Architects Building Peace
featuring the best stories of architects and engineers, from around the world, who have had the courage to leave the well worn path and getting involved.
It is a book about architects who have never stopped training to be able to realize their dream: to help the poorest and disadvantaged communities in building better living conditions, and to help them become more resilient in case of natural disasters or wars; and to do it by themselves, with their own means, culture and technology.
This book is the result of five years of intense dialogue, research and study, with architects and engineers, on a huge number of projects that have been undertaken in recent years all around the world. It is the first, and unique, in its kind for its coverage of the approach to each project. It is boldly and richly illustrated, with photos from the construction process, sketches, drawings (in large format) and behind the scenes information from the various stages of the creative process, including the participatory dialogue.
Architects Building Peace investigates the social implications, the human dimension and the role of local cultures. Almost none of the selected projects have been previously published in the mainstream, or in printed media (in any case not before being in «Boundaries»).
The book seeks to answer the question “What can architecture do to eradicate poverty? How can architecture assist in dealing with the scarcity of resources? How can architects work in the presence of ethnic violence? (to cite a few)”.
As you flip through the pages, you will be surprised of how many projects have answers waiting to be heard, showing a commitment capable of questioning the present, challenging practices, beliefs and traditions, and imagining new routes that can foster the transition towards a more open and just future.
Architects Building Peace is full of food for thought, it’s a springboard, a starting point for a deeper understanding of the relevant role that architecture can have in improving the living conditions of people and communities; and also a discussion board (through the community I wish to create here on Kickstarter, and thereafter in other venues).
It is not a book filled with super-cool images (even if most of the photos are really breath-taking) of glossy architecture, every project has its own errors and second thoughts, but these are only starting points trying to shape new roads, rich with dialogue, and tolerant about differences.
“And if at the end you connect the dots, you’ll see that all these projects are creating a huge shift and they are, actually, building peace, one day at a time.
I believe these stories are worth being told, and I can only do it with your help!” Luca Sampò
Architects Building Peace covers topics such as schools, health facilities, architecture for emergencies (natural disasters, wars, humanitarian crises), building with natural and local materials (earth, straw-bale, sand or earth-bags, C.E.B., bamboo), cultural buildings, playgrounds, building with recycled materials, addressing urban issues, participation and co-housing, and much more.
The book will showcase 70+ projects, research, stories and interviews from around the world which we have selected and studied over the past years as part of the work of «Boundaries» (see below “about me”), in a full-colour hardback edition of 500+ pages, printed with the highest graphic quality, on paper that meets the highest quality sustainability standards — because we really care about our environment -, in a format of 9.5 x 11.8 inches (24x30 cm.), with critical essays, research, notes, a bibliography and an analytical index.
The projects featured in Architects Building Peace are extraordinary, generous, touching, but also irreverent, outside the lines and rebellious; but most importantly, they are all able to really improve people’s lives in a sustainable and, even inspiring way!
Why Kickstarter?
Kickstarter presents the perfect platform for launching a self-published book. This book will be of the highest quality, to a standard that would not have been possible in the framework of traditional publishing. Therefore it’s vitally important that we meet our funding goal to make this a reality.
Kickstarter also helps me to engage with the community, and to continue together this journey beyond the campaign.
Discover more on: http://kck.st/2cthJzY
