Don't Build, Rebuild

Praise

“[An] eye-opening treatise. . . . Insights abound as Betsky delves into examples—which include not only remodeling but also disassembling old structures and reusing their constitutive parts in new projects, and touch on everything from traditional Japanese woodworking to tents designed for Coachella. Readers will be captivated by Betsky’s hopefulness.”
—Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

“Nothing is as ecologically sound as reusing the things we’ve already built—and as this book makes clear, nothing is as beautiful either!”
—Bill McKibben, author of Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future

“In Don’t Build, Rebuild, architect and critic Aaron Betsky offers an essential alternative to the wasteful paradigm of conventional construction. Drawing on his wealth of personal experience with innovative projects around the world, Betsky presents a vision grounded in the ‘imaginative reuse’ of our existing built environment. Through rich historical analysis and inspiring contemporary examples—from repurposed wind turbine blades to transformed swim clubs and train depots—he calls for architects to become urban miners, harvesting the hidden value in our cities’ discarded treasures. This thought-provoking and important book is a must-read, urging readers to embrace a more sustainable, circular approach to architecture and design.”
—Stefan Al, author of Supertall: How the World’s Tallest Buildings Are Reshaping Our Cities and Our Lives

“This fantastic book extends beyond the usual parameters of reuse, incorporating powerful insights and tactics from such things as installation art, squatting, and digital simulation. Don’t Build, Rebuild is a rousing call for the decommodified and decarbonized built environment that we so desperately need.”
—Matthew Soules, author of Icebergs, Zombies, and the Ultra Thin: Architecture and Capitalism in the Twenty-First Century

“Most proposals for mitigating climate change are ‘too little, too late.’ Aaron Betsky has the courage to say ‘stop building NOW.’ Instead, he argues, we need to make better use of existing structures, and he takes us around the world to see the many ways repurposed buildings can be beautiful, egalitarian, and just.”
—Fred A. Bernstein, architecture critic