This is a book of theoretical essays by architect Stan Allen, which examine the ways in which the modes of representation and techniques of realization available to the architect affect the practice of architecture. Allen shows how these models of representation are put into play in specific buildings by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Le Corbusier. While the practice of architecture is circumscribed by a function, the many practices that contribute to the realization of this task affect the look of our cities and the spaces we live in. Allen's essays, organized into three sections: Representations Buildings Media The final essays analyze the role of media in architecture, specifically the reproduction of buildings in photographic form, and the impact of computer-aided design techniques.