"Space and form have dominated architecture for a long time. Nowadays, materiality has great currency in contemporary architecture and in architectural education. The choice of architectural materials has never been greater and architects use materials in innovative ways as never before. [This book] catalogues 200 different surface materials in eight families: wood, natural stone, fired man-made stone, unfired man-made stone, glass, metal, plastics and future materials. Each individual sample material is shown on the right-hand pages via a very detailed, full-page and full-colour picture, which gives the reader the impression that he is standing right in front of the actual material. On each opposite page the book shows examples of striking usage by architects and a description of the specific physical and sensory characteristics of the material. Each material family is introduced by an illustrated essay highlighting the general characteristics and history of the material as it is used in architecture. [This book] is in extent, visual quality and practical information an unsurpassed source of information on architectural surfaces for professionals"--Back cover.