Concrete, isn't that the ugly stuff used to make highway bridges and parking garages? Yes and no. Concrete actually refers to a whole range of stone mixtures and, when used correctly, is one of the most refined materials in contemporary architecture. In its liquid state, it can be shaped into astonishing works of engineering, being both flexible and durable at the same time. Our Bibliotheca Universalis edition showcases the best concrete structures from recent years. Among the builders are architectural icons like Herzog & de Meuron, Steven Holl, and Zaha Hadid, as well as trendy newcomers like the Russian firm SPEECH. The volume also presents the work of rising stars from the international scene, such as Rudy Ricciotti from France, and even artists like James Turrell, who transformed the famous rotunda of Frank Lloyd Wright's Guggenheim Museum in New York.