Designing for the Desert - by Steffan Lehmann (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Designing for desert cities is both a demanding design task and a distinct field of study. Commissioned statements from leading architects and academics, written specifically for this publication, appear throughout. Richly illustrated, this reference work is intended for practitioners and students of architecture, urban design and landscape architecture, and policymakers. It is for anyone concerned with the future of arid landscapes.

The book examines international precedents across 28 chapters and more than 200 images, charting the influence of historical desert architecture on contemporary projects and the continuing development of design techniques for arid environments. Case studies range in scale from individual houses to larger urban neighbourhoods, drawing on well-designed, climate-responsive work from numerous countries. Despite the scale of desert urbanisation, scholarly understanding of appropriate architectural and urban responses remains limited. This study addresses that gap by examining the challenges and opportunities of building in arid environments. Recent case studies examine the United States, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Australia, Namibia, and India.