The Architecture Shelf

Sharing Tokyo: Artifice and the Social World
Mohsen Mostafavi, editor
Kayoko Ota, editor
Actar D
c/o Actar Publishers
440 Park Avenue S, 17th FL, New York, NY 10016
http://actar.com
9781638400608, $44.95, PB, 428pp

https://www.amazon.com/Sharing-Tokyo-Artifice-Social-World/dp/1638400601

Synopsis: Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by Mohsen Mostafavi and Ka= yoko Ota, the contributors to "Sharing Tokyo: Artifice and the Social World=
" question how "artifice" and the "social world" can be mutually and constr= uctively integrated so that the contemporary urban space can be shared by a= ll.

A variety of innovative practices are presented by a diverse group of contr= ibutors including renowned scholars, architects, urbanists, and photographe=
rs from Japan and the US, and the research team at the Harvard University G= raduate School of Design. While the discourses and architectural works pres= ented deal with the specificity of Tokyo, they were carefully selected to f= ormulate together a collection of insights, new perspectives, and speculati=
ve experiments in urbanism and architecture that can also be used in other = contexts.

The contributors include: Mustafa K. Abadan, Shin Aiba, Homi K. Bhabha, Ken=
ta Hasegawa, Kozo Kadowaki, Hiroto Kobayashi, Masami Kobayashi, Japan Resea= rch Initiative Team at Harvard GSD, Jouji Kurumado, Seiji M. Lippit, Mitsuy= oshi Miyazaki, Mayumi Mori, Mohsen Mostafavi, Jo Nagasaka, Erika Nakagawa, = Don O'keefe, Yoshihiko Oshima, Kayoko Ota, Jordan Sand, Yoshihiko Sone, Tsu= bame Architects, Riken Yamamoto, and Shun Yoshie.

Critique: Nicely illustrated throughout, "Sharing Tokyo: Artifice and the S= ocial World" is an original, informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking = contribution to the growing library of Architectural Criticism and Urban/La=
nd Use Planning that is especially and unreservedly recommended for persona=
l, professional, corporate, college, and university library Architecture co= llections and supplemental curriculum Architectural Studies lists.

Editorial Note #1: Mohsen Mostafavi (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohsen_M= ostafavi) is an architect and educator who served as dean of the Harvard Un= iversity Graduate School of Design. As a professor of design, he is now lea= ding the Japan Research Initiative, among other programs. His books include=
Ethics of the Urban: The City and the Spaces of the Political (2017).

Editorial Note #2: Kayoko Ota (https://www.cca.qc.ca/en/cca-c-o/58179/tokyo=
) is an architectural curator and editor. Before joining the Japan Research=
Initiative at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, she curate=
d Japan-based projects for the Canadian Centre for Architecture and was com= missioner of the Japan Pavilion at the 2014 Venice Biennale.

A House Deconstructed
Mark Jarzombek, author
Vikramaditya Prakash, author
Actar D
c/o Actar Publishers
440 Park Avenue S, 17th FL, New York, NY 10016
http://actar.com
9781638400523, $44.95, PB, 260pp

https://www.amazon.com/House-Deconstructed-Mark-Jarzombek/dp/1638400520

Synopsis: With the publication of "A House Deconstructed", co-authors Mark = Jarzombek and Vikramaditya Prakash contend that a huge proportion of what w=
e 'know' about the house is actually unknowable -- not because our epistemo= logical instruments aren't strong enough or calibrated precisely enough, bu=
t because things themselves are indeterminate, uncertain.

This begs the question about agency. If we are to critique our profession a=
nd even improve some of its claims about Sustainability, then we must devel=
op a more robust understanding of the building industry and the sourcing an=
d making of materials. We must even develop a stronger awareness of the his= tory of atoms and how architecture brings that history into a remarkable fo= cus.

Critique: Intellectually challenging and ground-breaking, "A House Deconstr= ucted" is a remarkably detailed, seminally ground-breaking study that is a = unique, thought-provoking, and unreservedly recommended addition to persona=
l, professional, community, and academic library Architectural Studies coll= ections and of particular value to students, academia, anyone with an inter= est in residential architecture, architectural materials, and architectural=
criticism.

Editorial Note #1: Mark Jarzombek (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Jarzo= mbek) is Professor of the History and Theory of Architecture at MIT . He is=
Diplom Architekt, ETH (1980) and received his PhD. From MIT in 1986. He wo= rks on a wide range of topics - both historical and theoretical. He has pub= lished books and articles on the 13th century churches at Lalibela to the c= risis of contemporary architectural education. He is one of the country's l= eading advocates for global history and has published several books and art= icles on that topic, including the ground-breaking textbook entitled A Glob=
al History of Architecture (Wiley Press, 2006) with co-author Vikramaditya = Prakash.

Editorial Note #2: Vikramaditya Prakash (https://arch.be.uw.edu/people/vikr= am-prakash) is Professor of Architecture at the University of Washington wi=
th adjunct appointments in Landscape Architecture, Urban Design and Plannin=
g, and Digital Arts and Media. He received his B. Arch. From India and his = M.A. and PhD from Cornell University. His books include Chandigarh's Le Cor= busier: The Struggle for Modernity in Postcolonial India, Colonial Modernit= ies (co-edited with Peter Scriver), The Architecture of Shivdatt Sharma, Ch= andigarh: An Architectural Guide, and One Continuous Line: Art, Architectur=
e and Urbanism of Aditya Prakash. He is also the host of the ArchitectureTa=
lk podcast.

Period Homes - Styles & Original Features
Trevor Yorke
Countryside Books
c/o Casemate Publishers
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9781846744020, $9.99, PB, 64pp

https://www.amazon.com/Period-Homes-Original-Features-Reference/dp/18467440=
24

Synopsis: Period homes are all around us. Not only are they charming homes = for those lucky enough to live in them, but they also give the community in=
which they're set a distinguished character and a link with the past. Yet = sometimes it's hard to know exactly which features to look at in order to d= ate these buildings. Or what to look for if you need to replace an original=
fitting.

With the publication of "Period Homes - Styles & Original Features: An Easy=
Reference Guide", by artist and author Trevor Yorke aims to help the reade=
r recognize the common styles and original features from each period, wheth=
er they just want to find out more about a particular property, or are tryi=
ng to restore one.

If you're in the middle of a renovation, for example, and you want to know = which original window style you should be installing, you'll find it here. = All British styles and periods are covered ranging from graceful Regency te= rraces with elegant iron balconies, to muscular Victorian houses with color= ful stained glass, to Edwardian homes with white patterned timber work, and=
stylish 1930s semis with curved suntrap windows.

From glasswork and doors to fireplaces and floors (plus everything in betwe= en) "Period Homes - Styles & Original Features" is an architectural and int= erior design treasure trove of information about the British period homes.

Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout with black/white photography, "P= eriod Homes - Styles & Original Features: An Easy Reference Guide" is an ex= traordinary and thoroughly 'reader friendly' compendium of British period h= ouse styles. While also readily available in a digital book format (Kindle,=
$4.99), "Period Homes - Styles & Original Features: An Easy Reference Guid=
e" is a unique, very special, and highly recommended addition to personal, = professional, community, and academic library Residential Architecture & In= terior Design collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists.

Editorial Note: Trevor Yorke (http://trevoryorke.co.uk/index.html) is an ex= perienced author and artist who specializes in period architecture. His man=
y books include British Architectural Styles, Georgian & Regency Houses Exp= lained, and The English Village Explained.

Practice with Purpose: A Guide to Mission-Driven Design
Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects
ORO Editions
31 Commerical Blvd., Suite F, Novato, CA 94949
www.oroeditions.com
9781957183046, $39.95, PB, 200pp

https://www.amazon.com/Practice-Purpose-Guide-Mission-Driven-Design/dp/1957= 183047

Synopsis: "Practice with Purpose: A Guide to Mission-Driven Design" is abou=
t designing buildings beyond their property lines to address some of societ= y's most urgent challenges: the climate emergency, racial and ethnic injust= ice, chronic homelessness, educational crises, and the preservation of the = embodied carbon and culture of existing buildings.

To successfully contend with these ecological and societal emergencies, the=
design values and practice of architecture must be rapidly transformed wit= hin the next decade. Architects must become creative agents of change, prov= iding the vision and skill to lead our communities toward an equitable, cli= mate-positive future for all.

Twenty years ago, San Francisco-based Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects rededic= ated its practice to focus on these urgent issues. Its mission-driven desig=
ns not only address the critical concerns of twenty-first century architect= ure, but also bring clients and users into the dialogue. LMSa's award-winni=
ng works show the creative potential of building a practice with purpose.

With the publication of "Practice with Purpose", Leddy Maytum Stacy Archite= cts shares its experience and insight as a call to action to the architectu=
re profession. Through case studies, data-driven essays, user testimonials,=
and thought-provoking questions, Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects offers desi=
gn strategies to architects who want to make an environmental and social im= pact.

Critique: Brilliant, inspiring, beautifully and profusely illustrated throu= ghout, "Practice with Purpose: A Guide to Mission-Driven Design" by Leddy M= aytum Stacy Architects is unreservedly recommended as a valued and core add= ition to personal, professional, community, corporate, and academic library=
Contemporary Architecture Project Planning/Management collections and supp= lemental curriculum studies lists.

Editorial Note: Leddy Maytum Stacy Architects (https://www.lmsarch.com) is =
a diverse group of designers who share a common belief in the transformativ=
e power of architecture to help lead the way to a just, healthy and regener= ative future for all. They work with leading non-profit, educational, housi=
ng and social justice organizations to marry poetry with performance, creat= ing sustainable new environments that advance their important architectural=
missions.

Designing-Women's Lives: Transforming Place and Self
Toby Israel
ORO Editions
31 Commerical Blvd., Suite F, Novato, CA 94949
www.oroeditions.com
9781954081116, $29.95, PB, 200pp

https://www.amazon.com/Designing-Womens-Lives-Psychology-Transform-Practice= /dp/1954081111

Synopsis: With the publication of "Designing-Women's Lives: Transforming Pl= ace and Self ", Toby Israel calls for a place-making revolution based on wo= men's culturally nurtured "feeling" sensibility.

Women too often have had to repress that sensibility in order to become des= igners. Now, rather than struggle to fit-in, women can break new ground by = using "Design Psychology" as the foundation for creating emotionally satisf= ying place. To encourage such a heart/mind shift, the author discusses how = she took architecture Gold Medalist Denise Scott Brown and interior design = legend Margo Grant Walsh through a series of Design Psychology exercises.

The process revealed ways these renowned women unconsciously embedded their=
heroic struggles as minority females in their designs: Grant Walsh's journ=
ey from her Chippewa childhood home with only one green couch to her plush = NYC residence reflected her embrace of her Native American + designing-woma= n's identity. Scott Brown grew up in a more privileged South African househ= old, yet she translated the oppression she witnessed during Apartheid and t=
he bias she experienced as a Jewish woman into the inclusive approach to ar= chitecture that made her famous.

Interweaving such designing-women's stories, feminist design thinking and h=
er personal vignettes, Toby Israel inspires her readers to "design from wit= hin" their personal psychology as a form of personal liberation. Project ca=
se studies further demonstrate how Design Psychology helped women create a = nurturing (even transformative) home during life-passages such as partnerin=
g or grieving. Such case studies provide inspiring examples of how color, s= hape, texture, space layout, and special objects can be catalysts for such = personal evolution.

Critique: A unique and seminal architectural study, "Designing-Women's Live=
s: Transforming Place and Self " is exceptionally well presented and inform= atively enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of an eight page Bibliog= raphy, twelve pages of Endnote, and interviews with Julia Morgan, Margo Gra=
nt Walsh, Denise Scott Brown, Gloria Steinem, and Esther Sternberg. Nicely = illustrated throughout, "Designing Women's Lives" must be considered as a c= ore and invaluable addition to personal, professional, corporate, college, = and university library Contemporary Architecture collections and supplement=
al curriculum studies lists.

Editorial Note: Toby Israel (http://www.designpsychology.net) is the founde=
r of Design Psychology, a field that's gained international attention in th=
e LA, NY and Financial Times, CBS Sunday Morning, and NPR's "Talk of the Na= tion". Trained as an environmental psychologist, she is a multi-disciplinar=
y design, psychology, arts, and education professional who applies scholars= hip to the "real-world" practice of place-making.

The ReView: How & What For
Andrea Bardon de Tena, editor
Tulane School of Architecture
c/o Actar Publishers
440 Park Avenue S, 17th FL, New York, NY 10016
http://actar.com
9781638400707, $39.95, PB, 400pp

https://www.amazon.com/ReView-What-Tulane-School-Architecture/dp/1638400709

Synopsis: This edition of "The ReView: How & What For" tries to communicate=
the pedagogical project and some of the lines of research of the Tulane Sc= hool of Architecture (TuSA) through the work, mostly visual, of its student=
s and professors. As in any educational project, the essential questions ar=
e "what for?" and "how?".

Deftly edited by Andrea Bardon de Tena, "The Review: How & What For", prese= nts the pedagogical project of the Tulane School of Architecture through th=
e work (mostly visual) of both students and faculty over the past few years=
.. "The Review: How & What For" is organized into two main blocks, "how" and=
"what for".

On the one hand, "how" exposes the sequence of studies and theoretical cour= ses with exceptional pedagogical methodologies. On the other hand, "what fo=
r" shows the connection of the TuSA's academic work with the social, econom= ic, and environmental reality we face today.

The conceptual link that connects the "How?" and the "What for?" is the ide=
a of innovation. In a time of global crisis, the Architecture (and our educ= ational systems) needs to be revised. This revision of academic programs is=
crucial to educate new architects to address social and environmental chal= lenges from an innovative perspective.

Critique: Profusely illustrated throughout, "The Review: How & What For" sh= owcases the work being done at the Tulane School of Architecture. Exception= ally well organized and presented, "The Review: How & What For" is an ideal=
architectural studies textbook and especially recommended for professional=
and academic library Architectural Studies collections and supplemental cu= rriculum studies lists.

Editorial Note #1: Andrea Bardon de Tena is a Spanish architect who develop=
s her PhD in Advanced Architectural Projects at the Polytechnic University =
of Madrid. Her research focuses on the impact of cultural hybrization on lo= cal architecture and spatial transformations. (https://architecture.tulane.= edu/faculty/andrea-bardon-de-tena)

Editorial Note #2: The Tulane School of Architecture is the school of archi= tecture at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. The school has a st= udent body of approximately 442 students. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tu= lane_School_of_Architecture)

Folio 2: The Elements of Design
Clare Jacobson
ORO Editions
31 Commerical Blvd., Suite F, Novato, CA 94949
www.oroeditions.com
9781957183206, $40.00, PB, 100pp

https://www.amazon.com/Folio-Elements-Design-Publication-Glen-Gery/dp/19571= 83209

Synopsis: From antiquity to the present day, the Brick has long been a trus= ted material, used worldwide by builders who appreciate its strength and ve= rsatility. It offers proven value to both traditional works and contemporar=
y designs. The venerable material has even become a trendsetter; as the New=
York Times recently reported, "Bricks Return with Style in New High-End Bu= ildings."

Following the popular first volume of Folio, "Folio 2: The Elements of Desi= gn, A Publication by Glen-Gery " features the most inspiring new brick buil= dings in North America and Australia. Here single-family homes, university = buildings, cultural centers, showroom interiors, and more show the possibil= ities of brick.

Each project uses material manufactured by Glen-Gery in a variety of shapes=
, colors, and textures, from conventional brick to glass brick to custom-de= signed brick for unique implementations. The buildings are thoroughly docum= ented in photos and drawings, and with texts based on new interviews with t= heir designers -- a veritable who's who of both up-and-coming and establish=
ed architecture firms.

Critique: "Folio 2: The Elements of Design, A Publication by Glen-Gery" by = Clare Jacobson is a coffee-table style (9.5 x 0.4 x 12.3 inches, 1.29 pound=
s) paperback volume that will have a very special value for readers with an=
interest in architectural materials and criticism. Profusely illustrated w= ith full color photography and black/white schematic drawings, "Folio 2" is=
a significant and highly recommended addition to personal, professional, c= ommunity, corporate, college, and university library Architectural Studies = collections and supplemental curriculum Contemporary Architecture reading l= ists.

Editorial Note: Clare Jacobson (https://www.clarejacobson.com) is a San Fra= ncisco-based writer and editor on architecture and design. She is author of=
the books Folio and New Museums in China and co-author of Jigsaw City and = Karlssonwilker Inc.'s Tell Me Why. Jacobson was a contributing editor to Ar= chitectural Record, and her articles have also appeared in Interior Design,=
Engineering News Record, Landscape Architecture, and other magazines.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to promo= ting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We accept no fund=
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(dot) com

Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugal= muse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publish= er, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number=
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James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review

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