Architecture is always a faithful reflection of the most important transformations that affect human society. This innovative volume uses images to communicate the new languages representative of the post-War period, with its need for reconstruction and its quest for a new monumentality. This book creates a journey through the new trends up until the first years of our own century. Photography becomes an intriguing mean of exploring this new world composed of ethereal, sometimes gigantic, but always absolutely rational and balanced forms. The text, written by an acknowledged expert, with the full iconographic support of high-quality images, enables the book to illustrate the complex pattern of threads that compose the tapestry of the 20th century's international currents. Great museums and hyper functional airports, futuristic libraries and huge shopping malls, sports centres and university complexes are the stars of this journey through shapes, materials and colours, amid ideas and symbols.