Giraffes, telegraphs, and hero of Alexandria

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In this book ; stories portray the production of our built environment ; guided by three characters: Giraffes ; Telegraphs ; and Hero of Alexandria. Having developed its long neck to reach the leaves of high trees ; the giraffe represents the vernacular approach to architecture ; in which construction follows forces of nature. The telegraph ; in contrast ; embodies the modernist paradigm ; in which technology reigns supreme and forces nature to adapt. Inspired by Hero of Alexandria ; SMAQ subscribe to a third paradigm – using technology to optimize nature and ; inversely ; nature to assimilate technology. Their design concepts appear as tools ready to engage our contemporary urban environment ; free of today’s ecological and technological fundamentalism and in favor of experimentation ; pleasure ; and play.