The visual language of technique is the second volume of three parts of an unusually eclectic anthology, celebrating all things related to, emerging from, inspired by, and evoking the interest of a 150-year ongoing tradition at Politecnico di Milano, more specifically of architecture and urban studies there, and of assorted things resonating in the now-distant minds of Japanese, American, and Austrian scholars associated therewith. (Got it? Me neither. But I really do like it! So ...) More precisely, this is (for me) a short discussion about missing pieces that teach (1) how we understand what people are seeing; (2) what tools design-and-transformation professionals use to present visual information, perception, and organization; (3) where these aspects merge in architecture; and (4) why these combine to give us different conceptual mapping (cartography) representations of urban planning, development, and redevelopment.

Thus, if you have been passionately immersed in these topics, then perhaps one random third of this volume will be familiar, either from your studies or from your related peripheral interests; another random third will include materials that you may want to use in teaching and/or official presentations; and the remaining random third will evoke ideas that you have had along the way, but were too mission focused to record, remember, or pursue. So, ultimately this little hardbound bundle of 19 pamphlets is probably about as useful as having nutritious food concentrates on a long nature hike. Think of it as being like a lightweight gift package having delicious dried fruits, great clumps of granola, and some all-important chocolate bars: things to savor, albeit which might be worth saving (in case of emergency); hence (spoiler alert) there may be some dilemmas of roads-not-taken from your earlier blind-motivation navigation to your current austere position, and some embedded asides in these magnificent Italian notes may return those career “choices” to the forefront of your refreshed consciousness.

No, this does not really capture the book’s content (1) because it is impossible to pack 19 article reviews, together with a mature discussion of the book editor’s preface and conclusion, into a single terse book review; (2) because it is a formula-free illustration-packed survey of applied mathematics, which already abounds in high-density articulation fragments reflexive thereof; and (3) the book jacket’s approximately 250-word “summary” almost deserves another separate book, and a respective review of its own. Of course, you might think that I exaggerate, or am being academically sarcastic, but neither is the case since the editor was equivalently perplexed (conjecture), given that he grouped these articles into three exponentially emerging parts.

After the two forewords and the editor’s preface is Part 1, “Setting the Matter,” comprising three articles, two of which are by the editor, too. Part 2, “Visual Language in Research: Between Theory and Application,” comprises five articles, the fifth of which is “Archaeoastronomy in Action: The Role of Images in Understanding and Promoting Astronomical Heritage” (wonderful reading that it is, it seems altogether transmigrated from a different library). Now, Part 3, “Images in Research: Iconographies and Experiences from the PhD School of Politecnico di Milano” (comprising only 11 more articles), resembles a connoisseur’s tasting tour of experimental wines, including my favorite article of the compendium, “Audio-Maps to Manage Moving Territories, Embedding Strategies of Musical Synchronization to Quantify Sensitive Areas of Urban Informality.” (Just that title almost makes me want to find/download a recording of it sung by some famous tenor.) Then there is, of course, the editor’s conclusion, which politely awaits those patient enough to read through the entire adventure and is the forum where the reader gets an opportunity to compare candid notes with the editor, who now engages us with an amazingly personal view of all that has come before, wonderfully organized to honestly characterize each prior author individually in-turn from carefully selected extracts of a literal transcription of a round-table discussion therewith.

This only being Volume 2, the real answer to this “who done it mystery” will be revealed (to us curious readers) in the action-packed grand conclusion of Volume 3. Enjoy (as I have), and nevertheless beware. But it’s worth finding out for yourself, and reading it can be a nice excuse to join an open celebration too, particularly if you come with your own snacks and vintage (as casually mentioned before, but now suggested as essential for your reading pleasure).