Part of the "De-Activated City" series.

A selection of 10 books as a contribution to the KoozArch Archipelago for the De-Activated city project by Actar Publishers.

* Actar Publishers is committed to investigating the culture of the architectural, urbanism and landscape disciplines through innovative design, theory, criticism and pedagogy. Actar is focused on the works and research of established and emerging practitioners, professors, and thinkers such as Charles Waldheim, Neil Brenner, Kiel Moe, Abalos+Sentkiewicz, Alejandro Zaera-Polo, AKTII, Farshid Moussavi, Lateral Office, Pezo von Ellrichshausen, ODA, nArchitects, LAN, Rania Ghosn & El Hadi Jazairy, Daniel Ibàñez, Mimi Zeiger, among others. Actar also participates in publishing the periodicals Bracket, New Geographies, and Kerb, documenting issues overlooked yet central to our cultural milieu. These publications have evolved out of the new disciplinary territory at the intersection of architecture, landscape, environment, and digital culture.

KOOZ What informed the selection of 10 books in relation to the Deactivated City?

RD We are living in times of crisis and cities, more than ever, need to respond to them. This 10 books selection brings awareness on contemporary issues which affect cities and proposes design strategies to address them.

KOOZ How do these frame the complexities and challenges faced by our contemporary metropolis?

RD Each of these books focus on a particular challenge cities need to address in the present time. The authors are notorious professionals and researchers who have explored the most urgent questions we need to ask ourselves before intervening the built environment. Some of them have a scientific approach and others a humanistic one, both are important to take into account in order to understand and face contemporary challenges.

KOOZ How do architects operate and define a state of resilience for the future city?

RD Architects are agents of change in cities. They are in a privileged position because they take decisions which can cause great impact. Moreover, they are able to understand the environment and to propose strategies aiming for resilient cities.