
The Labor of Architecture
Creativity, Design, and the Building of a New Class Consciousness
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
The Labor of Architecture
Creativity, Design, and the Building of a New Class Consciousness
About this book
The Labor of Architecture examines the social and historical narratives that led to the illusory division between the "working class" and the "creative class." In popular imagination, as author C.G. Beck observes, the architect is a singular genius, obsessively working alone in the studio. Surrounded by beautiful drawings and intricate models, the architect wrestles only with themselves and the purity of their design. This is certainly no longer the case—and perhaps never was.
Today, a new generation of designers encounters a different reality: exploitative work places, a financial crisis that ravaged the housing sector, sexist and racist hiring practices, and a quickly worsening climate catastrophe in which designers have played no small. Providing insight through his direct experiences organizing and negotiating from within the world of architecture, Beck explains how a design-based union movement can create a new reality for the labor of architects and designers, arguing that they have more in common with other unionized industries than generally assumed. Ultimately, The Labor of Architecture is a call for designers to prioritize collective action over their own individualistic pursuits—not just for the betterment of their profession, but for the sake of the society they help to build each day.
Frequently asked questions
- Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
- Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.4M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Preface
- Introduction
- Part One: Creative Consciousness
- Part Two: Class Consciousness
- Part Three: Together We Build
- Conclusion: What Is the Architecture of Labor?
- Selected Bibliography
- Notes
- Index