On the evening of November 2, Rem·Koolhaas held a book launch for Elements of Architecture at the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA). Hosted by Dean Zhu Pei, the event featured a roundtable discussion with artist Xu Bing, Mohsen·Mostafavi (Dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Design), and Stephan·Petermann, the book's editor. Koolhaas opened with a brief presentation introducing the book and the journey behind its publication. During the panel, the speakers engaged in an in-depth discussion on architectural details, differences between Eastern and Western book cultures, and the relationship between books and space. Below is a recap of this remarkable event.
Zhu Pei: This is the first launch of Rem·Koolhaas's Elements of Architecture in mainland China. Taking advantage of today's educational conference at the academy, we have invited him to introduce his new book. Rem is an honorary professor at the Central Academy of Fine Arts and a long-time friend of ours.
I will briefly introduce him. First and foremost, he is an architect with an extensive body of work. His globally renowned projects include the Seattle Central Library, the Qatar National Library, the CCTV Headquarters in China, the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, and the Fondazione Prada. Throughout his life, books have been a constant companion to Rem. It is fascinating how closely bound he has remained to publishing. Especially in today's digital age, we still eagerly anticipate his new books. Works like Delirious New York and Content have influenced generations of students; even when I was in school, we were reading S,M,L,XL.
The book we are officially launching today is a culmination of Koolhaas's work for the Venice Architecture Biennale. Without further ado, I will hand over the floor to Rem for a brief introduction of his new book.
Rem·Koolhaas: I am delighted to be here today and to see everyone. I am also very pleased to introduce Mohsen·Mostafavi from Harvard University, and Stephan·Petermann, who contributed a chapter and served as the main editor of this book.
I am an architect, but I am also a writer. Both roles are equally important to me. Writing books allows me to step outside the immediate architectural profession, free from the usual collaborations with industry specialists. Instead, we rely heavily on book designers. Let me share how our collaboration began: as a highly professional designer, he helped us conceptually structure the framework of the book, bringing a deep understanding of its content.
To prepare for this project, we delved into numerous historical documents and books. We were astonished by the sheer wealth of knowledge contained in past publications, which provided valuable guidance on structuring our content. For example, instead of navigating highly complex pages, readers can easily find concise summaries. Additionally, our scale of work varied, and these source materials offered excellent entry points. Modern book printing layouts have become increasingly non-standard. This irregularity is actually deliberate—it helps maintain the reader's attention over long periods, which is essential for a book of over 2,400 pages.
Turning to Elements of Architecture itself, the content is exactly what the title suggests. I wanted to introduce the fundamental components of architecture—the roof, wall, window, door, floor, and other essential elements—and examine their true functions. I wrote this book because these architectural elements are constantly evolving. What fascinates me is that the closer we look at them, the more unstable and fluid they prove to be.
In terms of content, the book is primarily based on work developed at our Harvard GSD studios, meaning that different generations of Harvard students and researchers contributed to it. The first version was released in 2014, where we presented the core of the research. Stephan·Petermann, who is in the photo, was key to this process.
A book of this scale cannot be written by a single person; it requires an extensive process and many collaborators. There were several other key contributors: Stephan·Petermann, a researcher based in Germany, wrote the history of the corridor, and Fred wrote the history of the roof, and is also an expert on stairs inside buildings.
This book is not just about Western architecture; we envisioned it as an encyclopedia. We wanted to present the history of every architectural element across different cultures, which reflects our core ambition. For example, look at this roof from the 1870s—a high, vaulted structure. Roofs of that era were deliberately adorned with frescoes representing beautiful, historical, and mythological themes, narrating complex Italian historical stories. In other words, historically, the roof held profound meaning in both Western and Chinese architecture. Over time, however, roofs have become increasingly flat, and we no longer adorn them with paintings. Instead, the plenum between the ceiling and the floor above is filled with modern building services and technologies. These advancements have drastically transformed architecture, requiring us to collaborate with various technical specialists.
In fact, architects have largely surrendered control over many modern building elements. For instance, the service cavity in modern ceilings can be two to three meters deep. There is a massive disconnect between our historical understanding of the roof and how we perceive it today. I must admit this represents a lapse in our professional awareness. Because we had never truly re-conceptualized the roof, taking its form and function for granted, we faced a major challenge—which is precisely why we undertook the Elements of Architecture project.
Another project we are researching, also led by Stephan·Petermann, focuses on an 11th-century Chinese architectural treatise. It details how different structures should be built, and we have translated portions of it into English for the first time. We reconstructed these historical details to understand the standardized methods of formal roof construction, which led to this physical model of a reconstructed roof. From a Western architectural perspective, the replication of elements in Chinese architecture has often been misconstrued as a lack of imagination. However, once we actually read and translated the text, we realized its profound wisdom. This modular system effectively prevents construction failures. The repetition of standardized details minimizes construction errors and reflects a unique characteristic of Chinese architectural history.
Here is another example: a German soldier who lost his leg during World War II and had to use a wooden prosthetic. Fitting a prosthetic back then was incredibly difficult due to the nature of war wounds. Making prosthetics eventually became his post-war profession, which he practiced in a rural German village. While this is an extreme case, I find it deeply moving. It illustrates what a physically impaired person can achieve and possesses a unique aesthetic beauty. From an architectural standpoint, we can look at prosthetics through a new conceptual lens: our physical modifications have real-world impacts, prompting us to rethink the tools at our disposal.
This is a straightforward architectural intervention that addresses the growing accessibility needs of wheelchair users. It is an act of architectural creation tailored for the disabled. For example, in this house, designed around a wheelchair that can rotate 50 degrees, the living room and all other spaces are connected by ramps. This is not an ordinary domestic setup; yet, through wheelchair-accessible design, their lives are made significantly easier.
In writing this book, we sought to capture the latest architectural transformations of our era, especially at the level of individual elements. In this digital age, we analyze how each element changes, why it changes, and at what speed. Today, every element is influenced by technology, though we still find ourselves in a somewhat ambiguous, transitional state. For example, smart sensors can record when a person sits up or stands. Such sensors are highly beneficial for the elderly and can be used in hospitals or ambulances. However, this data does not just help individuals; it is also harvested for commercial purposes. Look at this image of a toilet. The fundamental purpose of a toilet is to facilitate hygiene. We researched Japanese toilets and analyzed the technological shifts in this sector, sharing our findings directly with various commercial firms. While technological advancements are largely positive, architectural improvements should ideally prioritize user privacy.
Modern technology allows our rooms to have superior acoustic isolation, yet it also brings changes that are not immediately perceptible. Digital tech companies claim that sharing your data benefits society at large. However, I find this logic problematic. When tech companies access your data, they can track your daily routines and predict your actions. This deep profiling is used for commercial gain, leaving you uncertain about when this data might work in your favor or be turned against you.
At this juncture, climate change and global warming have become both physical and political urgencies, forcing us to rethink our behavior. For instance, people might soon find themselves going to bed earlier simply because we do not have unlimited power and energy.
A portion of my book addresses the varying scales of different elements. Our first iteration was a series of smaller booklets—what Stephan·Petermann called an "atlas." Following these booklets, we are now publishing this comprehensive, consolidated edition.
Zhu Pei: Moving on to the next segment, we have invited several of Rem·Koolhaas's close friends, along with distinguished artists and scholars, to join him in a brief roundtable discussion.
Let me introduce our panelists. First, Mohsen·Mostafavi, a peer of Rem·Koolhaas during their time at the Architectural Association (AA). He is a theorist, architect, and the current Dean of the Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD). He served as the Chairman of the AA School of Architecture for many years and was previously the Dean of the College of Architecture, Art, and Planning at Cornell University. He also chairs juries for several major European architectural awards.
Our second panelist is Xu Bing, the Director of the Academic Committee of the Central Academy of Fine Arts. He is one of China’s most prominent and internationally acclaimed artists. In my view, Xu Bing is a literati or intellectual artist-scholar. His groundbreaking works include Square Word Calligraphy, Ghosts Pounding the Wall (created during his time in the US), Book from the Ground, Book from the Sky, The Tobacco Project, Forest Project, and the well-known Phoenix. His art is directly intertwined with language, using text to bridge Eastern and Western cultures. In 2007, he received the Southern Graphics Council Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 1999, he was awarded the MacArthur Fellowship, one of the highest cultural achievements in the United States.
We are also joined by Stephan·Petermann, a close collaborator of Rem·Koolhaas and one of the co-authors of this book. He is currently teaching a studio on rural research at CAFA alongside Rem. Let us invite them to begin our discussion. Please join me in welcoming our panelists!
To start off with a brief question: as mentioned in the opening remarks of today's academic lecture, we live in a fragmented, fast-paced, media-driven, and highly visual era where image consumption dominates. Books seem to be drifting away from us as images take over. Yet, you have chosen this moment to produce such a massive, almost classical tome. What led you to this decision, Rem?
Rem·Koolhaas: I believe books are also evolving rapidly. Since the 1970s and 80s, developments in publishing have been deeply influenced by various media. In other words, digital technology and the internet have profoundly shaped books. For example, our methods of organizing books have become much more fluid and informal. Books have actually benefited immensely from competing with new media.
Zhu Pei: Let's turn to Mohsen·Mostafavi. Mohsen is a heavyweight in architectural education and a close friend of Rem, sharing a similar academic background. From an educator's perspective, how do you view the role of book-based research today, especially Rem's obsession with publishing, alongside his ongoing teaching and research? What vital role do you think books play in his overall career?
Mohsen·Mostafavi: It is clear that from the very beginning, Rem has combined traditional practice with investigation, research, and publishing. These publications are not just outputs, but direct extensions of his architectural practice. While people often think of publishing a book simply as a way to document or visualize architectural projects, for Rem, books are deeply intertwined with his core thinking.
For Rem, how did his conceptualization of architectural elements evolve after the Venice Biennale? How does he balance curating a biennale with critically addressing the impact of digital technology on architectural systems?
Rem·Koolhaas: The fundamental content hasn't changed dramatically; rather, I've had more time to connect the dots across different sections. The orange-coded parts represent new additions, which form the core of this edition. We consolidated these elements to make the methodology of our research clear to the reader.
Mohsen·Mostafavi: One more question: when presenting these different elements, some are framed quite critically, while others reveal entirely new possibilities through your research. Could you share some of your most surprising discoveries? For example, your extensive work on stairs, ramps, and roofs—which of these elements do you think holds the greatest potential for the future?
Rem·Koolhaas: There are actually two types of elements. We began considering the transformation of the roof back when I was in New York. Beyond the commonalities of architectural projects, we aimed to anticipate future trajectories. It is intriguing to realize that while you might think you control an entire building, about 20% to 25% of its volume—especially service spaces—actually escapes your control.
While we rely on intuition, we must weigh many other factors. Take stairs, for instance: though seemingly conventional, they remain incredibly fascinating, and we must pay close attention to how they are designed today.
Zhu Pei: Let's hand the floor to Xu Bing. Since the other side of the table represents the West and our side represents the East, we can explore how Eastern and Western worldviews offer distinct, yet occasionally overlapping, perspectives. As I mentioned earlier, your entire body of work reflects the sensibility of a literati or intellectual artist who has never ceased working with text. Even your Phoenix, though suspended in mid-air, is decoded through text, and projects like Tobacco Project rely heavily on words and symbols. From this perspective, how do you perceive the book today? What are your thoughts on Rem's lifelong devotion to publishing and his enduring passion for books, especially in relation to our contemporary era and today's youth?
Xu Bing: I have always been deeply interested in books and language, and I have curated two large-scale exhibitions of artists' books. In my view, the primary functional role of books has largely been replaced by touchscreens—namely, reading on iPads and smartphones. However, I believe this shift has opened up a new creative territory for physical, tactile, and hand-crafted books.
Books have evolved from mere reading tools into vessels for human cultural and emotional attachment. We cherish the physical connection of touching a page, the smell of ink, or reading a newspaper over breakfast—experiences that are fading. Personally, I find it tiring that even ordering at a restaurant now requires a touchscreen. We work on screens all day, and having to use them to order food feels exhausting. Physical paper was wonderfully tactile and allowed us to truly rest.
Furthermore, the function of the book is increasingly being assumed by the work of art itself. Book design and production have transformed books into comprehensive, multi-sensory artworks. People don't visit bookstores just to find reading material; they buy books because they love the physical design or find the entire object beautiful. The book has become an art object.
Having read Rem's book closely, I have many thoughts. Why is an architect like Rem Koolhaas so fascinated by books? There is a profound parallel between architecture and bookmaking: both are arts of space. The spatial quality of a book lies in the act of turning pages. The flow of movement from page to page generates a creative space and transmits a highly structured information space.
Architecture functions similarly; it requires physical entry and human movement to activate and convey its spatial qualities. It is no surprise, then, that Rem is so drawn to books. I have studied several of his publications, and they all emphasize the tactile presence and sheer volume of the book. Granted, some are quite heavy to carry, but an artist interested in the essence of the medium values this weight. I find the design of this book particularly intriguing with its division into separate volumes. I am curious, though, whether it is distributed as individual booklets or bound into a single massive volume.
Zhu Pei: It is now bound together as a single "brick."
Xu Bing: That seems a bit of a pity, though the copy I saw was in separate volumes. Perhaps Rem can tell us why?
Rem·Koolhaas: If you look closely at the book, you will understand. Dividing the elements into separate booklets isolates them from one another. Bringing them together into a single volume reveals their interconnectedness, establishing a physical intimacy. This allows people to view architectural elements intuitively rather than as isolated fragments.
We start with a concise index and then compile all the elements into a single book. I agree with your points; we carefully considered all these facets during our collaboration.
Xu Bing: I think Rem's approach is excellent. If we look at the difference between Eastern and Western books, what is the Western concept of a book? Traditionally, there is an effort to craft a singular, definitive tome—much like the Bible—where everything from the binding to the execution suggests that the book represents the ultimate container of knowledge. Sometimes, these books were not even meant to be casually read; they were highly symbolic, projecting religious authority and inspiring awe. That is my broad observation.
Content-wise, what makes Rem's book incredibly valuable is its methodology. For instance, the chapters on stairs and ramps are fascinating, but the section on the fireplace is particularly remarkable. It traces everything from primitive man gathering around a fire for warmth and cooking to modern fireplace design. This trajectory is profoundly insightful. It reminds me of the Han Dynasty classic Shuowen Jiezi (Explaining Graphs and Analyzing Characters), compiled by Xu Shen. That book analyzed Chinese characters, differentiating between primary pictographic graphs (wen) and compound characters (zi). It is an invaluable work that reveals the true, original meanings of Chinese characters. Similarly, Elements of Architecture functions like an architectural Shuowen Jiezi. Just as the original meaning of the fireplace is rooted in humanity's primordial relationship with fire, this book categorizes architecture like a dictionary. Yet, it is not a dictionary that merely tells you how to use a word; it uncovers the relationship between an element's form and its primal, original meaning. This is the immense contribution of your work.
Zhu Pei: Thank you, Xu Bing.
Mohsen·Mostafavi: I really appreciate your perspective on this book. As an artist, you recognize the vital importance of the physical edition. Elements of Architecture explores the spatial relationships between different components. These elements reflect a process of rational inquiry; they are indispensable to our daily lives and to modern architecture. We assign different values and meanings to these elements, yet they remain essential parts of any built work. When you climb a staircase, every step matters. I love your explanation, as it highlights key differences in Eastern and Western modes of thought.
Rem·Koolhaas: While I don't necessarily disagree with the various distinctions made between East and West today, I would like to reframe our perspective. Even though I cannot read Chinese or Japanese books, I deeply appreciate their editorial structures. Japanese books, for example, are often smaller and assemble various short, fragmented narratives. I encountered many such books in Tokyo. To me, this suggests that none of us exist in isolation; this interconnectedness is where our future is headed. While adjusting to this shift can be challenging, we must learn to navigate both Eastern and Western contexts.
Zhu Pei: Although Rem's book is titled Elements of Architecture, I sense a broader systemic framework behind it. In China, there is an ancient treatise called the Yingzao Fashi (State Building Standards), which goes beyond mere components to outline fundamental rules and principles. I wonder if these two works share a mutual inspiration, or if their underlying intentions are fundamentally aligned?
Rem·Koolhaas: This relates to a point Mohsen raised earlier regarding fundamental principles. In our discourse, when we speak of elements, we refer to things that are basic and necessary. Yet, once you designate something as fundamental, it often triggers a rebellious response—a desire to break free from these very elements.
Mohsen·Mostafavi: We also have contributors in the book who address principles. For instance, in discussions around humanitarian principles, the focus is on how systems operate collectively and what their underlying rules of interaction should be. Rather than prescribing specific methods, the intent is to highlight how these elements function and distinguish between different components and their governing principles.
This article was written by Winnie Wu. The translation is powered by AI.
