This book is about the power of thought in architecture. Without the keen conceptual thinking of renowned Dutch architect Wiel Arets, buildings such as the Academy for Arts Maastricht, Hedge House, the University Library Utrecht, the Jellyfish House, the Four Towers in Osdorp and the Allianz Headquarters would not be the outstanding examples of contemporary architecture they are widely acknowledged to be. Arets--who has taught at the AA London, Columbia University and Cooper Union in New York and the Universität der Künste Berlin, and who has served as Dean of the Berlage Institute Rotterdam--believes that research and education are an intrinsic part of being an architect. Here, in dialogue with such authors as Stan Allen, Alberto Alessi, Geert Bekaert, Kenneth Frampton, Jacques Herzog, Hans Ibelings, Toyo Ito, Rem Koolhaas, Arthur Kroker, Bart Lootsma, Greg Lynn, Joost Meuwissen, Dominique Perrault, Kazuyo Sejima, Roemer van Toorn and Anthony Vidler, Arets discusses his work, accompanied by Jan Bitter’s photographs of his buildings and a timeline of built works. Best Dutch Book Design 2010.