Learning from the Local written by Piers Taylor situates itself within the pressing architectural discourse surrounding the tensions between globalisation and local identity. Taylor problematises the contemporary architectural condition by highlighting the growing difficulty of designing buildings that meaningfully engage with their specific geographic and cultural contexts. Once inherently local by necessity—due to reliance on site-specific materials, vernacular construction techniques, and cultural practices—architecture is now largely shaped by globalised supply chains, economic pressures, and aesthetic pluralism. This shift has rendered the articulation of place through building increasingly complex, if not paradoxical.

The book positions itself as a counterpoint to reductive architectural manifestos, advocating instead for an open-ended, exploratory approach that recognises architecture’s capacity to tell diverse stories, including those rooted in the particularities of place. Drawing from Simone Weil’s The Need for Roots and environmental psychology, Taylor argues that the human desire for rootedness—expressed through distinctive, place-specific environments—persists despite the homogenising forces of globalisation. This desire is not just romantic or nostalgic, but entwined with cultural identity, sustainability, and psychological well-being.

Learning from the Local further interrogates the challenges of material provenance and economic feasibility in locally expressive design. It underscores the carbon cost of imported materials and the opportunity, through inventive design, to leverage local resources—even waste materials—as demonstrated by initiatives such as Rural Studio and Hooke Park. This pragmatic sustainability foregrounds the necessity of reconciling ecological imperatives with cultural specificity.

The book adopts a case-study approach, with chapters organised thematically and featuring diverse global examples. Its central aim is not to prescribe stylistic formulas, but to illuminate how architecture can navigate and negotiate the global-local dichotomy in meaningful, context-responsive, and environmentally responsible ways. Ultimately, Learning from the Local offers a critical framework for understanding how buildings can re-engage with the contingencies of place—cultural, material, and climatic—while avoiding parochialism and embracing a pluralistic, reflective practice.

Order the book HERE