles zusammen. Die beiden Lehrstühle von Prof. Thomas Auer und Prof. Hermann Kaufmann von der TU München haben gemeinsam verschiedene Projektbeispiele untersucht und den Einsatz "ungewohnter" Materialwahl für Gewerbebauten hinterfragt.

Façades determine the appearance of a building. Hence, they constitute a major element in architecture. At the same time, the building’s envelope has important functions to fulfil, such as lighting, weatherproofing, thermal insulation, load transfer and sound insulation. Over the past 15 years, façades have become increasingly complex – ‘intelligent’ facades, for instance, adapt to changing climate and lighting conditions. Newly developed materials and technologies have broadened the scope of façade functions. This book demonstrates the principles of façade construction. It systematically describes the most common types, such as post-and-beam façade, curtain wall, corridor façade or double façade, and provides guidelines for appropriate detailing. Numerous drawings made especially for the book explain the principles of different types of facades, which are then illustrated with built examples. For this second edition, all chapters were revised and all four examples in the case studies chapter were replaced by new material. The new chapter “Future Facades” offers insights into what’s next.

Introduction to building façades as revised editionFaçades determine the appearance of a building. Hence, they constitute a major element in architecture. At the same time, the building’s envelope has important functions to fulfil, such as lighting, weatherproofing, thermal insulation, load transfer and sound insulation. Over the past 15 years, façades have become increasingly complex – ‘intelligent’ facades, for instance, adapt to changing climate and lighting conditions. Newly developed materials and technologies have broadened the scope of façade functions. This book demonstrates the principles of façade construction. It systematically describes the most common types, such as post-and-beam façade, curtain wall, corridor façade or double façade, and provides guidelines for appropriate detailing. Numerous drawings made especially for the book explain the principles of different types of facades, which are then illustrated with built examples. For this second edition, all chapters were revised and all four examples in the case studies chapter were replaced by new material. The new chapter “Future Façades” offers insights into what’s next.

Facades determine the appearance of a building. Thus they have a very important role to play in architecture. At the same time, the building envelope has important functions to fulfill, including lighting, weatherproofing, thermal isolation, load distribution, and sound insulation, to name only the most important. In the last fifteen years, facades have become significantly more complex. For example, "intelligent," climate-active facades use self-regulating systems to respond to changing light and weather conditions.This book demonstrates the principles of facade construction. Guidelines are suggested for good detailing. The installation procedures are described for the most common materials –glass, wood, steel, concrete, and aluminum. Numerous drawings made specially for the book explain the principles of the individual types of facade which are then illustrated with built examples.