This illuminating collection of 22 essays expounds upon the points where design touches life. The essays discuss the big and small things that make us appreciate, or become disconnected from, our homes and neighborhoods. Drawing on his experiences as an architect, planner, world traveler, and educator, Avi Friedman delves into issues such as the North American obsession with monster homes, the impact of scale on the feeling of comfort in our communities, environmental concerns such as deforestation, innovative recycling methods in building materials, the booming do-it-yourself industry, the decline of craftsmanship, and the role of good design in bringing families together. Written with Friedman's trademark flair, A View from the Porch offers a compelling vision of the influence of design in our everyday lives from one of the world's most innovative thinkers. With new material, this is a completely revised edition of Room for Thought, originally published in 2005.