Design Emergency: Building a Better Future

The foreword begins with an irritation.
Without detracting from the opening anecdote about Buckminster Fuller and his later contributions, it seems remiss to ignore the original inventor of the Geodesic Dome, Walther Bauersfeld and perpetuate the falsehood of Fuller's ‘invention'.
It is equally innovative to adapt the invention and see potential in a different context, smaller scale; robust, temporary shelters.

There's a-lot to read, and a-lot to like. A-lot to reflect upon.
The topics are structured and the interviewees interesting. I have a high regard to Ilse Crawford's work, so it was especially interesting to read her interview.

The COVID tie-in seems primed to be topical and to be honest, it seems too early to reflect upon, it is all the more glaring that the same basic methods were employed - the historical references to the beak mask only serves to highlight our inability to evolve long term approaches and methodology to recurring pandemics.
Although...
If there was a reference to how our present flow design in healthcare, the funnelling and penning of incoming patients in A&R, fails utterly for virus infection - then I missed it.

I would only say that most of the issues touched upon are ‘wicked' in scale, whereas the projects are for the most part, re-actionary and local in response.
The long-term project like the Jing kieng jri, is community driven and multi-generational, in contrast to ‘designer' initiated responses.

So, this book, full of examples and perspectives from practitioners, is perhaps really two books, or could be restructured, possibly the long-term and strategic, “Building a Better Future” and the contextual responses to acute issues, “Design for Emergency”. Or even Emergency Design. Design Emergency.

Anyway, quibbles and critique aside - very worth a read.