A Place in Mind: The Search for Authenticity is the result of Avi Friedman’s worldwide quest for successful environments where people congregate and feel comfortable. Whether he writes of the conviviality of a teahouse in Istanbul; the serenity of Assisi; the squatter settlements of Tijuana, or the architectural harmony of neighbourhoods in London, Friedman conveys his excitement at discovering people-friendly places—antidotes to social isolation.His search for unique spot...

Chaim Frydman survived the Holocaust. He was the only Frydman who did. In Sole Survivor, architect and academic Avi Friedman travels to Europe to trace his father’s journey through the Holocaust and find his family’s genesis. He visits the homes, factories, and synagogues in which the Frydmans made their lives and the ghettos and camps in which they were imprisoned and killed. Avi finds powerful stories in interviews, archives, and the built environment itself, illustrating the ways that b...

The book addresses current housing affordability challenges and presents innovative planning and design strategies for contemporary communities and homes that are both livable and affordable. Written by a team of a planner and an architect, each of the book’s chapters stands for a subject in the design process moving from urban scale to that of a home and includes richly illustrated case studies that inspire and inform the design. By exploring the role of livability in the design process, ...

Fundamentals of Community Design for Wellbeing addresses the need to rethink the philosophy and form of residential environments due to recent social, economic, environmental, and cultural shifts, including depletion of non-renewable resources, elevated levels of greenhouse gas emissions, and climate change. This book highlights innovative planning strategies for livability and wellbeing of communities supported by lessons from notable international case studies, addressing varied...

The book explores essential principles and practices for planning and designing sustainable refugee shelters. With millions of people forced to flee their homes annually due to conflict, environmental disasters, or persecution, the urgency of this global crisis cannot be overstated. Since refugees often reside in temporary shelters for years after years, it is imperative to construct refugee camps and shelters that address their long-term needs. This comprehensive guide delves into emergen...

A View from the Porch is an illuminating collection of 22 essays about the points where design touches life and the big and small things that make us appreciate, or become disconnected from, our homes and neighbourhoods.Drawing on his experiences as an architect, planner, world traveller, and educator, Friedman delves into issues such as the North American obsession with monster homes, the impact of scale on the feeling of comfort in our communities, environmental concerns...

Current planning and design modes of cities are facing challenges of philosophy and form. Past approaches no longer sustain new demands and call for innovative thinking. In a world that is becoming highly urbanized, the need for a new outlook is propelled by fundamental global changes that touch upon environmental, economic and social aspects.The book introduces fundamental principles of timely sustainable urban design, paying attention to architecture, integration of natural featu...

This book relates circular economy principles to housing design and construction and highlights how those principles can result in both monetary savings, positive environmental impact, and socio-ecological change.Chapters focus on three key circular economy principles and apply them to architectural construction and design, namely rethinking of the end-of-use phase of a building and the potential of design-for-disassembly; the role of digitization and data standardization in foster...

This book explores the rise of technology-centered urban planning and the diffusion of these practices around the world. Seven axes of urban planning have been selected to highlight how data and technology currently work and how these systems can be improved going forward. Each aspect is explored in its own chapter that combines narrative description, illustrations, and case studies to show how technology currently shapes our cities and how this may impact the urban environments. Topics in...

This book offers ideas and practices on contemporary design concepts and illustrates them with plans and photographs of outstanding examples. Current planning and design modes of dwellings and neighborhoods are facing challenges of philosophy and form. Past approaches no longer sustain new demands and require innovative thinking. The need for a new outlook is propelled by fundamental changes that touch upon environmental, economic and social aspects.The depletion of non-renewable n...

The obesity crisis has affected many nations. It is also one of the factors listed as contributing cause to the COVID-19 fatalities. The common tendency is to blame people’s dietary choices and sedentary habits. Yet, it can also be argued that social inequity and poor urban planning practices have largely contributed to a lack of active lifestyles. Low-density suburban sprawl, long commutes, food deserts, and diminishing green areas are some aspects that have led to reduced physical activi...

This book covers fundamental aspects of neighborhood planning and architecture along sustainable principles. Written by a designer and instructor, the book’s fully illustrated chapters provide detailed insights into contemporary strategies that architects, planners and builders are integrating into their thought processes and residential design practices.Past approaches to planning and design modes of dwellings and neighborhoods can no longer sustain new demands and require innovat...