Our World in Ten Buildings: How Architecture Defines Who We Are and How We Live
Michael Murphy
Apr 2026 · Simon and Schuster
Ebook
320
Pages
family_home
Eligible
info
infoThis book will become available on April 21, 2026. You will not be charged until it is released.
About this ebook
From “tomorrow’s greatest designer” (The Atlantic), a deeply researched “essential guide” (Chelsea Clinton) to how humankind designs its world and how those decisions shape us.
For the majority of the world, purposefully designed spaces are often only available for those who can afford them. But could it be possible for the spaces we spend most of our lives in—our offices, our schools, our hospitals—to be designed for our everyday needs and communities as well as the wants of capital? Climate catastrophes push us to the brink, pandemics have disrupted how we live and work, and there’s an urgent need to build spaces that can adapt and accommodate a lived experience changing faster than ever each day. So why aren’t we shifting the way we design, and what can we do to change that?
“Visionary architect” (Danielle Allen, author of Our Declaration) Michael Murphy aims to reframe what the built environment can do for our lives and our world. With insight and passion, he braids the history of architecture with his own revolutionary work to provide an accessible guide on what it will take to revolutionize our homes, minds, workplaces, safety, and health care. Profound, accessible, and groundbreaking, Our World in Ten Buildings will demystify architectural design, change the way you look at the spaces around you, and introduce a new way of thinking about how we interact with the people and world around us.
For the majority of the world, purposefully designed spaces are often only available for those who can afford them. But could it be possible for the spaces we spend most of our lives in—our offices, our schools, our hospitals—to be designed for our everyday needs and communities as well as the wants of capital? Climate catastrophes push us to the brink, pandemics have disrupted how we live and work, and there’s an urgent need to build spaces that can adapt and accommodate a lived experience changing faster than ever each day. So why aren’t we shifting the way we design, and what can we do to change that?
“Visionary architect” (Danielle Allen, author of Our Declaration) Michael Murphy aims to reframe what the built environment can do for our lives and our world. With insight and passion, he braids the history of architecture with his own revolutionary work to provide an accessible guide on what it will take to revolutionize our homes, minds, workplaces, safety, and health care. Profound, accessible, and groundbreaking, Our World in Ten Buildings will demystify architectural design, change the way you look at the spaces around you, and introduce a new way of thinking about how we interact with the people and world around us.
About the author
Michael Murphy, architect, leader, educator, and writer, is also the founder and a board member of MASS Design Group. He is currently the Thomas Ventulett Chair of Architecture at Georgia Tech University. Originally from Poughkeepsie, New York, he lives in Boston with his wife and two children.
Reading information
Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.
