Scott Aker’s forthcoming book (Birkhäuser)
Memory in Form explores the geometry, history, and spatial logic of post-war memorial architecture. Through original analytical drawings and digitally reconstructed diagrams, the book decodes how architects and artists have used geometry not only as a formal strategy but as a vessel for embedding memory into built form. Alongside visual analysis, it engages philosophical questions around memory, trauma, and time—drawing on a range of theories to interpret how memorials shape public remembrance.
Case studies include built and unbuilt works by Dani Karavan, Carlo Scarpa, Mary Miss, BBPR, and others, with in-depth examinations of memorials across Europe, the U.S., and Latin America. Developed over a decade of research and teaching at the University of Pennsylvania, the book reflects pedagogical insights and classroom dialogue from undergraduate architecture education at Penn.
The book will be published as part of the Nexus Book Series: Mathematics and the Built Environment.