What kind of architecture emerges in an extreme environment? Responding to some of the ultimate challenges in architecture, the buildings featured in this book provide valuable insight into the extremes of architectural thinking. In an increasingly unstable world, some of the lessons that they teach about self-sufficiency may yet become more generally applicable. Lessons from terrestrial environments are being used in designs for space, while space technology is also being applied on earth.


Divided into five chapters—Hot, Cold, High, Wet, and Space—Extreme Architecture showcases 45 examples of recent buildings designed for challenging environments. It includes a desert refuge in southern Arizona, a floating marine research center, an underground seed vault in northern Norway, and a South Pole research station. Each case study begins with a clearly presented table listing the altitude, annual rainfall, and average temperatures of the site. This information is accompanied by photographs showing the project in its environment, as well as by drawings, site plans, and computer renderings where appropriate.