Today there are more tools for communication than ever before, yet very little in the way of reflection on how these are being used and even less on what exactly is being conveyed. This issue of AD looks at how architecture is communicated from a cultural perspective. Do the identities of practices or their business-driven branding and promotional efforts resonate with the critical acclaim many architects seek? Has slick image-led media coverage sold the profession short? How is it possible to convey the less visual and haptic qualities of architecture? Can architects be more creative in their communication efforts, making these joyous on their own terms as Le Corbusier did so memorably? Is there really a need to succumb to the world of corporate marketing processes and managerial business jargon? The issue explores notions of editing and curating work in an age of data deluge, and discusses social media as a genuinely alternative space for communication rather than for just repurposing and regurgitating information relayed. The Identity of the Architect encourages the promotion of practices as an integral extension of the very culture they hope to engender through their work. Contributors: Stephen Bayley, Caroline Cole, Adam Nathaniel Furman, Gabor Gallov, Jonathan Glancey, Justine Harvey, Owen Hopkins, Crispin Kelly, Jay Merrick, Robin Monotti, Juhani Pallasmaa, Vicky Richardson, Jenny Sabin, and Austin Williams. Featured architects: Ian Ritchie, BIG, MVRDV, IF_DO and Zaha Hadid Architects

PR has become an essential part of running a successful architectural practice, with the media profile of an architect becoming an important factor in the awarding of high-profile jobs. Internationally renowned institutions purposefully seek out the 'star architect' for prize commissions. The printed media, however, remain a minefield for the uninitiated. Architecture has to compete directly with film, theatre, literature, art and music for space on the arts pages of the broadsheets and consumer magazines. How should architects submit material about their work to the national and specialist design press?

This book, one of the first of two titles in the distinctive Architecture in Practice series, provides a specially tailored approach for architects who want to know how to engage with public relations and appeal to the media. It discusses how they should position themselves at large, demonstrating what works for whom and why. Key insights are provided by case studies of the media frenzy surrounding projects such as the Millennium Bridge in London and the World Trade Centre in New York. It also features interviews with publicists who have worked on campaigns with the likes of Santiago Calitrava, Frank Gehry and Norman Foster, and with leading editors, correspondents and journalists of the architectural world.