Bracket #1 'On Farming' published by Actar

…is the premiere issue of the journal published by the Barcelona based architecture imprint Actar which has its release today at the University of Toronto, where I visited over a few cold days in February 2009 joined by Heather Ring, Michael Speaks, Nathalie de Vries, Charles Waldheim, and Mason White to select a few farming related design projects, from hundreds of submissions, for inclusion in this issue – and upon returning to L.A. with some time to reflect on the topic I composed a little essay called ‘The Building that Farms…’ (Bracket website)

Bracket is a new book series structured around an open call for entries that highlights emerging critical issues at the juncture of architecture, environment, and digital culture. It is a collaboration between InfraNet Lab and Archinect. Conceived as an almanac, the series looks at emerging thematics in our global age that are shaping the built environment in radically significant, yet often unexpected ways. On Farming looks at the capacity for architecture to address ideas and issues of productive landscapes and urbanisms. Once merely understood in terms of agriculture, today information, energy, labour, and landscape, among others, can be farmed. Farming harnesses the efficiency of collectivity and community. The issue collects original design projects, installations, and essays which interrogate new typologies, forms, and formats of the built environment. With almost 40 design proposals and 12 essays, On Farming collects emerging designers and thinkers internationally. The Editorial Board includes Fritz Haeg, Maya Przybylski, Heather Ring, Michael Speaks, Nathalie de Vries, Charles Waldheim, and Mason White.