Phoenix: 21st Century City is the fourth book in Booth-Clibborn Editions international series on new emerging cities for art, design and architecture. These books capture the time when cities are going through change, reinvention and a movement toward vibrancy. The other three cities in the series are Berlin, Brooklyn and Moscow.

Thanks to its majestic desert setting, appealing climate, and abundant economic opportunity, the Phoenix metropolitan area is the fastest growing in the United States and projected to double in population over the next two decades. 

In recent years, exponential growth has combined with an historically independent spirit, potential for self-(re)invention, and relatively low cost of living to attract an impressive concentration of creative people while also inspiring and nurturing homegrown talent.  As a result, the Phoenix metropolitan area has seen a flourishing of expressive arts of all kinds along with concurrent transformations in urban form and lifestyle.

Phoenix: 21st Century City captures this historic moment and youthful energy of the Phoenix region as it evolves into a vibrant world-class metropolis with a unique character. This book takes the contemporary pulse highlighting outstanding examples of painting, sculpture, architecture, urban design, fashion design, product and graphic design, and public art. 

Photographic and written essays portray the larger context in which this artistic production is emerging featuring the tension between rapid urbanization and limited natural resources, the dynamics of population churn, the freedoms and constraints of car culture, the revitalization of urban centers, and the influences of American Indian and Latino cultures.

Maricopa Partnership for Arts and Culture (MPAC) views this publication as an economic development, commerce and tourism tool, and as a unique opportunity to change perceptions about this region, both locally and internationally. MPAC’s goal in sponsoring this project is to strengthen the region’s position nationally and internationally by communicating its vibrancy, youth and creativity.