This editorial offers a thoughtful reflection on the meaning of celebrating an anniversary, questioning the value of a mere recurrence if not accompanied by critical reflection. Citing Adorno, it states that nothing holds value simply because it once did, but to forget history and memory is to deny the existence of knowledge. In the case of the magazine Area, founded in 1990, the milestone of 30 years becomes a living testimony to an era marked by profound changes in the ways we live, design, and communicate. With over 180 issues, Area has spanned two centuries, documenting the architectural debate with consistency and independence from the logic of current trends. Since 1996, when it shifted from a quarterly to a bimonthly publication, the magazine has moved its focus from object design to domestic and inhabitable space, establishing itself as a hybrid product between book and magazine. In doing so, it anticipated the decline of print as a vehicle for news, favouring slower and deeper thematic research. In a landscape dominated by historic titles such as Casabella and Domus, Area has distinguished itself through its aim to guide thought rather than simply document it, drawing inspiration from the tradition of author-directors of the past. As a tool for both personal and collective research, the magazine intertwines architecture, design, visual, and graphic arts to explore contemporary living. Using synecdoche, Area has built its own editorial and cultural identity, evident in its editorials-true intellectual autobiographies. AUTHOR: Marco Casamonti is an architect, full professor of architectural design at the Faculty of Architecture in Genoa, and director of the international architecture magazine Area. In 1988, he founded the studio Archea (with Laura Andreini and Giovanni Polazzi), which in 2001, with the contribution of Silvia Fabi, became Archea Associati. Through this practice, he engages in design and research in architecture and industrial design, serving as art director for some of the leading manufacturers of architectural components. He has been Director of the Doctoral School and is currently a member of the Faculty Board of the same PhD program. Over the years, he has taught at the newly established Faculty of Architecture in Parma, and has been invited as a visiting professor at some of the most important foreign universities: Barcelona, Graz, Mendrisio, Zurich, São Paulo, Beijing, and Vancouver. Alongside his work as a designer and educator, he has also pursued critical reflection and in-depth studies on architecture, publishing essays and writings. In 1993, he began collaborating with the international architecture magazine Area, of which he has been Editor-in-Chief since 1995 to the present day. SELLING POINTS: . Celebrating 30 years of independent architectural insight, Area offers a unique blend of critical thought, in-depth thematic research, and interdisciplinary exploration of contemporary living 18 colour illustrations