Book Review - Architzer 2016

I normally post reviews to Amazon, but this book is published by Phaidon, exclusively available from them, and therefore not currently available to review of Amazon.
Architizer 2016 - review

Architizer is the website to go to for endless photos of amazing new buildings and projects. This is their second 'best of the year' book of projects, though how the precise parameters of the year are defined seems unclear. 

I thought that this was a far stronger collection than the previous volume, although it lacks the obvious projects (I only recognised a couple) it resolutely avoids ‘starchitecture’, focussing on firms rather than individuals, with an inspiring mix of projects from across the world, and beyond (Mars). The text is brief but shows more consistency than the previous volume too. 

There are a few recurring themes, multigenerational living, cantilevered chunks of building, and the sun is always shining. Many of the houses look like those intriguing Japanese offcut shaped homes.

But there are few projects here without something that is novel and inspiring, from the big to simple conversions.

Hidden Gardens of the Royal Mile

Hidden Gardens of the Royal Mile Guided Tour
2 July 2016
14:30 assemble outside John Knox House, £8.00 book online

This particular tour was one of the various offerings provided by the Architecture Fringe 2016, running during July 2016. Having said that Jean Bareham who gives the tours runs them fairly regularly so it should not be too difficult to find an alternative offering. Jean also offers other like themed tours and has written a short books of the Hidden Gardens of the Royal Mile. Relevant links attached below.
http://architecturefringe.com
http://www.greenyondertours.com
If you are looking for epic formal gardens then this is not the tour for you, however if you are keen to get behind the facades of the Royal Mile, as the buildings tumble their way down the slope from Edinburgh Castle to Holyrood Palace then this is wonderful. There are a couple of gardens that are quite professional and amazing, while others are not much more than areas where a few paving slabs have been lifted and some welcome greenery squeezed in.
The combination of the Old Town alleys and courts with little pockets of green is really rather wonderful. Likewise Jean could not be bettered as a guide, she seemed to know everything and everyone.
There was plenty of talk about Patrick Geddes and a separate tour is available devoted to him. Understanding Geddes is impossible without seeing and walking the Old Town that inspired him.
There is something noble about gardening, quietly and unostentatiously creating something of beauty for others to enjoy. On the one hand it is sad to realise just how fragile these dear green places are, but encouraging to see how much of an impact a handful of gardeners can still make to positively enhance one of the world’s most beautiful cities.

Pop-up Cities Expo

Pop-up Cities Expo
Tuesday 21 June - Sunday 17 July
daily 10am to 10pm
Mound Square, the Mound, Edinburgh

Five cities from around the globe, have each contributed a pavilion for this pop up expo on the Mound in Edinburgh. The Ideal Hut Exhibition was here earlier in the year, and it strikes me that some more permanent means of enclosing the area might be useful if there is going to be a regular series of these events.

Each pavilion was a very fancy hut. It was the Dutch one that most caught my imagination, made of pipes it was appropriate to the site, fun and great to look at. The others will doubtless all have their own admirers, and it was nice to see something relevant, edgy and different here in Edinburgh. The exhibition was attracting a diverse and interested audience when I was there, suggesting that there is a ready audience for more pop ups.