Architecture and Design Books on the New Releases Shelf
One of the best ways to obtain detailed information about the cities we live in, to listen to the stories of the buildings from their designers, or to grasp the dynamics of design and architecture that stand out abroad is to follow the latest publications. These publications, which can also serve as reference books, sometimes offer readers new perspectives on related topics and at other times provide inspiring personal experiences. We have selected 10 architecture and design books published in 2023, covering topics ranging from the works of prominent architectural offices to urban assessments, from the history of contemporary architecture to interdisciplinary research at the intersection of space*:
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1. How to Read Modern Buildings? |
Alfa Publishing House’s “Nasıl Olunur?” (How to) series continues with “How to Read Modern Buildings” written by Will Jones and translated by Tufan Göbekçin. Describing how the history of the modern era unfolds in brick, concrete, steel, and glass, and how modern buildings symbolize over 150 years of innovation and inspiration, the book explains how to discern the distinctive features of each architectural style and how to identify them in the surrounding buildings. It takes the reader on a guided tour through the iconic buildings of modern architecture, elucidating all the major modern movements, from Art Deco to Arts & Crafts, from International Style to Modernism and the rise and fall of contemporary icons.
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2. Architecture and Deconstruction |
The book “Architecture and Deconstruction” by philosopher Jacques Derrida, the originator and developer of the idea of deconstruction, has found its place on the shelves as the latest publication from Arketon Publishing House. The book comprises Derrida’s interviews, discussions, and writings. Among the architects with whom the renowned philosopher corresponded, discussed, and interviewed are Daniel Libeskind and Peter Eisenman, both pioneers of deconstructive architecture.
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3. M+D=35: 1987-2022 PROJELER |
The book “M+D=35: 1987-2022 PROJELER” (M+D=35: PROJECTS 1987-2022), documenting the works of the M artı D Architecture, an office under the direction of Metin Kılıç and Dürrin Süer, was released in September with the label of b. kitap. Motivated by the aim of establishing cultural continuity and memory formation in the field of architecture, the book unveils the projects of Metin Kılıç and Dürrin Süer from 1987 to 2022. Edited by Deniz Güner, the book also features essays by prominent figures in the field such as Erdem Erten, Celal Abdi Güzer, and Suha Özkan. The texts are offered to the readers bilingually, presented in both Turkish and English.
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4. Plug – kelimeler üzerinden bir mimarlık ofisinin üretimleri |
“Plug – kelimeler üzerinden bir mimarlık ofisinin üretimleri” , published by b. kitap within Binat Architecture Media Group, traces the design journey of Plug, founded by Buşra Al, through texts, diagrams, and words. The book includes contributions by Sait Ali Köknar, Yeşim Özgen Kösten, Nevzat Sayın, and Ezgi Tuncer. The book aims to encapsulate the conceptual and practical output achieved by Plug in its first 6 years (from 2014) of architecture and design practice through frequently used words, with a narrative organized around 4 key terms: “interscale”, “articulation”, “void”, and “together”. Building upon these words, which serve as the starting point, the book transforms into a dictionary with sub-words articulated in texts and diagrams. Its goal is to render Plug’s production systematically readable and establish the foundation for an archiving system that ensures continuity.
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5. Başrolde Mimarlık: Yeşilçam Filmlerinde Mekân ve Modernite |
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Interior Architect Umut Şumnu’s “Başrolde Mimarlık: Yeşilçam Filmlerinde Mekân ve Modernite” , published by Everest Publishing House in September, explores the intersection of architecture and cinema. The book initiates its exploration with the foundational role of Turkish films in documenting and interpreting the modern architecture within the context of Turkey. Through a collaborative study of hundreds of Turkish films watched over five years, it provides a visual archive of a huge modern architectural heritage across various scales and functions.
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6. Anadolu’nun İmarında Yarışmalar: 1930 – 1990 |
Published by İdealKent Publishing House and edited by Filiz Sönmez and Semra Arslan Selçuk, “Anadolu’nun İmarında Yarışmalar: 1930 - 1990” focuses on architectural project competitions between 1930 and 1990 and the current status of the buildings from that period, which are either incompletely added to the literature or have never been addressed.
Designed with the aim of contributing a reference work to architectural literature, this comprehensive publication evaluates the selected buildings by decades, considering the social, cultural, and political contexts of the periods in which the architectural projects were realized.
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7. Jansen ve Ankara: Planlar-Yazışmalar |
Koç University Vehbi Koç Ankara Studies Research Center (VEKAM) presents the book “Jansen ve Ankara: Planlar-Yazışmalar” , revealing the correspondence of the renowned urban planner Hermann Jansen for the first time. The book comprises studies that shed light on the preparation and execution of Ankara’s zoning plans, including correspondences spanning from 1930 to 1938.
The preparatory phase of the book involved the examination of the Jansen plans in the Maps and Plans Documentation Unit of METU Faculty of Architecture and the Archive of the Berlin Technical University Architecture Museum. These plans were then cross-referenced with those mentioned in the correspondences. The geolocated plans and sketches on online satellite imagery offer an interactive experience within the book.
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8. İrfan Balıoğlu – Engelli Bir Mühendisin Engel Tanımayan Yaşamı |
Written by Dr. İrfan Balıoğlu, a Civil Engineer (M.Sc.), İrfan Balıoğlu – Engelli Bir Mühendisin Engel Tanımayan Yaşamı” has been published by the Pelin Derviş Publishing Project in collaboration with Melkan Gürsel. The book narrates the autobiography of İrfan Balıoğlu, an FSHD patient. Balıoğlu is renowned as one of the top engineers in Turkey because of his unyielding approach and is a sought-after structural design engineer for his pioneering works. He is also known for writing computer programs before the computer even had a name in Turkish. While the book contains significant insights into the history of structural design engineering and architecture through his professional works, it has hit the shelves mainly hoping to inspire the FSHD patients.
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9. What is Urban History? |
Shane Ewen’s “What Is Urban History?”, translated into Turkish by Gökçe Metin, has been released by Yeni İnsan Publishing House. The book aims to provide an understanding of the spatial and empirical aspects of urban life, emphasizing the common values of comparative and interdisciplinary approaches. It offers crucial insights into how to fairly address the ill-concealed inequalities of urban capitalism, how to identify and minimize the environmental hazards of rapid urbanization in the face of market excesses, and the significance of culture, nature, and planning in transforming the cities into appealing places to live, work, or travel.
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10. Zaman-Mekân Kavramlar ve Deneyimler |
The book “Zaman-Mekân Kavramlar ve Deneyimler” , compiled by Elif Yeşim Özgen Kösten, Emre Demirtaş, and Seda Kaplan Çinçin, has been released by Yeni İnsan Publishing House. The emergence of the book is based on the aspiration to formalize an approximately fifteen-year studio experience. It aims to open the experiences spanning many years of the Kocaeli University Introduction to Architectural Design Studio, to which numerous contributors, especially Murat Uluğ and Elif Yeşim Özgen Kösten, have contributed since its establishment, up for discussion by engaging with other experiences. The book’s content, seeking to reconstruct the inherent meeting environment of the design studio, comprises responses to the pivotal concepts shaping the studio’s structure. It seamlessly blends insider perspectives from those who have played a role in the studio over time with outsider viewpoints from individuals not directly connected to the studio.
*Listed in alphabetical order by publisher names.
