The Asian Construction History Network (ACHN) is proud to celebrate the recent publication of a new article by Dr.-Ing Mahdi Motamedmanesh, Assistant Professor of Architecture at Tarbiat Modares University, Iran, and one of the founding members of ACHN, in the internationally respected journal Construction History.

(Cover of Construction History, Vol.40, No.2, 2025)

Titled “A Critical Review of Construction History: Towards a Philosophical History of Construction,” the article offers a bold and original rethinking of the field, challenging narrow technical narratives and advocating a broader, more critical, and transdisciplinary understanding of construction history. By opening new methodological and conceptual directions, the paper makes a significant contribution to ongoing debates on the scope, definition, and future of the discipline.

The publication is of particular significance for ACHN not only because of Mahdi’s role as a founding member, but also because the paper includes a brief reference to the establishment of the Asian Construction History Network, acknowledging the growing importance of regional and cross-cultural perspectives in the development of construction history as a field of study. It also creates an important opportunity for scholars from across Asia to engage with these questions and to contribute to further discussion on the topic.

This publication marks an important scholarly achievement not only for Mahdi, but also for ACHN and for the increasing visibility of Asian scholars in international construction history research. We extend our warmest congratulations to him on this outstanding accomplishment and look forward to the conversations and exchanges that this publication may inspire among researchers throughout Asia and beyond.