This book brings a contemporary critical lens to the work of Reyner Banham, one of the most prescient architectural and design critics of the 20th century. Thirteen of the acerbic historian’s essays and book chapters have been selected by contributors, ranging from classics such as ‘The Great Gizmo’ to lesser-known texts such as ‘The Wall’, an intimate confession he penned in hospital shortly before his death. 

Each of Banham’s texts is accompanied by a contemporary response that contextualises Banham’s writing, including contributions from Mario Carpo, Ludovico Centis, Adrian Forty, Curt Gambetta, Kersten Geers, Albert Narath, Barbara Penner, Penny Sparke, Tim Street-Porter, Alice Twemlow, Paola Viganò, Richard Williams and Mimi Zeiger. Additional reflections from Banham’s grandson, Oliver Arditi, and the head of architectural collections at the Getty Research Institute, Maristella Casciato, complete the anthology

9781919624570, 2024
19 × 14cm, 232pp, paperback.