Green Imperative: Ecology and Ethics in Design and Architecture

The Green Imperative, written by Papanek in the late 20th century, advocates for design that addresses environmental issues such as plastic littering and melting polar ice caps. The book offers practical advice and critique, highlighting the flaws and opportunities of the design world and providing a blueprint for solutions.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 352 pages
Publication date: 05 August 2021
Publisher: Thames & Hudson Ltd

The world is gradually waking up to the impending climate disaster, whether it's horror at plastic littering the world's beaches or despair at the melting of the polar ice caps. In The Green Imperative, Papanek argues for design that addresses these issues head-on. This means using materials that can be recycled and reused, no more pointless packaging, thinking about how products make us feel and engage all our senses, putting nature at the heart of design, working at a smaller scale, rejecting aesthetics for their own sake, and thinking before we buy.

First published at the close of the 20th century, the book offered a plethora of honest advice, clear examples, and withering critique, laying out the flaws and opportunities of the design world at that time. A quarter of a century on, Papanek's lucid prose has lost none of its verve, and the problems he highlights have only become more urgent, giving today's reader both a fascinating historical perspective on the issues at hand and a blueprint for how they might be solved. With 141 illustrations, 26 in color, The Green Imperative is a must-read for anyone interested in creating a more sustainable and ethical future.

Weight: 328g
Dimension: 130 x 197 x 28 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780500296196