The Beauty of Impermanence: An Architecture of Adaptability from the Sharjah Architecture Triennial

The Beauty of Impermanence is the comprehensive documentation of the Sharjah Architecture Triennial 2023.
It focused on the contrasting strategies of the Global North and South in dealing with scarce resources over
the last four centuries. Believing in endless abundance and technological progress, and driven by religious
and mythological justifications for colonialism and slavery, the North has exploited these resources without
restraint. In contrast, the South, shaped by an awareness of constant scarcity, has been frugal, innovative
and adaptable in its use of resources, always searching for sustainable solutions that can serve as a blueprint
for future global resource management. The book is a multifaceted plea for a shift from a consumption-
oriented approach to one based on ecological and ethical responsibility. It calls for collective decisions
for systematic change in favour of a globally sustainable future. Essays by renowned researchers and
practitioners and presentations of the Triennale contributions together form a rich source of information
on the topics of architecture, sustainability and urban planning.