Open: New Designs for Public Space

Rating:
Summary: Before praising a project, live near it.
Review: I haven't read this book, except for some excerpts. However, I've read a number of pieces on how marvelous Roppongi Hills is. The people who write these pieces don't have much first-hand experience. I live beside Roppongi Hills. They've built a massive outdoor speaker system right across the street from some existing housing. That's turned a whole neighborhood into a noise pollution hellhole.

Take these puff pieces with a grain of salt.

Rating:
Summary: Public Space: The Final Frontier
Review: OPEN: new designs for public space proves that public space has a rich and exciting future. With inspiring projects from six continents, this attractive volume casts a wide net that includes both traditional forms of public spaces (plazas and squares) and exciting hybrids, such as temporary installations that can transform unused spaces into inviting community resources. The essays and interviews also present architects and designers acting as facilitators as much as form makers. In addition to architects, landscape architects and planners, the volume is enriched by contributions from artists, graphic and industrial designers as well as critics and thinkers.