Visualization -- the ability to "see" with the mind's eye -- is one of the toughest tasks for an architect's client.

Three-dimensional computer assisted drawings (CAD), renderings, sketches of elevations, models, photos of similar projects and other visual cues help customers visualize how a new home or improvement will appear. But without a physical manifestation to trigger ocular nerves, it often takes an architect's special skills to "see" what will be.

To help consumers understand and appreciate that process, a national trade group American Institute of Architects (AIA) and a house and home design publisher Taunton Press recently announced a new publishing venture.

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

"First, if we have better-informed clients, they will be easier to work with and the results will be better. I also think a better-informed public will be more inclined to hire architects, because they will understand the value of our work," said Judith Wasserman, an architect with Bressack and Wasserman Architects in Palo Alto, CA.

"Second, although we practice architecture in part because it's a living, most of us practice because we love architecture (we could have done something else). A better-informed public will ultimately give us a better built environment, something that will benefit everyone," she added.

Taunton already offers ground breaking home design publications including the Not So Big House book series by Sarah Susanka of Minneapolis and the Fine Homebuilding magazine, among many more.

In the new partnership, Taunton and AIA will focus on concepts and content that will help consumers make intelligent design decisions to improve the comfort and function of their homes.

The books will be authored by architects recognized for their expertise in residential design. The first, due out in February, is "The Distinctive Home: A Vision of Timeless Design" ($40, Taunton Press), by Jeremiah Eck of Boston.

"The Distinctive Home" will be designed to teach consumers how to

• Make the most of the site you have, whether it's in a suburban development or a woodsy stretch.

• Develop floor plans to use space in a way that reflects how you really live.

• Transform a purely functional space into an inspired interior by stylizing elements, such a stairs and cabinets.

• Understand what you like in a home and communicate why you like it.

"Bad design is so prevalent. A house costs a great deal of money. If you're going to put that much money into something, you ought to know as much about it as you can. Not only will you 'get a better product,' but you will enjoy living in your home more, too. A house is more than a product, it's a habitation and has to work well on many levels," Wasserman said.

"It is not for dummies if it's from Taunton. They write for professionals and true amateurs -- lovers of the field," she added.

Published: December 31, 2002

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A journalist for 35-years, Broderick Perkins parlayed an old-school daily newspaper career into a digital news service offering editorial content and consulting services. Perkins' San Jose, CA-based DeadlineNews Group includes the flagship news site, DeadlineNews.Com, offering real estate, personal finance and consumer journalism, and a backshop, the Deadline Newsroom.