Santiago Cirugeda is an atypical architect placed on the verge of political activism and art. Far from a theorist, Cirugeda tests and implements his ideas directly on the ground. Over the past fifteen years, he has developed his work through meticulous observation and analysis of the city, identifying its needs and filling in the gaps wherever he finds them. Cirugeda's instant and portable architecture is a display of creativity that proposes new models for a new society. Seeing architecture as a discipline that should improve the social condition, his projects envisage a self-managed city where citizens can decide on their immediate environment.

This book presents fourteen specific situations where Cirugeda explains and analyses how he has been able to challenge the status quo of the modern metropolis by inventing proposals for a more liveable city. His strategies have allowed him to not only reinvent housing, but also museums, universities, community centres and public spaces, all detailed as in a recipe book, open to anyone who wants to implement them.