Ark Journal Volume 11 ponders how history shapes our understanding of art, design and architecture, and celebrates the fluidity of interpretations that evolve over time and the importance of context.

The authors explore how architects navigate the interplay between tradition and innovation, drawing upon historical precedents while thinking about the future, how adaptive reuse breathes new life into old structures and how architectural interventions honour a site’s cultural heritage.

Featured are two iconic mid-century modernist houses, in Mexico City and Cincinnati, that have undergone transformations, but with a deep respect for each house’s rich history and significance. The Southern Californian language of architect Ray Kappe is translated into a contemporary home in Berlin, while a house on an island in the Baltic Sea is built to experience untamed nature.