Room for Thought is an illuminating collection of twenty-one essays by Avi Friedman, who has been described by Wallpaper magazine as ”one of the top ten style setters who will most influence the way we live in the next quarter century.“ The essays are about the points where design touches life and the big and small things that make us appreciate, or become disconnected from, our homes and neighborhoods.

Drawing on his experiences as an architect, planner, world traveler, and educator, Friedman delves into issues such as the North American obsession with monster homes, the impact of scale on the feeling of comfort in our communities, environmental concerns such as deforestation, innovative recycling methods in building materials, the booming do-it-yourself industry, the decline of craftsmanship, and the role of good design in bringing families together. Written with Friedman's trademark flair, Room for Thought offers a compelling vision of the influence of design on our everyday lives from one of the world's most innovative thinkers.

Avi Friedman teaches architecture at McGill University and is a practicing architect. He is the recipient of several research and design awards including the World Habitat Award and the 2014 Sustainable Buildings Lifetime Achievement Award. He is the author of eighteen books, including Innovative Houses: Concepts for Sustainable Living, A View from the Porch: Rethinking Home and Community Design (Véhicule), and A Place in Mind: Designing Cities for the 21st Century (Véhicule). He lives in Montreal, Quebec.

Avi Friedman's profile page