It would be pretentious to claim that one can show the entire relevant World Architecture on 448 pages. But one can show a cross-section. With 278 buildings, this volume intends to provide an insight into contemporary architecture. Exactly ten years after the Atlas of World Architecture, it shows what has changed and developed in a decade. Once again, it shows the most diverse building tasks and techniques, while at the same time illustrating where new focal points have emerged. Although ecological building was already on everyone's lips in the first decade of the century, it is now impossible to imagine a building without being environmental friendly: Every single building is also be measured in terms of its sustain ability. Ecological considerations have become a basic; they join fundamental requirements such as static calculations or functionality for the respective use. Nevertheless, or precisely because of this, the issue of sustainability in architecture remains one of the most important drivers of innovation. The topographical focus has also changed: China has become a big player, has become the second pivot of global architectural development alongside Europe. In the Middle Kingdom, a particularly great diversity can be developed in formal terms. But in addition to these topographic focal points, numerous gems can be found in a wide variety of regions and countries.

在448页上展示所有有价值的世界建筑是一种自负的做法。但是可以展示一个切片。通过278座建筑物，本书旨在提供对当代建筑的洞察。在《世界建筑图谱》出版整整十年后，它展示了过去十年发生的变化和发展。再次展示了最多样化的建筑任务和技术，同时说明了新的重点出现在哪里。生态建筑在本世纪头十年已经家喻户晓，现在已无法想象一个不环保的建筑：每座建筑也必须从可持续性的角度进行评估，生态考虑已经成为一项基本要求；它们与静力计算或功能性等基本要求一起存在于各类用途的建筑中。尽管如此，或者更准确地说，正是因为如此，建筑中的可持续性问题仍然是创新的最重要推动因素之一。地理重点也发生了变化：中国已经成为一个重要的参与者，与欧洲一起成为全球建筑发展的第二个枢纽。在“中央之国”，正可谓一切宏大的多样性都可以生发。除了这些地理重点外，还可以在多处不同的地区和国家发现许多遗珠。

Already well-known stars-some of them born before the Second World War - are represented in this book, as are many newcomers, and of course the established offices can also be found with highlights from recent years. No wonder, then, that perceptions of the task of appropriate and good design diverge widely. These architects and their ambitious clients demonstrate in their buildings the judicious use of carefully selected materials, attach importance to expert implementation, sometimes even craftsmanship, and want to use the stylistic expression of the individual commission to make a statement f- about the art of building, about the building task, about clients or simply about relevant architecture. While this volume cannot, of course, predict the future development of style, it can show where the development might be heading by gathering buildings that have the ambition and meet all the requirements to secure a permanent place for themselves in the course of architectural history. And so, it should awaken the desire for further development, should show what is possible, what might become the new normal and spread new approaches, so that architecture keeps on developing.

这本书中既有已经为人所熟知的明星——其中一些出生在第二次世界大战之前，也有许多新人，当然还包括近年来高光的新锐工作室。难怪对何为恰当且良好的设计的理解大相径庭。这些建筑师及其雄心勃勃的客户在他们的建筑中展示了对材料的谨慎选择、明智使用，注重专业实施，乃至细节工艺，并想用个人委托的风格表达来定义：关于建筑艺术、关于建筑任务、关于客户或仅仅关于周边建筑。当然，这本书无法预测未来的风格发展，但它可以通过聚集那些满足所有要求的，有雄心在建筑史上为自己争取一个永久的位置的作品来展示方向。因此，它应该唤醒对进一步发展的渴望，应该展示什么是可能的，什么可能成为新常态，并传播新的方法，使建筑不断发展。