Monsters and Mutants

This book presents the ecological and architectural innovations by New York-based design firm Archi-Tectonics showcased in their master plan for the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China. The project, designed in collaboration with !melk Landscape Architecture & Urban Design and Thornton Tomasetti engineers, introduces a revolutionary Sponge-City concept, re-imagining urban landscapes as dynamic ecosystems, capable of responding to environmental challenges such as flooding, pollution, and biodiversity loss.

With contributions from esteemed architects and theorists such as Carlo Ratti, Thom Mayne, and Mette Ramsgaard, the volume scrutinises the intersection of architecture and environmental activism in the Anthropocene. Through the lens of Archi-Tectonics’ winning design, it examines the blurring boundaries between the natural and the man-made and poses critical questions about what constitutes the “natural” in a world profoundly transformed by human activity.

Monsters and Mutants explores the future of urban and architectural design in making cities more resilient and sustainable. It provides a critical look at how multi-disciplinary collaboration and innovative thinking can address some of the most pressing environmental issues of our time, turning potential ecological crises into opportunities for regeneration and transformation.