Presents an account of international modernism, exploring the complex motivations behind this revolutionary movement and assessing its triumphs and failures. The work of the main architects of the movement such as, Frank Lloyd Wright, Adolf Loos, and Mies van der Rohe is re-examined, shedding light on their roles as acknowledged masters.

1. Art Nouveau 1890-1910 ; 2. Organicism versus Classicism: Chicago 1890-1910 ; 3. Culture and Industry: Germany 1907-14 ; 4. 'The Urn and the Chamberpot': Adolf Loos 1900-30 ; 5. Expressionism and Futurism ; 6. The Avant-Gardes in Holland and Russia ; 7. Return to Order: Le Corbusier and Modern Architecture in France 1920-35 ; 8. Weimar Germany: the Dialectic of the Modern 1920-33 ; 9. From Rationalism to Revisionism: Architecture in Italy 1920-65 ; 10. Neoclassicism, Organicism and the Welfare State: Architecture in Scandinavia 1910-65 ; 11. From Le Corbusier to Megastructures: Urban Visions 1930-65 ; 12. Pax Americana: Architecture in America 1945-65 ; Notes ; Timeline ; Further Reading ; List of Illustrations ; Index

Alan Colquhoun was born in 1921, and studied architecture in Edinburgh and London. He was in partnership with J. H. Miller from 1961 until 1988. He is currently Professor Emeritus in the School of Architecture at Princeton University. His other publications include 'Essays in Architecture: Modern Architecture and Historical Change' and 'Modernity and the Classical Tradition: Architectural Essays 1980-1987'.