The Beauty of Impermanence

The Beauty of Impermanence is a scholarly documentation of the 2023 Sharjah Architecture Triennial. It explores architectural responses to sustainability, resource scarcity, and adaptability, highlighting the contrasting resource management strategies of the global North and South over the last four hundred years. The North exploited resources through a belief in endless abundance and technological advances, underpinned by religious and mythological justifications for colonialism and slavery. The South, characterized by resource scarcity, has innovated within these constraints, developing adaptable, sustainable solutions that may offer a blueprint for future global resource management.

The book advocates for a shift away from a consumption-driven approach to one that is ecologically and ethically responsible, urging a collective resolve to create systemic change for a sustainable future. It is structured around the thematic strands of “Renewed Contextual,” “Extraction Politics,” and “Intangible Bodies” and features essays by noted scholars and practitioners. Detailed project spreads from Triennial participants, showcasing innovative practices that integrate environmentally friendly methods and materials, round off this volume that serves as a vital resource for those engaged in the fields of architecture, sustainability, and urban planning.