Book excerpt: Aluminium is an extremely versatile material. Light-weight and resistant to corrosion, it is a particularly suitable material for certain building requirements. Aluminium already played an innovative role in the post-WWII years, as can be seen in the work of the French engineer, Jean Prouvé. And because of its aesthetical qualities and great strength, aluminium is a highly rated material in today s sophisticated architecture. This book provides a systematic overview of the applications of aluminium as a building material, giving information on the properties of the metal and highlighting the latest technical advances. A selection of 25 international projects document the application of aluminium in load-bearing structures, facades, roofs and windows. Amongst the projects included are Toyo Ito s Aluminium House in Tokyo, Renzo Piano s Mercedes Benz Design Centre in Stuttgart, SOM s Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center, and Norman Foster s Greenwich Transport Interchange.