Down to Earth

A critical reflection on urban and landscape design in the era of climate crisis

Published on the occasion of the International Architecture Biennale Rotterdam (IABR), Down to Earth takes the climate crisis as a given and that we are already in over our heads. But it eschews despondency, vigorously pursuing engineering and design interventions. Dutch author George Brugmans, executive director of the IABR since 2014, shares his in-depth research of key climate crisis-fighting tactics such as energy transition and water management, and interrogates examples such as the drought in the Dutch Delta, rising sea levels and gas stoves. Throughout, Brugmans interweaves the history of the IABR and its commitment as a cultural institution to eco-conscious design. In addition to Brugmans’ texts, the volume also includes essays by landscape architect Dirk Sijmons and a dialogue between the lecturers and students of the Rotterdam Academy of Architecture and Urban Design.