Shelter Cookbook

Get ready to roll up your sleeves and rethink how we build. Shelter Cookbook is a bold, visually rich tribute to the radical DIY spirit of Lloyd Kahn—the legendary pioneer of the self-build movement and one of the great voices of American counterculture.

Edited by architect Leopold Banchini and curator Lukas Feireiss, this large-format book dives into the history and lasting influence of Kahn’s iconic 1970s publications, from Domebook to the era-defining Shelter. Influenced by Buckminster Fuller and shaped by the ethos of the Whole Earth Catalog, Kahn’s work reimagined architecture as something hands-on, human-scaled, and deeply connected to nature.

Shelter Cookbook brings that philosophy into the present, weaving together interviews, archival material, photo spreads, and unexpected investigations to connect historical self-build ideas with contemporary architectural practices. It’s part history, part inspiration, and part manifesto—celebrating the joy of building with your own hands and the freedom that comes with it.

Packed with ideas and imagery, this book is a must-have for architects, designers, artists, and anyone drawn to alternative living, counterculture, and creative independence. Shelter Cookbook isn’t just about structures—it’s about imagination, experimentation, and the enduring power of doing it yourself.

Details 

• Paperback
• 112 pages with 188 illustrations
• Dimension: 14.5in x 11in