The work of many great contemporary architects is based on a tremendous amount of research and development of new ideas. This research produces some of the most innovative and sustainable new architecture yet we often only see the product and not the process.

Grimshaw Architects brings this rigorous investigative process to print in a new series of books the first of which is called Blue, focusing on water, energy and waste. The intentions behind this “sharing” is best put by the author in the following synopses.

“Humanity now faces its most serious challenge to ensuring its continued and prosperous existence. Setting a new sustainable course for growth and development will take imagination, creativity, ingenuity, and, most importantly, the sharing of ideas in order to rapidly evolve a new relationship with our planet and conserve its precious resources.”

Blue examines six of the firms most diverse projects. These project include the Las Palmas water theater which boast a solar powered desalination system inspired by a Namibian fog beetle. In addition to their more speculative projects the book also focuses on current projects under construction such as Via Verde. An affordable housing project in the Bronx, Via Verde, is designed around a set of “healthy living” principals that they hope will eventually become a model for other affordable housing projects in the New York City Area.

Complete with images, diagrams and critical facts about the state of our natural resources this small book is definitely worth the read.

Author & Publisher: Grimshaw Architects