'The nature of colour should change - no longer just a thin layer of change, but something that genuinely alters perception' - this stipulation of Rem Koolhaas is echoed by the world famous architects and designers Alessandro Mendini and Norman Foster. In this volume, they present between them a total of 90 colours - each covering half a page - accompanied by comments on the background, the significance and the applications of the colours. Studies of colours from each office form the basis of this book, and were previously only available in extravagant individual editions. With this comprehensive and consistent presentation of the varying approaches to colour, we have a compendium which shows the wide use of colour in today's technologically advanced architecture with its modern, post-modern and deconstructive orientation. The range of examples of the colours in practice includes load-bearing structures, facades, interior design, furnishing and the entire spectrum of product design.