Piers Taylor: Book Launch

Join architect, writer and broadcaster Piers Taylor for the launch of his new book Learning from the Local—an exploration of architecture rooted in people, place, and purpose.

In this thought-provoking book, Taylor reflects on decades of architectural experimentation across continents—from off-grid communities in Australia and Africa to self-built homes in the woods of Somerset. He turns to vernacular knowledge, collective action, and craft as blueprints for how we might design more sensitively and sustainably.

As the move towards globalisation falters, the question of how a building might relate to its place in a meaningful manner has never been more pressing.

The sourcing and use of local materials has increasingly become an expectation in contemporary architecture. But what does local mean in this context? Should we use Cotswold stone in the Cotswolds forever – even if this necessitates using imitation stone? In rural areas, must we design traditional barns or farms with pitched roofs regardless of their sustainability?

Learning from the Local is both a memoir of practice and a manifesto for a new kind of architecture—one that listens before it draws, and builds with humility, not hubris.

A must for anyone interested in ethical design, rural innovation, or the future of architecture.

About the Author

Architect, broadcaster and academic, Piers Taylor is the founder of Invisible Studio and co-presenter of the BBC’s The World’s Most Extraordinary Homes. His work challenges conventional ideas of professionalism, favouring radical reuse, local materials, and hands-on collaboration. He teaches worldwide and is widely recognised as one of Britain’s most influential voices in contemporary architecture. Piers Taylor is currently Professor of Knowledge Exchange at UWE, having formerly taught at the Architectural Association & the University for Cambridge.

The event takes place at The Architect, Bristol, BS1 4QA