Actar Publishers

"It's ALIVE!" Here's a short clip from my new episode of?Citizen One, Exploring Our Urban Future, an?urbanNext?original podcast series. https://lnkd.in/g8GTSK7V World-renowned concept artist?Olivier Pron?(Doctor Strange, Guardians of the Galaxy, Harry Potter) returns along with?Judd Payne, president of IDEA (www.idea.la) and veteran film and television producer (Cherry, Mile 22, Bernie, Southland Tales). They sit down with?me?to explore in detail the?unexpected intersection of Hollywood creatives and real-world city design?in NEOM. Over the last six years, Judd and Olivier and their creative teams have been?applying cinematic storytelling and speculative design to urban planning, shaping ambitious smart city projects across Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Region. What happens when you bring?science fiction aesthetics into urban futurism? Can?Hollywood’s pre-visualization techniques?help architects and engineers build the cities of tomorrow? In this episode, we look at: How Hollywood was recruited to help design NEOM—the vision behind bringing the best production designers, concept artists, and worldbuilders into large-scale urban planning. The skepticism they faced from traditional architects and engineers—and how they gradually earned credibility. The evolution of The Line’s design, including Olivier’s winning proposal for the?Hidden Marina, a breathtaking megastructure featuring a?300-meter-high gateway?capable of accommodating the world’s largest cruise ships. The challenge of making NEOM’s vertical city feel human, focusing on livability, storytelling, and the importance of creating districts that foster real urban experiences, not just futuristic spectacle. Saudi Arabia's rapid cultural transformation, from blockbuster concerts and new public spaces to the shifting role of entertainment and creativity in the Kingdom’s future. Through their experiences, Judd and Olivier reveal?how creativity, imagination and worldbuilding aren’t just for film—they’re shaping the future of cities. ???Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. LAVA, Gensler, Aedas, Alex McDowell #Architecture, #Urbanism, #Innovation, #DigitalTwins, #Worldbuilding

What makes a critic's work timeless? ?? Reyner Banham remains one of the most influential voices in architectural criticism. This book brings his sharp, insightful essays to the forefront once again. Curated by Ludovico Centis, this collection features sixteen key texts that span from Banham’s iconic "The Great Gizmo" to lesser-known gems like "The Wall" – a poignant reflection penned before his passing. Each essay is paired with a contemporary response, offering fresh insights into Banham's enduring relevance in today's architectural discourse. With contributions from leading scholars and practitioners including Olivier Arditi, Mario Carpo, OFFICE Kersten Geers David Van Severen, Studio Paola Viganò, and Mimi Zeiger, this book is a must-read for anyone passionate about architecture, criticism, and cultural thought. ?? Additional Details: Designed by Caspar Bailey Published by Architectural Association Distributed by Actar D ?? Ready to dive deep into Banham's provocative critiques? Get your copy now: https://lnkd.in/dJZvDER2 #ReynerBanham #Architecture #DesignHistory #Urbanism #CriticalTheory #ArchitectureBooks #ActarPublishers #AApublications #ContemporaryArchitecture #ArchitecturalCriticism

Excited to share the launch of my third #book, "Dispositional Intelligence in Architecture," published by Actar Publishers. Featuring 272 color illustrations, this 400-page volume proposes a #contemporary theory of spatial organization in #architecture through original #research into a particular kind of hybrid #design production—inherently architectural yet strongly driven by diverse modalities of experimental scientific #thinking—which surfaced between the mid-1950s and the mid-2000s. Three highly important yet radically overlooked bodies of work are examined here: those of the Italian architect and artist Vittorio Giorgini (1926–2010), the Israeli architect, engineer, and #geometer Micha?l Burt (b. 1937), and Sri-Lankan-born, London-based engineer and theorist Cecil Balmond (b. 1943). By combining granular historical #analysis of these bodies of work with advanced theoretical #investigation, this #project substantially expands the distinct dispositional possibilities for architecture enabled by the deep scientization of design that unfolded across the West over the course of the second half of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st. Stay tuned for lectures and events in the US and Europe soon. https://lnkd.in/dxHZr4EX

'City Science: Performance Follows Form' (Actar Publishers, NYC, 2024) is available at the following libraries: Royal Danish Academy Library ???? Danneskiold-Sams?es Allé 50 1434?K?benhavn K Koninklijke Bibliotheek in The Hague ???? Royal Library Netherlands Prins Willem-Alexanderhof 5, 2595 BE Den Haag, Nederland Parsons School of Design - The New School Library ???? New School 66 5th Ave, New York, NY 10011 USA

UNPACKING MY LIBRARY #20 Architecture from / for the Community by David Lorente,?Tomoko Sakamoto,?Ricardo Devesa,?Marta Bugés?(eds.) Barcelona offers a prime example of the co-housing model as an asset prized for its use value as opposed to investment. This book is a compilation of cooperative housing projects in Barcelona, both complete and under construction. It explains how the co-housing process is managed in terms of architecture, urban planning, financing, legality, and taxation, and delves into the experience of living in a community fueled by a cooperative spirit. The content of the book presents designs for cooperative housing, accompanied by a critical vision of the model’s implications in terms of the transfer of use or co-living. Finished and inhabited projects are compiled along with ongoing projects, to offer a general view of this way of living in Barcelona. The case studies are explained by members of cooperatives, experts and designers who look at aspects of design, sustainability, construction and urban life. This book is a tool for understanding the design and construction of co-housing and the community life that goes on there. Actar Publishers @ricardodevesa

Urbanistas: A pleasure having this conversation with Itziar Navarro in the context of the new podcast series on advanced urbanism.

Made in Peru, an interview of Philippe Rahm by Asiel Nu for Archivo de ideas:

'City Science: Performance Follows Form' (Actar Publishers, NYC, 2024) is available at the following libraries: Royal Danish Academy Library ???? Danneskiold-Sams?es Allé 50 1434?K?benhavn K Koninklijke Bibliotheek in The Hague ???? Royal Library Netherlands Prins Willem-Alexanderhof 5, 2595 BE Den Haag, Nederland Parsons School of Design - The New School Library ???? New School 66 5th Ave, New York, NY 10011 USA

What if home wasn’t just a place—but a dynamic space that adapts to our evolving lives? In an era shaped by pandemics, shifting social structures, and new ways of living, the concept of family and shared spaces is being redefined. No longer limited to the nuclear household, “family” now extends to co-living communities, workspaces, and resilient support networks. ?? Intimate Spaces, by mladen jadric, explores adaptive living spaces that respond to contemporary challenges—where privacy and community coexist in balance. Through three architectural projects, this book examines: ?? How design can create flexible, resilient homes for changing social dynamics ?? The interplay between private and shared spaces in modern living ?? Architecture’s role in enhancing well-being and fostering support networks ?? Real-world case studies from Texas to Austria, showcasing diverse rhythms of life More than a book, Intimate Spaces is an invitation to rethink the way we live—challenging us to design homes that evolve with us, rather than confine us. Essential reading for architects, urbanists, and policymakers shaping the future of living spaces. ?? Published by Actar Publishers ?? Get your copy here: https://lnkd.in/ewerwS5Y #IntimateSpaces #MladenJadri? #Architecture #AdaptiveLiving #CoLiving #UrbanDesign #FutureOfHousing #ActarPublishers 4o

I'm so grateful to have been invited to teach at Yale School of Architecture, and that my studio was chosen for publication. The research my hugely talented students produced continues to influence the work DSDHA undertakes for?the higher education clients we service today. Nelly Ben Hayoun- Stépanian Ph.D Lesley Lokko Roberta Marcaccio Sam Jacob Alicia Pivaro Mel Dodd Beatrice Galilee RESOLVE Collective Joel De Mowbray Leroy Street Studio