Beyond the architect’s design authority
15 Sep 2026When Thomas Essex-Plath turns his writerly attention on something, no matter how humble or small the subject may be, he illuminates its connections in ways that make you see how they are actually part of big things like culture, the social fabric, and the daily reconstitution of status quos. Understanding how small things were different (or not different) in historical moments always gives me the sense that things don't have to be the way they are - they have already been otherwise. Then, understanding the history of how things came to be the way they are usually provides some important detail on how to remake them otherwise. To me, this capacity to imagine things differently, and then make them that way, is the fundamental capacity of design. I love conversing with Thomas because I usually come away with a new historical perspective on something detailed but big. It's an honour to have Thomas think and write about what we've been up to in our practice recently, and what is on the horizon, and to have these small undertakings connected to bigger things. Thank you Thomas, and thank you to About: for publishing the article on your platform.
AuthorThomas Essex-Plath