With this synthesis of Japanese tradition and Western Modernist concrete, Ando has added another master- piece to his portfolio. The office complex in Karlsruhe is the self-taught architect's first design for an urban setting in Germany. The book gives exclusive insights into the evolution and planning of the building. Architectural photographs and building plans highlight Ando's design approach. The building revels in his characteristic features: a reduction to the essentials, combined with fair-faced concrete in slabs exactly the size of tatami mats, stringent geometries, precision, and refined details. The architect and the client agreed to create an aesthetically appealing and energy-efficient building that meets the latest technical standards and affords the staff optimal working conditions. The client, the weisenburger corporation, felt that of all architects only Tadao Ando would be able to design the new head office it wanted. The Pritzker Prize winner is one of the world's most renowned contemporary architects.

Ando believes that "an edifice must meld three things, namely the client's ambition, a mastery of construction technology, and a persuasive design." All three factors coincide perfectly in Karlsruhe.