Mecanoo: People Place Purpose Poetry

The new authoritative monograph on Dutch architecture firm Mecanoo, famed for its work for the New York Public Library and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library

Founded in Delft, Netherlands, in 1984, world-famous architecture firm Mecanoo operates under the belief that architecture must appeal to all the senses, according to cofounder Francine Houben. What began as a firm focused primarily on social housing projects has expanded over the years to include projects as diverse as university campuses, houses of worship and entire residential neighborhoods across the globe. In the United States, Mecanoo’s designs can be seen in landmark buildings such as the New York Public Library’s Stephen A. Schwarzman Building, the Bruce C. Bolling Municipal Building in Boston and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library in Washington, DC. The lattermost building, set to reopen as the city’s central library in fall 2020, was designed with the intent to honor Dr. King’s legacy with a focus on community-building and letting light in.

Across their diverse portfolio, one can see Mecanoo’s commitment to the the three original tenets of Houben’s architectural practice: people, place and purpose, from which design poetry can be created. This publication provides a comprehensive, up-to-date portrait of one of the world’s most exciting architecture firms, with full-color photographs, illustrations and design plans.