Unorthodox methods and a deep interest in the making and meaning of things are his trademarks: Tom Emerson's reflections on architecture from two decades.

Dirty Old River brings together 12 essays penned by British architect Tom Emerson over the past three decades. Written on very different occasions as contributions to books or articles in magazines, they explore a wide range of topics through the lens of architecture. The book's title is borrowed from the British rock band The Kinks' cult song Waterloo Sunset to symbolize a journey through the interweaving of culture, imagination, and the built environment.

Naturally, the architect Emerson writes about architecture: how it is designed, drawn, and built. Yet he also turns his attention to other, wider fields, from the transformation of materials to the nuances of human creativity, the explosive early works of his celebrated fellow architect Frank O. Gehry, and the intimate craftsmanship behind the literary spaces of French writer Georges Perec.

Emerson's unique approach to writing is often inspired by sideways glances and disciplines beyond architecture. He offers a new perspective on how things are made, why they take shape the way they do, and what these processes reveal about humanity.

• Collects 12 essays by distinguished British architect Tom Emerson
• Tom Emerson reflects on topics ranging from the design, drawing, and construction of architecture to the transformation of materials, nuances of human creativity, and the intimate craftsmanship behind literary spaces
• Tom Emerson is revered internationally as a designing architect, teacher, and writer
• The designs of London-based 6a architects, cofounded by Tom Emerson, are praised for their thoughtful integration of modern aesthetics with historical contexts

Autorentext

Tom Emerson ist Architekt und Mitbegründer des Büros 6a architects in London. Er lehrt zu-dem als Professor für Architektur und Entwurf am Departement Architektur der ETH Zürich.

Sarah Handelman lebt und arbeitet in London als Autorin und Herausgeberin.