Practiceopolis: Stories from the Architectural Profession (Paperback)

Yasser Megahed

ISBN 10: 0367425440 / ISBN 13: 9780367425449

Published by Taylor & Francis Ltd, London, 2020

Paperback. This is a graphic novel about the contemporary architectural profession, in which it acts as the protagonist in the form of an imaginary city called Practiceopolis. The novel narrates quasi-realistic stories that exaggerate the architectural everyday and the tacit, in order to make them prominent and tangible. They depict and dramatise the value conflicts between the different cultures of practising architecture and between the architectural profession and other members of the building industry as political conflicts around the future of Practiceopolis. The book uses the metaphorical world of Practiceopolis to provoke big questions about everyday routines in the profession that practitioners may take for granted and to examine different ideologies at work among architects and other members of the construction industry. The novel ends in the tradition of dystopian worlds common in a certain strand of graphic novels. By vividly illustrating and narrating the critical issues he interrogates, the author has created a world which any architect, student or professional, will both instantly recognise and simultaneously reject, provoking the reader to challenge themselves and the profession at large. This is a graphic novel about the contemporary architectural profession, in which it acts as the protagonist in the form of an imaginary city called Practiceopolis. The author has created a world into which any architect, student or professional, will instantly recognise, provoking the reader to challenge themselves and the profession. Shipping may be from our UK warehouse or from our Australian or US warehouses, depending on stock availability. Seller Inventory # 9780367425449

Synopsis:

This is a graphic novel about the contemporary architectural profession, in which it acts as the protagonist in the form of an imaginary city called Practiceopolis. The novel narrates quasi-realistic stories that exaggerate the architectural everyday and the tacit, in order to make them prominent and tangible. They depict and dramatise the value conflicts between the different cultures of practising architecture and between the architectural profession and other members of the building industry as political conflicts around the future of Practiceopolis.

The book uses the metaphorical world of Practiceopolis to provoke big questions about everyday routines in the profession that practitioners may take for granted and to examine different ideologies at work among architects and other members of the construction industry. The novel ends in the tradition of dystopian worlds common in a certain strand of graphic novels.

By vividly illustrating and narrating the critical issues he interrogates, the author has created a world which any architect, student or professional, will both instantly recognise and simultaneously reject, provoking the reader to challenge themselves and the profession at large.

About the Author:

Yasser Megahed is Senior Lecturer at Leicester School of Architecture, De Montfort University. He holds a PhD by Design degree from the School of Architecture, Planning and Landscape, Newcastle University, as well as MSc and BArch degrees in Architecture from Cairo University. His research is focused on interrogating cultures of contemporary architectural practice through practice-based methodologies, bridging design research, professional practice research and history and theory of architecture, in addition to a special interest in the use of Design Fiction as a tool for communicating architectural ideas. Yasser worked as an associate architect at Design Office, UK, where he was one of the concept team for the £25 million refurbishment of the Armstrong Building, Newcastle University – shortlisted for the RIBA North East Award 2019. Previously he worked as a senior architect at Architecture and Urbanism Group, Cairo, where he was involved in several projects and winning architectural competitions covering different building typologies in Egypt and the Middle-East.

Bibliographic Details

Title: Practiceopolis: Stories from the ...
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd, London
Publication Date: 2020
Binding: Paperback
Condition: new