Architectural Guide Yangon
Two years after the publication of Architectural Guide Yangon, this critically-acclaimed book is now available as a website. Join Ben Bansal, one of the co-authors, for the official launch event of the website in Yangon.
The book introduces Yangon’s 110 most iconic buildings from the Shwedagon Pagoda to newly-built condominium buildings. Their histories and current states are vividly described, woven together by ample references to the tumultuous history of the city and brought to life by Manuel Oka’s photography. The newly-built website allows for an interactive discovery of Yangon via smartphone or tablet, with maps guiding the way to each building. All other material, such as in-depth chapters on urban planning, heritage and other topics, are also available for contextual reading.
Besides introducing the site’s functions, the event will initiate the crowdsourcing element ahead of a second edition of the guide. What has happened since 2015? Which buildings saw dramatic changes or have even been demolished? Which narratives have been made obsolete by the realities on the ground? What is the state of (heritage) conservation under the new government? We invite our readers past, present and prospective, to join us in what will undoubtedly be a fascinating discussion on the state of Yangon’s built environment.
Praise for the book:
“Lovingly documented” —
The Guardian
“Sumptous, evocative” —
Sunil Amrith, Professor of South Asian History at Harvard University
“Poetic and lyrical, as well as gripping” —
Reshmi Banerjee, Oxford University
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