Strangers Need Strange Moments Together: Designing Interaction for Public Spaces by Mouna Andraos and Melissa Mongiat

I picked up this well-worn copy at the home of my longtime friend and collaborator, architect Amale Andraos. Amale and her partner, Dan Wood, founded WORKac, and over the years we’ve collaborated on multiple projects. Most recently, I had the pleasure of contributing a conversation to their beautiful new book, Buildings for People and Plants.

What I love about this book is that it begins with a simple premise: public space isn’t just something we move through. It can invite us to interact with one another.

Written by Amale’s sister, Mouna Andraos, and Melissa Mongiat, the book documents projects that create unexpected encounters between strangers—small interventions that encourage play, curiosity, conversation, and moments of connection. It reminds us that the best public spaces don’t simply accommodate people; they create opportunities for people to be together.

As someone who spends so much time thinking about museums, I found myself considering how many of my favorite works of art do exactly that. They slow us down, invite participation, and create shared experiences among people who may never meet again.

Seeing this worn copy on their bookshelf made me smile. It’s clearly a book that has been lived with, returned to, and shared. Those are often the books worth reading most.