Thoughts and Conversations of Buildings and Other Structures – hinnat ja saatavuus

The book provides creative writings including poems, short stories, lyrics, short essays, etc. prepared by engineers and engineering students, selected based on relevance to buildings and structures, composition strength and stirring emotions. Historically, engineers have effectively capitalized on science and mathematics to conceive, design and produce current technologies and products - most of which can be viewed as easily obtained gains, i.e., obtained by readily available means. The challenge to engineers is to creatively innovate beyond the obvious tracks of progression in order to develop solutions and products commensurate with the challenges anticipated. These challenges include climate change, sustainability, limited resources, health hazards, potential extinction risks, etc. Creativity then is defined by the ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, relationships, and the like, and to create meaningful new ideas, forms, methods, interpretations, etc. based on originality, progressiveness, or imagination. Art offers means for expressing creativity, and defined by the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, grand, or of more than ordinary significance. Such means include, but not limited to, vocals, drama, music, dance, poetry, sculpture, painting, photography, etc. Artistic works are simply the means and methods for expressing feelings. The vision behind this book is expressed eloquently by Jean-Jacques Rousseau's as follows: "The world of reality has its limits; the world of imagination is boundless," and President John F. Kennedy who said "There is a connection, hard to explain logically ... between achievement in public life and progress in the arts. If more politicians knew poetry... I am convinced the world would be a little better place in which to live." According to the Plutarch, Greek philosopher, biographer, essayist, and priest at the Temple of Apollo, (AD 46-after 119), "the mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled."