Partnership to produce residential design books

The American Institute of Architects and house and home publisher The Taunton Press recently announced a new joint imprint that will feature design books aimed at encouraging greater understanding of residential design.

Co-branded as the AIA/Taunton Press imprint, the books will be written for the general public and will focus on how the design process works, how to recognize good residential design, and the role of an architect in creating or remodeling a home.

The books will be authored by architects recognized for their expertise in residential design. The first of these books will be "The Distinctive Home: A Vision of Timeless Design," by Jeremiah Eck, scheduled for release in February 2003.

"The Taunton Press is staunchly committed to quality and has been a valuable ally in the effort to raise public awareness of the importance of good design," said Norman L. Koonce, AIA executive vice president and CEO. "I'm confident that the AIA/Taunton books will become known for their ability to inspire readers to seek good design solutions for their homes and lives."

Taunton publishes a number of groundbreaking and highly successful home design books, such as the best-selling "Not So Big House" by Sarah Susanka. The independent publisher also produces Fine Homebuilding magazine, where builders and architects share their expertise on building and remodeling.

In this new publishing partnership, Taunton and the AIA will identify topics, architects and residential projects for each book published under the imprint, focusing on concepts that help readers make design decisions to improve their homes.

The partnership builds on the strengths of each, with the AIA providing the knowledgeable insights of residential architects and Taunton the publishing expertise to present architectural design concepts in clear and understandable prose.

"Taunton is proud to collaborate with the AIA," said James Childs, Taunton's book publisher. "Our partnership will continue to popularize architecture and help people understand how design choices affect the quality of life in their homes and communities."