A Guide to the Dirty South--Atlanta

Book excerpt: Drawing on the format of the urban guidebook, 'A Guide to the Dirty South - Atlanta' generates a new discourse about the architecture of the American South. By guiding readers on a tour of Atlanta, this project seeks to reclaim a regional identity for cities otherwise deemed to be a "backwoods" by the East and West Coasts. Borrowing from the hip hop industry and recognising the rivalry between the two coasts, 'A Guide to the Dirty South - Atlanta' redirects our attention to a third coast. Steeped in geography, historical events, typology, storytelling, and popular culture, trajectories through the city that the guide takes are idiosyncratic but urge the discipline of architecture toward a long overdue reading of Dirty South regionalism. Part tour guide, part architectural manual, the publication also features oral histories in a set of interviews with prominent architects, theorists, chefs, community leaders, and hip hop artists, from Architectural Historian Mario Carpo to hip-hop group Goodie Mob.Authored by Jennifer Bonner, the TVSDesign Distinguised Studio Critic at Georgia Tech, 'A Guide to the Dirty South - Atlanta' takes the reader on a tour of Rap City, Pop up Surface Lots, Architecture of Quarantine and a Geography of Smells. 00Wittily designed, and featuring beautiful illustrations throughout, 'A Guide to the Dirty South - Atlanta' is perfect for those new to the architectural delights of Atlanta, and long-time fans alike."