Architect and Builder Magazine South Africa March/April 2014 | Page 10

BookWatch topical, noteworthy books on architecture and related fields Our House in the City New Urban Homes and Architecture Publisher: Gestalten Editors: Sofia Borges, Sven Ehmann, Robert Klanten Features: Full colour, hardcover, 256 pages, 24 × 30 cm ISBN: 978-3-89955-518-9 Purchase Online: www.gestalten.com A new generation of homeowners and architects is finding original solutions and unusual locations for contemporary single-family homes in urban areas. Cities are bustling metropolises, melting pots, where the action is, and where history is written. Many of us prefer to live in cities - at least most of the time. As cities expand and become denser, architects must face the growing challenge of finding new and unusual ways for their citizens to live, both with each other and individually. Today, a compelling spectrum of innovative options for urban family living can be found in our cities: in the most narrow gaps between buildings, in courtyards, on derelict land, on rooftops, in industrial ruins, or in districts that have not yet been gentrified. With more creativity than money, unconventional concepts are turning existing objects, rooms, old buildings, and spaces in the urban landscape into future homes. All of these locations offer modern city dwellers the alluring possibility of living in the midst of it all while simultaneously enjoying their own space. Our House in the City not only presents striking photos and detailed architectural plans of urban living solutions, but it also tells the stories behind some of the most exciting architecture in recent years. The book describes the needs of the homebuilders, the impact of the immediate surroundings on the included projects, and the visions of a new generation of architects. It then explores how these factors combine to influence the design and architecture of a home as well as the lives lived inside them. The selection of work in the book ranges from the novel use of space in the most densely populated cities in the world to more open structures on the urban periphery whether the featured homes were created through renovation or completely new constructions, Our House in the City lays the foundation for a contemporary, dynamic relationship between the city and potential homeowners. The book proves that adventurous urban living can also mean home sweet home. PHOTOGRAPHY: KOICHI TORIMURA PHOTOGRAPHY: DAVID FRANCK PHOTOGRAPHY: MICHAEL VAHRENWALD j. mayer H. eastern design office ols HoUse moN Fact ܞK’