Lina Stergiou, ed., Against All Odds: Ethics/Aesthetics (Athens: Benaki Museum and Papasotiriou, 2011), English/Greek, 433 pages. ISBN 978-960-491-026-7

 
Aiming at expanding architecture’s role within society through reshaping its social and ecological contributions to the cityscape and its social fabric, the two-year interdisciplinary project AAO: Ethics/Aesthetics includes urban and performance actions, conferences, experimental academic workshops and exhibitions. The book documents some of the above. First, the relation between Ethics and Aesthetics today, from the standpoint of architects, cultural theorists, art historians, academics and intellectuals as presented in an interdisciplinary international conference at the Athens School of Fine Arts. Second, examples of collaborative, social and ecological projects of architecture, design and art that become the material of an exhibition at the Benaki Museum. Third, the results of academic workshops with urban and social stakes that are organized in collaboration with Universities from New York, Paris and Athens. Some of them become part of the pilot project-urban actions ‘Athens Here and Now,’ with interactive and video artworks in the historical center of Athens, and exhibited at the Benaki Museum. Finally, the book includes urban and performance actions tackling different aspects of Ethics/Aesthetics. All of the above debates, exhibitions and experiments have as main focus the realization of works with direct eco-social impact. Through presentations and discussion platforms on the current social and ecological problems of the local scale, it initiates diverse alternative actions. AAO is organized by the non-profit organization 4Life Strategies; its concept and director is architect Lina Stergiou who also edited the book. Network of 350 collaborations and contributions, including:
Maurice Benayoun, Laurie Lazer & Darryl Smith, Ross Evans/Worldbike, John Peterson & Liz Ogbu/Public Architecture, Matthew Passmore & Teresa Aguilera/Rebar, Cameron Sinclair/AFH, Santiago Cirugeda/Recetas Urbanas, JODI, Ole Bouman, David Cottington, Lydia Matthews, Michael Morris, Radhika Subramaniam, Robin Gareus, Blanka Amezkua, Droog, Frank Havermans, Do Ho Suh, Jason Miller, Eelko Moorer, Iris Kritikou, Penny Gheka, Apostolos Papageorgiou, Georgia Gremouti, Eleni Karayanni, Panos Kombis, Elena Papadimitriou, Christos Simatos, Dimitris Skouroyannis, Amalia Stavroulaki, Vangelis Theodoridis, Marios Angelos Voutsinas, Nadia Kalara, Maria Papadimitriou, Giorgos Tzirtzilakis, Vicky Betsou, Konstantinos Moraitis, Lois Papadopoulos, Maria Theodorou, Jilly Traganou, Louisa Anagnostou, Nikos Kazeros, Thalea Niniou, Fani Sophologi, Eleni Tzirtzilaki/Nomadic Architecture Network, Hariklia Hari/PPC_TLab, Maria Daskalaki, Anny Platanioti/Tombazis & Associate Architects, Amy Franceschini & Corinne Matesich/Futurefarmers, Teddy Cruz & Mauricio Corbalan, Sarah Wigglesworth.  Partnerships with Institutions, including: Benaki Museum Athens, The Foundation of The Hellenic World, The US Embassy in Greece, The Embassy of Holland in Greece, The Embassy of Spain in Greece, Hellenic Ministry for the Environment, Energy and Climate Change, Hellenic Ministry for Culture and Tourism, Athens Art Week, Municipality of Athens, The City of Athens Tourism and Economic Development Company ATEDCo, Τεχνικό Επιμελητήριο Ελλάδος Technical Chamber of Greece, ΣΑΔΑΣ-ΠΕΑ Association of Greek Architects, Ελληνικό Ινστιτούτο Αρχιτεκτονικής Hellenic Institute of Architects, National Technical University of Athens, Athens School of Fine Arts, United Nations’ Development Program UNDP, Université de Paris 8, Parsons The New School For Design.
Out of circulation