Digital tools have radically transformed the design, practice and construction of architecture. But behind the superslick, photorealist renderings of projects that are never built is an entire body of design research that informs the latest innovations in design and construction.

Research & Design: The Architecture of Variation, edited by a pioneer of the digital revolution, examines the hottest areas of architectural design. The book takes its cue from the practice of mass customization, one of the most important design and retail trends of recent years, to consider how variations on the same design idea can be applied to a broad spectrum of architectural, engineering and construction solutions.

• A vibrantly illustrated look at the way in which theory, history and research are integrated with digital design techniques and computerbased fabrication to give us a peek into how the future of architecture may look
• Packed with ideas, examples and new research, this exciting new publication, priced for students but elevated enough for professionals, heralds a new era of architecture
• Essays by leading thinkers on design; comparative studies on variation; and case studies

Lars Spuybroek is principal of the experimental architecture studio NOX, based in Rotterdam, and holds the Thomas W. Ventulett III Distinguished Chair in Architectural Design at Georgia Tech in Atlanta.