Human Alienation from Architecture

By Meng Jianmin

How do people and technology shape architecture? What happens in times of rapid technological change? Covering both the past and the future across a wide-ranging period, this book ultimately examines one of the most pressing issues of our time: technological disruption. The central question guiding the narrative is how architecture might be impacted by the profound changes that technology brings to humanity. As humanity evolves under the infl uence of new technologies, how will the built environment also change and interact with the natural world, shifting under the diverse pressures of climate change? By taking a bold speculative approach to envisioning the future, architects are urged to cultivate a sharper vision for identifying trends on the horizon, responding deftly to shifts in understanding. This poses a thought provoking and positive trajectory, alert to the possibilities of the present. Architecture is recognised beyond its tectonic function and physical form, as a mediator between humans and the environment. It is a mediator that is shaped by human identity, creativity and societal structures, as well as by the potential of emerging technologies, such as biotechnologies and superintelligent AI.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1918216193
• ISBN13: 9781918216196
• Release Date: August 2026
• Publisher: Riba Publishing
• Length: 192 Pages