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Costantino, N (2006) The contribution of Ranko Bon to the debate on sustainable construction. Construction Management and Economics, 24(07), 705-9.

Dietzenbacher, E and Hoen, A R (2006) Coefficient stability and predictability in input-output models: a comparative analysis for the Netherlands. Construction Management and Economics, 24(07), 671-80.

Dikmen, I and Birgonul, M T (2006) A review of international construction research: Ranko Bon's contribution. Construction Management and Economics, 24(07), 725-33.

Ganesan, S and Kelsey, J (2006) Technology transfer: international collaboration in Sri Lanka. Construction Management and Economics, 24(07), 743-53.

Hawk, D (2006) Conditions of Success: a platform for international construction development. Construction Management and Economics, 24(07), 735-42.

Mccann, P (2006) On the supply-side determinants of regional growth. Construction Management and Economics, 24(07), 681-93.

Pietroforte, R and Gregori, T (2006) Does volume follow share? The case of the Danish construction industry. Construction Management and Economics, 24(07), 711-5.

Ruddock, L and Lopes, J (2006) The construction sector and economic development: the "Bon curve". Construction Management and Economics, 24(07), 717-23.

Shipworth, D (2006) Qualitative modelling of sustainable energy scenarios: an extension of the Bon qualitative input-output model. Construction Management and Economics, 24(07), 695-703.

Skitmore, M, Runeson, G and Chang, X (2006) Construction price formation: full-cost pricing or neoclassical microeconomic theory?. Construction Management and Economics, 24(07), 773-83.

Steadman, P (2006) Allometry and built form: revisiting Ranko Bon's work with the Harvard Philomorphs. Construction Management and Economics, 24(07), 755-65.

  • Type: Journal Article
  • Keywords: Allometry; built form; archetypal building; surface area; volume; circulation length; floor area
  • ISBN/ISSN: 0144-6193
  • URL: https://doi.org/10.1080/01446190600601966
  • Abstract:

    Ranko Bon’s Master’s thesis at Harvard was devoted to the phenomenon of allometry in the forms of buildings. The concept of allometry comes from biology, and refers to changes in the forms of organisms as they alter in size. For example the ratio of volume to surface exposed to the air (including the lungs) is of great functional importance to animals, and tends to remain constant as they get larger. Bon studied allometry in residential buildings, and showed that both the ratio of surface to volume and the ratio of circulation length to floor area were preserved over a wide range of building sizes. Bon’s work is revisited from a theoretical point of view, using a new method for representing large numbers of theoretical but realistic built forms, all derived from a single ‘archetypal building’. By choosing default dimensions typical of dwellings, Bon’s original results can be reproduced. By varying these dimensions of plan depth, numbers of storeys and widths of courts or light‐wells, it is possible to show what precise kinds of allometric relationships are likely to be found in other types of day‐lit buildings besides dwellings.

Valence, G D (2006) Building as an economic process: the Austrian approach revisited. Construction Management and Economics, 24(07), 767-71.