Because of the rapid urbanization and increasing globalization of the past two decades, the culture of architecture has – more than ever before – become part of the popular imagination. This issue of Hunch explores the act of making architecture public. The contributions refl ect on the greater role that architects and architectural design are playing in public consciousness and perception. Subjects include the relations between design and political decision-making, the repercussions of public sponsorship on innovative design, the development of public/private partnerships for the creation of urban space, the implementation of marketing strategies in design work, and the use and proliferation of media exposure by architects. The contributors also explore the tools and techniques used to produce meaningful architectural and urban space, while rethinking what it means to make ‘public’ architecture today.