In our third round of our annual review of 2022, we have picked up the best architecture books of 2022 published on WAC Books for our readers. 

As an annual tradition of WAC, the selected books examine various topics ranging from the reuse substantial amounts of existing materials, an uncovered beauty of pools, the changing nature of workplaces to a dazzling world of modern videogames and a selection of paradigmatic projects exploring synthetic-vernacular architecture in Africa. 

SO-IL co-founder Florian Idenburg and architect LeeAnn Suen's The Office Of Good Intentions. Human(S) Work, studying the nature worksplaces, Paolo Cascone's African Fabbers Atlas: Manual Of Synthetic Vernacular Architecture, investigating a number of paradigmatic projects and conversations based on synthetic-vernacular architecture in Africa, Jorge Almazán, Joe McReynolds, Naoki Saito and Studiolab's Emergent Tokyo, exploring Tokyo's most distinctive urban spaces are among the most captivating books of 2022.

See our extensive archive on architecture books and pick your favourite book below to expand your bookshelf (in no particular order):

Image courtesy of Smith Street Books

1. Pools From Above by Brad Walls (Photographer)

Aerial photographer Brad Walls looks at uncovered beauty of pools and takes different perspectives of pools from above. 

Published by Smith Street Books, the 176-page book is based on Walls' long journey spanning three years to explore the beauty in commonplace landscapes. In this book, he provides new lens to "textures of unique aquatic architecture" from around the world. 

Read more and purchase the book on WAC Books.

Image courtesy of ORO Editions

2. Manual of Biogenic House Sections by Paul Lewis, Marc Tsurumaki and David J. Lewis

The 352-page book provides a deep insight to the use of low carbon emitting materials or plant-based materials in the substantial building components of buildings: such as sections.

Published by ORO Editions, the book allows architects to rethink architectural cross-sections while using the raw materials of cross-sections that represent the lifeblood of buildings in their design.

Meanwhile, see the selected architecture books of ORO Editions for 2022. 

Read more and purchase the book on WAC Books.

Image courtesy of ORO Editions

3. Reimagining the Library of the Future by Steffen Lehmann

Published by ORO Editions, Reimagining the Library of the Future emerges as a study examining the various models of public buildings and civic space through the lens of the library.

Taking at a critical stance at the history, present, and future transformation of this significant building typology, the 220-page book looks at 40 recent public and academic libraries from around the world, with over 200 images - consisting of urban libraries in Europe (Germany, Italy, Austria, Netherlands), the US, Canada, Mexico, Australia, Japan, and China."

Read more and purchase the book on WAC Books.

Image courtesy of Rizzoli

4. A Radical Vision By OPEN: Reinventing Cultural Architecture by Aric Chen (Foreword), Catherine Shaw (Contributor), Martino Stierli (Contributor)

Beijing-based OPEN Architecture has presented a series of conversations, site visits and its six recent groundbreaking projects in this book, giving a fresh perspective on contemporary cultural architecture and place making with the lens of the architects.

The 224-page book, published by Rizzoli, is enriched by architecture writer Catherine Shaw's observations on how the studio is "reinventing and responding to China’s complex and fast-changing cultural landscape with projects that mark a new era for contemporary Chinese cultural architecture."

Read more and purchase the book on WAC Books.

Image courtesy of Actar

5. African Fabbers Atlas: Manual Of Synthetic Vernacular Architecture by Paolo Cascone (Author)

The writer Paolo Cascone looks at the causes-effect relations of architectural and urban projects that impact the new phenomenon inspired by traditional and informal African practices and architectures.

The 208-page book, published by Actar, compiles essays, conversations and paradigmatic projects "conceived as an adaptive platform on synthetic-vernacular architecture in Africa and its potential role as cultural driver for global scenarios."

The book was published after an almost ten years of applied research by Paolo Cascone and his CODESIGNLAB practice in Africa.  The book mainly deals with these questions: "How to respond to climatic changes reconciling nature with tekné? What is the social role of technology? How architects would reconsider their practices supporting community-oriented projects?." 

Read more and purchase the book on WAC Books.

Image courtesy of gestalten

6. Brick By Brick: Architecture And Interiors Built With Bricks by gestalten

Written and published by gestalten, Brick By Brick: Architecture And Interiors Built With Bricks looks at the future of this ancient material and examines the circular use of brick, while creating a warm, cozy and expected beauty in today's buildings.

The book illustrates the best examples of modern brick applications in today's building, specifically focusing on residential buildings and interiors. "These forward-looking projects from around the globe push the boundaries of brick architecture and design," said gestalten.

Read more and purchase the book on WAC Books.

Image courtesy of Thames & Hudson

7. Videogame Atlas: Mapping Interactive Worlds by Luke Caspar Pearson (Author), Sandra Youkhana (Author)

As the making processes increases in architecture and virtual world, the book of Videogame Atlas takes readers to an immersive world of modern video games.

Through the worlds of Minecraft, Assassin's Creed Unity, and Final Fantasy VII, the writers Luke Caspar Pearson and Sandra Youkhana looks at "exhaustive details" of these video games, explaining how the art of virtual world is intertwined with architecture.

The 288-page book is published by Thames & Hudson and features 250 colored illustrations. "The book offers a playful new way of seeing these beloved virtual worlds using the practices and academic rigor that underpins real-world architectural theory," said the authors.

Read more and purchase the book on WAC Books.

Image courtesy of Zupagrafika

8. Soviet Playgrounds: Playful Landscapes Of The Former USSR by Zupagrafika

The 208-page book, Soviet Playgrounds: Playful Landscapes Of The Former USSR, examines several Soviet-era playgrounds found in some of the former USSR countries, such as Ukraine, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, with a photographic survey.

Divided into five chapters, Soviet-era playgrounds are presented with more than 150 photographs, taken by Zupagrafika and local photographers. The book, published by independent publisher Zupagrafika, documents "the mass-produced and diverse play equipments installed in the communal spaces of socialist-era housing estates, such as rocket slides and earth-shaped climbers, spaceships and animal-themed ladders, cosmic roundabouts and bizarre objects that would probably raise safety concerns nowadays."

Read more and purchase the book on WAC Books.

Image courtesy of ORO Editions

9. Emergent Tokyo by Jorge Almazán  (Author), Joe McReynolds (Author), Naoki Saito (Author), Studiolab (Contributor)

Japan's capital Tokyo witnesses a new vision embracing "a human-scale urban ecosystem" in its own context. 

The goal of the book is foster this question: How ordinary residents are shaping their own environment in a small and large scale? And, how Tokyo's local communal life urban processes reverse the top-down approach and create their adaptable environment? 

Published by ORO Editions, the 250-page book explores Tokyo's most distinctive urban spaces, from iconic neon nightlife to tranquil neighborhood backstreets and emphasizes five key features of Tokyo's cityscape.

Read more and purchase the book on WAC Books.

Image courtesy of Taschen

10. The Office Of Good Intentions. Human(S) Work by Florian Idenburg (Author), LeeAnn Suen (Author), Iwan Baan (Photographer)

After the pandemic, the world has seen a significant change in the use of workplaces all around the world, while digitization has largely become an important part of our daily work. 

Published by Taschen, The Office Of Good Intentions. Human(S) Work focuses on a study of the natural presence of workplace that can alter the definition of this typology in large extent - with digital components, space quality and the use of space. 

In this 592-page book, SO-IL co-founder Florian Idenburg and architect LeeAnn Suen looks at modern office spaces and reveal how the ways we inhabit and work in offices are changing. The book features 12 essays narrated with photographs by Iwan Baan.

Read more and purchase the book on WAC Books.

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