From the history of the haircut to the mystery of The Jetsons, Andy Field is the freshest, most down-to-earth, most constantly surprising (and endearing) explorer of urban life I've read in a while. What understanding of the world, and of each other, are we depriving ourselves of as we spend less and less time in proximity to all these strangers and their lives that are so very different from our own? We must not lose sight of working with people we love working with… Therefore, meet in person, share those experiences, get hungry together, get hot/cold together, share in each other’s pains, radiate, share in joy, confidence, awkwardness, nervousness, and everything else that defines what it is to exist on this planet – together. Wonderfully lyrical, deep feeling and entertaining, this is a real love letter to the spontaneous and delightful encounters we open up to when we leave the house. Conceived before the pandemic, Andy Field’s ode to sharing space in person glosses over the ways our everyday habits seem to have changed for good.

Each essay is carefully crafted, and full of questions that lead the reader onto further contemplation. Receiving no public funding, the RA depends on the continuing generosity of our supporters and Friends.Each chapter looks at a different encounter - such as getting a haircut, going to the cinema, or holding hands - and through a blending together of personal stories with other elements like social history, art, science, psychology, Field creates a fascinating, expansive portrait.

A friend once said she didn't think there's been a time when we were, but I don't believe that and hope that I can remember that my encounters with others is my opportunity to spread kindness so it can grow. Field’s book takes you on a journey through his own everyday ‘encounters’ which have shaped his life. It is worth declaring that I had a single ‘in person’ encounter with Field in April 2022, which pretty much changed my life.The author highlights how our simple interactions with people can help to shift our focus, and others', toward a more insightful understanding of the world and our place within it. I’m a positive/optimistic/enthusiastic person, but Field’s words take this to another level by mixing it with childlike wonder – that feeling of experiencing something for the first time. I am definitely an introvert and would be quite content to sit at home by myself, but I still found a lot of the author's words to ring true. I am particularly fond of the postscript which highlights ways to share this book with others; bringing them into the conversation. However I found myself skimming toward the end of each section as it felt like a repeat of what he just said, like he was trying to reach a certain word count.

Encounterism is not a book about architecture, it is a book is about everyday joy; which for me acutely manifests itself in the everyday joy of being an architect.

If recent trends in bad behavior are any indication, we may also have yet to relearn the skill set of coexistence — like how not to throw hard objects at musicians during their live shows, even if it makes for eye-grabbing video. To be clear, Field is not writing as some man-child, he is however an adult who hasn’t been worn down by the repetition and responsibilities of adulthood.

Ending the book, he lists some fun and hilarious ways to pay the book forward to a stranger, to ensure our own encounter, and asks that it be done with care.

Urban life really does require human interaction, Field explores this with child-like passion, and helps remind us that remote-desktoping your life is not life at all. However, in doing this, as you read the pages, you imagine your own experiences in similar situations; and thus the first reading of the book really becomes about your own memories and encounters. Field will draw upon his expertise in live performance that uses everyday people from around the world, to consider the choreography of each of these encounters and what they feel like, inviting readers to consider their interactions in the real world with the same precision and detail as carefully managed artistic encounters.