Mike Jackson

Concrete is the most widely used building product in the world. Given the scale of this industry, it is not surprising that the APT Building Technology Heritage Library (BTHL) contains many listings for concrete products, construction techniques, equipment and designs.

The fireplace has a unique place in design history, an obsolete technology that has an enduring grasp on our warmth, comfort and well-being.

It’s all about the roof. The APT Building Technology Heritage Library contains more than 600 documents under the subject of roofing, which also includes accessories such as gutters, downspouts and flashing.

A view of classical architecture, from the perspective of the commercial fabricator rather than the architectural designer.

The most prominent use of architectural terra cotta was that of a decorative cladding system, particularly for urban commercial buildings.

Stone is one of the world’s most common and durable building material.

The richness and variety of architecture is revealed in religious architecture.

Ornamental metals were used in several forms, but stamped sheet metal was a popular material for architectural exteriors and interiors from the 1870s through the 1920s.

The Building Technology Heritage Library is an open a door to Hardware History.

The following brochures, pamphlets, and catalogs explore how windows and glass evolved from the mid-19th through the mid-20th centuries.

Underfoot: A catalog history of flooring.

Trimmed Out: Architectural millwork gives delight and character to American homes.

The APT Building Technology Heritage Library has a visual cornucopia of documents that tell the story or architectural ornament.

Metals role in architecture changed dramatically with the industrial revolution. Structural elements in cast iron pioneered the path to steel construction, high-rises and metal fabrications for ornament, enclosure and building systems.

Using the APT Building Technology Heritage Library.

The Building Technology Heritage Library is a free, online research library of pre-1964 architectural trade catalogs, house plan books, and builder’s technical guides.