On August 18 Al Jazeera will launch “Rebel Architecture,” a new series featuring architects who use design as a form of resistance and activism. By designing for the majority rather than the elite, the architects in “Rebel Architecture” are tackling the world’s urban, environmental and social problems. Through six, half-hour documentaries the series will highlight architects working in Vietnam, Nigeria, Spain, Pakistan, the Occupied West Bank and Brazil.

“In contemporary architecture, people are always concerned with ‘what a beautiful building’; or ‘what a pretty project’ – architecture should be about something more,” said Spanish architect Santi Cirugeda, who will be featured in the series’ first episode. Cirugeda works in Seville reclaiming abandoned urban spaces for the public, despite the fact that self-building is illegal in Spain.

  1. Guerrilla architect Can Spanish self-build legend Santiago Cirugeda turn an abandoned factory into a vibrant cultural centre?
  2. A traditional future Pakistani architect Yasmeen Lari uses local building techniques to rebuild villages in the flood-stricken Sindh region.
  3. The architecture of violence Eyal Weizman explains architecture's key role in the Israeli occupation of Palestine and the evolution of urban warfare.
  4. Greening the city Vo Trong Nghia attempts to return greenery to Vietnam's choking cities and design affordable homes for poor communities.
  5. Working on water Architect Kunle Adeyemi sets out to solve the issues of flooding and overcrowding in Nigeria's waterside slums.
  6. The pedreiro and the master planner Informal builder Ricardo de Oliviera struggles with the government's plan for the future of Rio's Rocinha favela.

Rebel architecture can be seen on Al Jazeera English at the following times GMT:
Monday 22:30; Tuesday 09:30; Wednesday 03:30; Thursday 16:30; Friday 19:30; Saturday 14:30; Sunday 04:30; Monday 08:30.