This volume explores the interconnected social, sustainable and spatial principles that underpin the design of more environmentally conscientious buildings and places, illustrated through models, drawings and images of selected key projects by the award-nominated London-based architecture practice Mæ. Each project outlines beneficial strategies for creating more sustainable designs, achieving social equity and working within our planet’s limits to elevate the human spirit in the long-term.

This book posits strategies to design buildings and places that enrich culture and society, offering insight from researchers and practitioners, as well as richly illustrated documentation of key architectural schemes that put these principles into practice. It is a call to arms for ways to create more environmentally regenerative architecture, applying its ideas to architectural practice worldwide.

An exciting and essential record of downtown Manhattan—iconic street scenes captured from the same vantage point in 1980s and today.

When photographer Daniel Root moved to the East Village in the early 1980s, this constantly changing neighbourhood was in one of its periods of greatest ferment. Multiple immigrant groups maintained enclaves there—including Ukrainians, Puerto Ricans, Italians, Dominicans, and Poles—even as drug dealers plied their trade in abandoned buildings and young artists flooded in looking for cheap rents, followed close behind by real estate speculators. Through his lens, Root captured a young Madonna filming Desperately Seeking Susan on St. Mark’s Place; the storefront galleries of the East Village art scene; Life Cafe, where Jonathan Larson would write—and set—Rent; retirees playing chess in Tompkins Square Park; junkies fleeing the police. Forty years later, Root—still an East Village resident—has returned to the very same places where he took those pictures, to document how the scene has changed. Root’s “then and now” photographs, presented together in this volume along with his wry commentary, document the transformation of a legendary New York neighbourhood for better and worse—higher rents, yes, but lower crime; displacement, but also the persistence of community and creativity. A foreword by renowned artist Peter McGough and noted Beat historian Bill Morgan shed further light on the history of the East Village. This will be an essential volume for all downtown denizens, past, present, and future.

A decade after the Swiss National Bank had opened its neo-baroque building in Berne, the bank’s Zurich-based Governing Board moved into its own grand office building in 1922. This major work of the local firm of Otto and Werner Pfister is a prime example of neo-classicism in Switzerland and provided Zurich with an architectural landmark at the top end of its famous Bahnhofstrasse.

Marking its centenary, this book celebrates the Zurich home of the Swiss Franc. It describes in detail and lavishly illustrated the architecture and building history from planning stage until today. This is supplemented by essays on bank architecture since the Middle Ages, the urban formation of Zurich and the city’s development into a financial centre in the late 19th century. In his contribution, the renowned Canadian-British architect Adam Caruso compares it from today’s perspective with other central bank buildings and places it in context of the Pfister brothers’ other public commissions, many of which are occupying prominent locations in Zurich’s cityscape.

Richly illustrated with historical and new photographs, original plans and other historical documents, the volume pays tribute to a piece of public architecture that combines monumentality with pragmatism and republican modesty.

Yangon Echoes welcomes readers behind the façades of heritage buildings to offer intimate views on life in the cosmopolitan city formerly known as Rangoon, Burma. An unprecedented work of oral history, Yangon Echoes is a rich anthology of fascinating life stories exploring notions and values of heritage and home. This popular history of buildings charts social space and urban folklore, linking past to present via living memories. The storytellers speak of joy and tragedy, simple pleasures and aching issues, candidly sharing their thoughts and feelings of living through Yangon’s emergence from decades of stagnation to engagement with a rapidly spinning world. Told with courage and charm, these informal stories record everyday life through domestic connections to old places.

“The rich tapestry of multicultural Yangon is reflected wonderfully in this brilliant book, a fusion of intangible and tangible heritage that is often overlooked in architectural studies of cities.” William Logan, Professor Emeritus, Deakin University, Melbourne

“This is a precious and intimate history of buildings.” Prof. Su Su, Department of Architecture, Mandalay Technological University

“Yangon Echoes gives voice to resilient people caught in a whirlwind of urban change. Their captivating stories breathe life into the places they’ve called home and transform ordinary buildings into extraordinary repositories of families lives.” Jeff Cody, Senior Project Specialist, Getty Conservation Institute, Los Angeles

The Ispaces are a territorial redevelopment project born and developed in Rossa, in the canton of Grisons, Switzerland. Among the planned initiatives are the construction of private residences, facilities dedicated to cultural activities, such as a library and a youth hostel, the Temple of Thought, and the Ispaces themselves. These Ispaces are sculptures made from local larch wood, distributed throughout the forests surrounding Rossa, and can be visited along an immersive nature trail. The eight structures are inspired by geometric shapes – sphere, cube, pyramid, and hourglass – sometimes combined to create more complex compositions. The Ispaces explore and apply the principles of spatial psychology, with the goal of evoking specific emotions and sensations. While common elements may be identified in the exploration experience, the project takes into account all psychological, behavioural, and social aspects.

The 500 Hidden Secrets of Rome helps you set out to discover the most attractive, fun and unique places in Italy’s capital. Luisa Grigoletto and Christopher Livesay share 500 addresses and facts that many tourists don’t know, sometimes off the beaten track, but always loved by the locals and worth a visit.

This book lists, among other things, the 5 best gelaterías, the 5 most beautiful historic shops, 5 breathtaking palazzi which played an important role in art history and 5 sites where major Italian films were shot. It is the perfect book for those who wish to discover the city, but avoid all the usual tourist haunts, as well as for residents who are keen to track down the city’s best-kept secrets.

His mostly precisely composed, large-format paintings, with deserted spaces as their main motif, made Ben Willikens (*1939) famous in the second half of the 1970s. The exhibition and accompanying catalogue present nearly 50 works created between 1971 and 2021 and thus span the artist’s entire oeuvre. Three groups of works form the central pillars: the Anstaltsbilder of the 1970, in whose motifs Willikens processes a dark chapter in his life, and the series ORTE (PLACES) And ORTE 2 (PLACES 2), which deal with Willikens’s examination of the architecture of the National Socialist period. There are also various works from the series Räume der Moderne (Spaces of Modernity).

Text in English and German.

Open House discusses the topic of temporary housing in architecture, art, design and humanitarian aid. The phenomenon of tiny houses fascinates and is currently trending in various media. In times of large migratory movements from poor to rich countries there is also an urgent demand for temporary housing in many places.

Eighteen international authors explore the intentions behind such constructions, their underlying principles and the lifestyle they convey. Their contributions reveal how these concepts relate to the very notion of habitat, to space, to pragmatic criteria, as well as to the time in which they are elaborated. Moreover, addresses various issues of individual housing through the featured original installations, and spatial experiments.

Open House is published in conjunction with a two-year research project and an open-air exhibition of the same title in Geneva in summer 2022. Book and exhibition comprise around 40 designs by artists, architects, designers, architecture schools and research institutions, as well as humanitarian organisations, such as Andrea Zittel, EPFL Laboratoire ALICE, Global Shelter Cluster, Gramazio Kohler Research at ETH Zurich, Jean Prouvé, John Armleder, Kengo Kuma, Kerim Seiler, Matti Suuronen, Maurizio Cattelan and Philippe Parreno, the UNHCR, and others.

Text in English and French.

Rome is not only a city steeped in history, but also a true paradise for food lovers. A Taste of Rome unveils the culinary soul of the Eternal City during the Holy Year – from hidden trattorias tucked away in narrow alleyways to legendary cafés that have been cherished for generations. Alongside authentic recipes such as Cacio e Pepe, Carciofi alla Romana, and Saltimbocca, this book shares captivating anecdotes about Roman food culture and its deep-rooted traditions. Detailed insider tips reveal where locals shop, dine, and enjoy their aperitivo, offering a genuine taste of Roman life. With stunning photography and a harmonious blend of travel guide and cookbook, this volume invites readers to experience Rome with all their senses – whether strolling its ancient streets or cooking at home.

The book presents the artistic project conceived by Carlo Valsecchi for the M.A.N. n.3 gasometer of Bologna, object of a recent restoration that, in returning it to the city, has given new strength to the landscape of which it is part. As the curator explains, in the architectural spaces that Valsecchi portrays, on the one hand one perceives the deepest mystery and fascination of these places, on the other one feels the sacredness of representation – subtle though evident in the scale adopted by the artist – and the sometimes coercive strength that these places bring with them. The volume includes an interview by Luca Massimo Barbero with the photographer, along with a biographical apparatus.

Text in English and Italian.

There are cities that have made an indelible mark on music as incubators of genres that changed, and are changing, history. These are their stories.
From London told by Blur at the height of Brit Pop, to evenings in Lagos punctuated by Afro beats, and the underground sound of Seattle shaped by Sub Pop. The pages of this book map an atlas of musical cities, from Rio de Janeiro to Seoul, that have made a notable and significant contribution, and bring them to life through the stories of their most important experiences.

Enriched by in-depth “bonus tracks” on the most famous and unforgettable musicians.

Cities featured include: Seattle; New York City; Los Angeles; San Francisco; Nashville; Memphis; Austin; Chicago; Salvador, Bahia; Kingston; Havana; Dublin; London; Manchester; Glasgow; Liverpool; Berlin; Paris; Ibiza; Seoul; Tokyo.

French-Brazilian Elizabeth de Portzamparc designs buildings that serve as architectural symbols and powerful urban landmarks, which skilfully structure and inhabit the places where they are built. With characteristic innovation and through her dual sociological and architectural approach, Elizabeth de Portzamparc combines the requirements of the social, urban, and ecological scope with construction of optimal forms, a coherent approach that is legible on every scale of her work. This monograph is a collector’s volume within IMAGES’ renowned Leading Architects series, and showcases the extraordinary award-winning designs of this brilliant Paris-based architect. Lavish full-colour photography and intricate, detailed drawings help to illuminate her process and international achievements across a wide range, including architecture, interiors and urban planning projects, as well as design objects, museography, and scenographic works.

Text in Brazilian Portuguese.

French-Brazilian Elizabeth de Portzamparc designs buildings that serve as architectural symbols and powerful urban landmarks, which skilfully structure and inhabit the places where they are built. With characteristic innovation and through her dual sociological and architectural approach, Elizabeth de Portzamparc combines the requirements of the social, urban, and ecological scope with construction of optimal forms, a coherent approach that is legible on every scale of her work. This monograph is a collector’s volume within IMAGES’ renowned Leading Architects series, and showcases the extraordinary award-winning designs of this brilliant Paris-based architect. Lavish full-colour photography and intricate, detailed drawings help to illuminate her process and international achievements across a wide range, including architecture, interiors and urban planning projects, as well as design objects, museography, and scenographic works.

Text in French.

Urban planners have paid more attention to the concept of the pocket park as modern cities become denser and buildings taller. As the pace of urbanisation accelerates and populations increase, particularly in larger cities, there becomes much less park space available for people to enjoy. With less investment and area required, ‘Pocket Parks’ could provide a solution. They fulfil the need for highly sought-after leisure spaces, which can operate in high-density city environments, bypassing the hurdle of space. These beautiful green areas increase the ecological benefits of the urban environment, helping to enrich and satisfy the local residents’ lives. Pocket Park Design introduces the outstanding landscape architects and designers who create pocket parks.

Pocket parks should be located where they are safe and convenient to access, as well as providing open spaces that are comfortable, functional, and pleasant for park visitors. While the areas of a pocket park will generally cater to a variety of demographics, specific spaces or activity areas may be provided for dominant user groups, such as children, workers, or the elderly. This book studies the pocket park’s characteristics, as well as the relationship between humanity and the surrounding landscape. It will be a great source of inspiration to landscape designers.

American Industry is as much a celebration as it is documentation. Through his unique vision and privileged access, photographer Kim Steele has achieved a spectacular distillation of a variety of icons of power. Some of these places of power are literal: sources of hydro-electric energy, such as dams or atomic and accelerators. Other places of power are more metaphorical: the might of massive construction as only heavy industry can achieve, whether in architecture or ships; or the romance of aviation and the exploration of space.  

The photographic images are as iconic as their subjects. Formally pure and powerful in their scale and clarity, they mirror the ambitious and inspirational quality of what are now understood to be quintessential and classic symbols of American ingenuity and drive. Together, the seven chapters, Hydro Power, Aviation, Heavy Industry, Energy, Space, Atomic Energy, and The Future, create a visual tapestry of American industrial power in the 20th century. A testimony of a gilded age of American Industrial might. 

Discover the whole fascinating world of deserts in an opulent illustrated book! Immerse yourself in breathtaking landscapes and untouched nature on all five continents. From the icy expanses of the Arctic and Antarctic to the barren wastelands of Greenland and Iceland, the endless steppes of Central Asia and America and the endless deserts of Arabia and Africa.

Highlights such as the majestic Gobi Desert, the mystical Sahara, the Namib Desert, the picturesque Kalahari or the Colorado Desert are of course not missing. The pictures take you into a world of endless dune landscapes, barren and bizarre stone deserts or salt lakes as if from another planet. But there are also oases to discover that seem like a mirage and abandoned settlements that bear witness to the futile human efforts to gain a foothold here. This illustrated book is more than just a collection of photographs – it is a captivating portrait of our planet and poetically tells of the wonder of life – and its fragility.

Text in English, German, and French.

Luis Bustamante has a refined and very sophisticated style, and has been working for over thirty years. This book shows his latest projects from the last five years, in places such as London, Miami, Madrid, Aspen, Cantabria, Marbella, Mexico City, Barcelona, The Hamptons and St Moritz, among others. His passion for art has developed a style that fits perfectly with art collectors around the world.

Luis Bustamante’s fundamental concern has always been to generate relationships. Not only are the spaces he designs intended to achieve this but he himself aspires to it with his clients. Bustamante understands design in the best posible way: as an extraordinary living art.

There are many reasons to plan a visit to The Hague. It is the international city of peace and justice, the only large Dutch city by the sea, one of the greenest cities of the Netherlands, and it boasts a long and rich history.
For this book, Tal Maes listed her 500 favourite places and tips, presenting them in original and interesting lists such as 5 historic houses of famous Dutchmen, 5 fun boat trips, the 5 best spots for Dutch “maatjes” herring, 5 museums around the Binnenhof, the 5 best lifestyle and concept stores, and much more. This guide encourages you to look further than the usual hotspots. Walk to the far end of the beach to find peace and quiet, try a beer from a hidden monastery, discover cutting-edge art in a former power plant. Of the highlights included, lesser-known aspects are revealed.

“An informed and detailed assessment by someone with a deep understanding of art” – Martin Gayford, The Sunday Telegraph
“It has sufficient breadth of content and clarity of purpose to have wide appeal among the uninitiated, and yet would not be out of place on the shelves of the most knowledgeable art pundit” – Frances Spalding, Art Quarterly

This pocket guide to the art of the Western world, covers all the essential places to visit and sets the major works in the collections in their historical and social context. Helen Langdon takes us not only to the best-loved museums around the world but also to a vast selection of minor but equally fascinating galleries, churches, villas and houses, where she draws our attention to outstanding paintings and sculptures. 

Introductory essays to the art of each country, together with extensive indexes and glossaries, and over 200 colour illustrations that range from some of the world’s greatest works of art to unfamiliar treasures, make this a pocket compendium of Western art that will be as useful to the student as the traveller.

The 500 Hidden Secrets of Tokyo is an affectionate city guide, written by Tokyo local Yukiko Tajima. She has listed 500 must-visit places in her truly fascinating hometown, as well as good-to-know facts. The city has a great many aspects that are changing at a rapid pace; hopefully this book will help you discover new sides that you were unaware of, and will inspire you as you organise your holiday here.

Also available: The 500 Hidden Secrets of Berlin, The 500 Hidden Secrets of Istanbul, The 500 Hidden Secrets of Miami, The 500 Hidden Secrets of Paris, The 500 Hidden Secrets of New York, and many more. Discover the series at the500hiddensecrets.com

The 500 Hidden Secrets of Chicago reveals 500 off-the-beaten- track places and interesting details for anyone who’s keen to explore Chicago’s best-kept secrets, e.g. 5 cafés for sitting a spell, 5 iconic merchants, 5 ways to enjoy the Chicago river, 5 unlikely art destinations, 5 historic music spots… and much more.

This second edition is fully revised and updated.

Also available: The 500 Hidden Secrets of New York, The 500 Hidden Secrets of Tokyo, The 500 Hidden Secrets of Miami, The 500 Hidden Secrets of Seattle, The 500 Hidden Secrets of San Francisco, and many more. Discover the series at the500hiddensecrets.com

Text in English, French, and Spanish.