Never before have so many buildings been constructed as they are today, and never has architecture had so many technolog­ical and design possibilities at its disposal. And yet there is a sense of unease about contemporary architecture. The authors of this book show how in modern times we have lost the balance between outstanding works of architecture and the back­ground structures that surround them, with every building striving to assert itself in relation to all others. Yet the modern age is certainly capable of developing a harmony of contrasts – it has everything it needs at its disposal. The authors show what contemporary architecture must take into account if it is to achieve a satisfactory overall architectural impression that is harmonious in an entirely new way.