Forensic Architecture: Violence at the Threshold of Detectability (Zone Books)

This forensic process-what Weizman calls 'architecture in reverse'-shows how the analytical and presentational skills of architects can be deployed in graphic, damning detail, in circumstances that extend way beyond the comfort zone of the drawing board. -Guardian The perspective shift he offers is no less than the image of a planet overrun by human machinations. Weizman presents the idea of human history written only by and for nation states, not their people. When we conceive of justice for ourselves and the world, that lens is always prefigured for the state viewpoint. But perhaps through experts like Weizman and his colleagues at Forensic Architecture, total control of that lens can be wrested little by little, to accommodate those who need it most. -New Scientist Forensic Architecture highlights critical issues that must be discussed, as uncomfortable as they make people feel.... The book exposes readers to a candid, much-needed understanding of the relationship between settlements, architecture, politics, and violence. This awareness is even more important in developed countries whose advocacy is necessary for wrongdoings like those described within the book to be recognized. -Spacing