October 2023 MBR The Architecture Shelf

The Architecture Shelf

Cities & Rivers
Inaki Alday, author
Jover Margarita, editor
Actar D
c/o Actar Publishers
https://actar.com
9781945150746, $54.95, HC, 300pp

https://www.amazon.com/Cities-Rivers-I%C3%B1aki-Alday/dp/1945150742

Synopsis: "Cities & Rivers" consists of a collection of projects (each designed from their local and territorial DNA) that respond in new ways to the global socio-ecological crisis in which we have been in engaged with since the beginning of the 21st century.

Featured works comprising "Cities & Rivers" include public spaces, architecture and urban studies that incorporate natural dynamics and that also emphasize (and recovering in some cases) legal access among all citizens and equal access to the city and its opportunities.

The works presented are particularly renowned given their leadership role in a new approach to the relationship between cities and rivers, in which natural dynamics become part of the public space, eliminating the effect of climate change driven "catastrophes".

Critique: This large format hardcover edition (10.5 x 1.5 x 12.25 inches, 4.89 pounds) of "Cities & Rivers" is an impressive compendium of forty eloquently written and exceptionally informative essays by experts in their field and will prove to be of exceptional interest and value for personal, professional, community, college, and university library Urbanism and Landscape Architecture collections, as well as a supplemental contribution to Urban/Land Use curriculum studies lists.

Editorial Note: Aldayjover architecture and landscape was founded in 1996 in an old seventeen century palace in the center of Barcelona, and expanded to Virginia (USA) in 2011. It is headed by three partners (Inaki Alday, Margarita Jover, Jesus Arcos), and an associate director of landscape architecture Francisco Mesonero. Aldayjover is a multidisciplinary research based practice, focused in innovation and in the specific character of the place. The work is particularly renowned by its leadership in a new approach to the relation between cities and rivers, in which natural dynamics as the flood become part of the public space, eliminating detrimental effects of flooding through urban landscaping designs.

EDITOR'S NOTE:

The Midwest Book Review is an organization of volunteers committed to promoting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. We accept no funds from authors or publishers. Full permission is given to post any of these reviews on thematically appropriate websites, newsgroups, listserves, internet discussion groups, organizational newsletters, or to interested individuals. Please give the Midwest Book Review a credit line when doing so.

The Midwest Book Review publishes the monthly book review magazines "California Bookwatch", "Internet Bookwatch", "Children's Bookwatch", "MBR Bookwatch", "Reviewer's Bookwatch", and "Small Press Bookwatch". All are available for free on the Midwest Book Review website at www (dot) midwestbookreview (dot) com

Anyone wanting to submit books for review consideration can send them to:

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129

To submit reviews of any fiction or non-fiction books, email them to Frugalmuse (at) aol (dot) com (Be sure to include the book title, author, publisher, publisher address, publisher website/phone number, 13-digit ISBN number, and list price).

James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review