Overview

This book offers, for the first time, access to the chronological arc of John Habraken’s writing in a single collection. Few architects or scholars have so consistently and patiently pursued such a humane and culturally vital set of radical questions related to the behaviour of the built environment as N. John Habraken. From the publication of his first book in 1960, he has quietly helped redraw the map of architectural research, education, practice, design methods and theory. His insights lead us to a better understanding of how the built field works, contributing to the development of methods enabling professionals to contribute to its coherence and resilience. Following an introductory essay by the editors, placing Habraken’s work in context, this collection is organized in two sections and further organized around a number of specific themes: The Built Field; Role of the Architect; Control; Sharing Forms; Examples of Ways of Doing; Open Building; Tools; and Cultivating the Built Environment. A series of interviews with the author enable him to reflect on his journey of inquiry, research, advocacy and teaching – and the relationship between ways of seeing and ways of doing. Offering theoretical perspectives and methodological ways forward, this book will be of interest to architects, planners and urban designers tackling the challenges of the contemporary built environment that Habraken identifies, as well as educators and students.

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9780367820077

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Reviews

'This book makes a significant contribution to the design and transformation of the built environment by changing our perceptions and understanding and therefore our ways of practicing architecture.' - Prof. Dietmar Eberle, Baumschlager Eberle Architects 'Professor Habraken's insights into the principles that make up cities and architecture, particularly his studies on the relationship between occupants, other stakeholders and the environment, have continued to have a profound influence on many projects and policies in Japan, including Japanese legislation to promote long-life housing.' -Kazunobu Minami, PhD, Professor Emeritus, Shibaura Institute of Technology, Tokyo 'Habraken’s oeuvre centers on a lifelong quest to sort out and restore the relationship between dwelling and the built environment that scaffolds everyday lives and rituals. Toward that end, there remains much to discover throughout this long-awaited collection.' - Jonathan Teicher, Writer, architect, urban designer and editor of several of Habraken’s books 'John Habraken is a restless thinker. While the full depth of his theories can be read in his seminal books — Supports and The Structure of the Ordinary - in his short essays, we are privy to his thinking in process and his mind at work. The Short Works of John Habraken is an extraordinary contribution to the literature of people-based architecture, open-building, and thematic design through the texts of one of architecture’s most influential philosophers and theorists.' - Andrés Mignucci FAIA, Distinguished Professor ACSA, Arts & Literary Arts Scholar in Residence Rockefeller Foundation Bellagio Center 'One can never comprehend the behavior of everyday built environment without grasping the laws of its existence and transformations, that is its rules, regulations, agreements and conventions, i.e control. The interplay of control and built form cannot be understood without Habraken’s theories.' - Dr. Jamel Akbar, Professor of Architecture, Fatih Sultan Mehmet Vakıf University, Istanbul, Turkey 'John Habraken’s contributions are in the field of mass housing, and the integration of citizens into the design process. The result is an architecture and urbanism of lively variety and greater meaning. Habraken is a hero of building and urban design.' - Douglas Kelbaugh, Dean Emeritus, University of Michigan 'The impact of John Habraken’s thinking on shaping a resilient built environment in our denser and more connected communities is immeasurable.' - Farooq Ameen AIA, RIBA, Principal, City Design Studio, Los Angeles, CA

'N.John Habraken's foresights resonate ever more compellingly as we seek strategies to grapple with the complexities of environmental resilience and equity. A careful observer of urban conditions, Habraken's insights reveal armatures to hold change, dwelling patterns to be locally situated, and design approaches to blend a diversity of voices. Today, more than ever, his strategies for the cultivation of space can guide the transformation of the everyday built environment.' - Renee Y. Chow, College of Environmental Design, William W. Wurster Dean, University of California Berkeley 'This timely and excellent publication celebrates John Habrakens' contribution to our better understanding of the physical and social structure of the built environment, and the need to re-define the roles and responsibilities of Architects. The impact of his work on teaching and practice continues to be profound.' - Nabeel Hamdi, Former Director of the Centre for Development and Emergency Planning; Emeritus Professor, Oxford Brookes University, UK 'I heartily recommend this book. The theory proposed by Professor Habraken will prove to be of major significance and of a suprisingly wide scope for solving the housing problems in the Netherlands and far beyond' - Prof. Jo Coenen, JCAU Architects and Urbanists, Former Government Architect of the Netherlands 'Habraken's writing is both architectural and philosophical, delivered with simple and beautiful language. Seldom does architectural writing give such pleasant, delightful and inspiring reading experiences as his does. His books have influenced many young architects, academics and students for decades, because of his insights into the qualities of everyday built environment. This book offers much-needed access to his work and will help promote a new round of interest and debate about relations of form, time and people - classical issues confronting new circumstances in the 21st Century.' - Dr. Jia Beisi, Associate Professor of Architecture, the University of Hong Kong, Partner, BE Architects, Hong Kong

Author Information

Stephen H. Kendall, PhD, is Emeritus Professor of Architecture at Ball State University and co-founder and vice president of the Council on Open Building. He received his PhD under the direction of John Habraken at MIT. Dr. Kendall’s career in architectural practice, research and education spans more than 45 years. His teaching, writing and research focus on the Open Building approach needed to make buildings more adaptable, easier to customize to meet changing preferences and thus more sustainable. His work recognizes the increasing size and complexity of projects and the dynamics of living environments, the workplace and the marketplace where design must go beyond short-term uses and where control is distributed not only during initial planning but also over time. His most recent edited books include Healthcare Architecture as Infrastructure: Open Building in Practice (2019) and Residential Architecture as Infrastructure: Open Building in Practice (2022) both part of Routledge's Open Building Series. John R. Dale, FAIA, LEED AP, is a Principal and Pre-K-12 Studio Leader for HED. He received his SMarcS Post-professional degree in Architecture at MIT under the direction of John Habraken. He has been planning, programming and designing educational environments for over 25 years. In 2007, he was named a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) for his achievements in school design. He creates high performance learning environments that are widely recognized models of regional and national significance. Mr. Dale also promotes green schools, building research that demonstrates that students are healthier and learn more effectively in sustainable, resilient environments. John’s projects have been honored with numerous awards at national, state and local levels, and he has taught at the University of Toronto, USC, MIT, UCLA, and California State Polytechnic University, Pomona. Mr. Dale is on the Board of the Architecture and Design Museum, Los Angeles and is Co-Founder and President of the Council on Open Building.

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