A handy, accessible, copiously illustrated introduction to the structural arts for all readers, from architects to those who live in their buildings.

From a swallow's nest to a covered market hall, objects in the natural and built environments constantly raise questions about the close, often mysterious relationships that unite form, stress, and material. Taking the form a dialogue between a young student and their teacher, this manual introduce, step by step, fundamental notions of the art of building, using concrete examples both ancient and contemporary, whether monuments or ordinary dwellings.