Hives - A Visual History of the Beehive - Aladin Borioli

Hives: A Visual History of the Beehive by Aladin Borioli / ISBN 9782492175718 / small 448-page paperback with 375 images, 4.25 x 6 inches, published by The Ice Plant & RVB Books (France) / text in French/English (there is not much text) / Essay written by Ellen Lapper and Aladin Borioli, Graphic design by Nicolas Polli

2026 reprint!

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Since the birth of the modern beehive in 1852, structural innovation in hive construction has entered a dormant period. By favoring the standardized box hive, beekeeping turns its back on 4,400 years of architectural diversity. This little book focuses on that period of history prior to homogenization, drawing from as far back as 2400 BCE. By rejecting a fixed narrative, linearity makes way for polymorphism, introducing graphic design, photography and writing to retell the story of beehives. The 375 images offer a glimpse into this proliferous history of architecture for non-humans.