Silas's Reviews > Humanise: A Maker’s Guide to Building Our World

Heatherwick’s ‘Humanise’ is a beautifully designed and accessible book that reflects its mission; this book challenges and deconstructs dogmatic modernist ideas about form, function, and artistic theory. Though focussed through an architectural lens, as someone that studies and teaches English literature, I felt there was a certain universal truth to Heatherwick’s critique on modernist ideas surrounding the arts.

Even for the non-architecturally literate, this book contains an element of seductive intrigue for anyone who’s ever passed a building and FELT something. It delves into why we feel certain ways based on what we observe as a passer-by in a city and articulates how change is needed to ensure that positive, human design is encouraged in architecture and design planning.

Additionally, as well as being an interesting and well argued thought piece, this book is designed to be an experience. Every page’s use of image and text has been carefully considered to reflect its intent. I recommend this book highly.