On the Life and Aging of Architectural Buildings Over Time

Mohsen Mostafavi and David Leatherbarrow approach architecture from a different perspective, raising the question, "Is a building complete when it comes into use, or is what we perceive as the end actually the beginning of the end?" A building may appear pleasant and beautiful until it reaches maturity, but when this activity goes beyond completion, i.e., when it continues towards aging, it can become tragic. I would like to thank Dr. Yusuf Civelek for translating this book, which draws our attention to a very different dimension of architecture than what we have seen so far, bringing to the forefront a topic that many architects have only touched upon. I hope that this book encourages architects, caught up in daily trivial disputes, to pause and reflect, to take a fresh breath, and to take the time to reconsider the responsibility their profession places upon them. - Dr. M. Sinan Genim -