Ricky Burdett

The year 2012 marks the 65th anniversary of Columbia's Journal of International Affairs, which started after World War II as "a forum for exploring topics of global concern." Based on the longstanding belief that "innovative solutions to contemporary problems of international affairs demand interdisciplinary solutions," this issued devoted to the city pulls together architects, sociologists, economists, politicians, and academics of various stripes. Not surprisingly, the writing is quite academic, but a number of interviews (with Rem Koolhaas, Ricky Burdett, Rahul Mehrota, and others) are a plain-spoken alternative to some of the density. The essays and interviews appropriately cover a global context of cities: China, New York, Paris, and Singapore, to name a few. People interested in the future of cities will find much of interest and value in what can ultimately be seen collectively as a positive outlook on urbanism this century.… (plus d'informations)

The companion of Phaidon's popular The Endless City, Living in the Endless City will add the cities of Mumbai, Sao Paulo and Istanbul to the six cities of the first volume with the same mix of compelling photographs, in-depth and beautifully presented data, and smart writing by global thinkers. Each city is explored in a series of essays that address vital themes, from security to climate change, looking closely at the problems that face contemporary cities and examining a variety of solutions. Like the first book, the new one includes the best writing and information from the Urban Age project, a series of conferences held by the London School of Economics that explore vital field of urban development. Drawing on the work of scholars from all over the globe, this book will give the reader access to a wealth of ideas and data about Mumbai, Sao Paulo, Istanbul and, by extension, urban life across the globe. In addition to this close focus on each of the three cities, Living in the Endless City will feature analysis of surveys done in each city. Editors Deyan Sudjic of the Design Museum and Ricky Burdett of the LSE have also chosen the best contributors to both this book and The Endless City to write thematic essays that discuss the ideas and the lessons they have drawn across all nine cities.… (plus d'informations)