Hives: A Visual History of the Beehive

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. The 375 images offer a glimpse into this proliferous history of architecture for non-humans. This book is part of an ongoing and open-ended research project titled “Apian” (also known as a Ministry of Bees) which uses theoretical, iconographic and ethnographic methods to research on the relationship between bees and humans. Essay written by Ellen Lapper and Aladin Borioli size: 448 pages, 6" x 4.5" x 1.25" content: French & English text note: this is a 2026 reprint