Architectural Exaptation: When Function Follows Form focuses on the significance and the originality of the study of exaptation. It presents exaptation as an opportunity to extend architectural design towards more sustainable approaches aimed at enforcing urban resilience.
The use of exaptation's definition in architecture supports the heuristic value of cross-disciplinary studies on biology and architecture, which seem even more relevant in times of global environmental crises. This book aims to make a critique of the pre-existing and extensive paternalistic literature. Exaptation will be described as a functional shift of a structure that already had a prior, but different, function. In architecture, a functional shift of a structure that already had a function may apply to forms of decorative elements embedded in architectural components, and to both change of function of tectonic elements and the change of use of an architectural space. The book is illustrated with examples from around the globe, including China, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, the USA and the UK, and looks at different civilizations and diverse historical periods, ranging from the urban to the architectural scale. Such examples highlight the potential and latent human creative capacity to change the use and functions, something that cities and buildings could consider when facing disturbances. Exaptation is shown as an alternative narrative to the simplifications of evolutionary puritanism. It also offers an innovative perspective and presents an opportunity to re-think the manner in which we design and redesign our cities.
This book will be of interest to architecture, planning, urban design and biology researchers and students.
Winner of the 'Gerd Albers Award 2024'. This award is for the best book contribution in the field of Urban Planning and is awarded by International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP).
| ISBN: | 9781032388526 |
| Publication date: | 29th September 2025 |
| Author: | Alessandro Melis, Telmo Pievani, Jose Antonio LaraHernandez |
| Publisher: | Routledge an imprint of Taylor & Francis |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Pagination: | 238 pages |
| Series: | Routledge Research in Architecture |
| Genres: |
Urban and municipal planning and policy Environmentally-friendly (‘green’) architecture and design City and town planning: architectural aspects The Earth: natural history: general interest Civil engineering, surveying and building Interdisciplinary studies Biology, life sciences |
Architectural Exaptation: When Function Follows Form focuses on the significance and the originality of the study of exaptation. It presents exaptation as an opportunity to extend architectural design towards more sustainable approaches aimed at enforcing urban resilience.
The use of exaptation's definition in architecture supports the heuristic value of cross-disciplinary studies on biology and architecture, which seem even more relevant in times of global environmental crises. This book aims to make a critique of the pre-existing and extensive paternalistic literature. Exaptation will be described as a functional shift of a structure that already had a prior, but different, function. In architecture, a functional shift of a structure that already had a function may apply to forms of decorative elements embedded in architectural components, and to both change of function of tectonic elements and the change of use of an architectural space. The book is illustrated with examples from around the globe, including China, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, the USA and the UK, and looks at different civilizations and diverse historical periods, ranging from the urban to the architectural scale. Such examples highlight the potential and latent human creative capacity to change the use and functions, something that cities and buildings could consider when facing disturbances. Exaptation is shown as an alternative narrative to the simplifications of evolutionary puritanism. It also offers an innovative perspective and presents an opportunity to re-think the manner in which we design and redesign our cities.
This book will be of interest to architecture, planning, urban design and biology researchers and students.
Winner of the 'Gerd Albers Award 2024'. This award is for the best book contribution in the field of Urban Planning and is awarded by International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP).
Architectural Exaptation features in the following genres: Urban and municipal planning and policy, Environmentally-friendly (‘green’) architecture and design, City and town planning: architectural aspects, The Earth: natural history: general interest, Civil engineering, surveying and building, Interdisciplinary studies, Biology, life sciences
Architectural Exaptation is available in Paperback, Hardback
Architectural Exaptation was written by Alessandro Melis, Telmo Pievani, Jose Antonio LaraHernandez and published by Routledge an imprint of Taylor & Francis
Architectural Exaptation has 238 pages
Yes it is part of Routledge Research in Architecture series
£41.39