After working with Norman Foster and Richard Rogers, David Chipperfield established his own practice in 1985. Today his studio is a global name, with offices in Europe and China. This polycentric organisation has allowed Chipperfield to develop an austere architecture, analysed here in five essays addressing his studio’s main interests: history, culture, materials, public space, and the city. Authors include Richard Ingersoll, Deborah Berke, and Deyan Sudjic. The monograph offers a comprehensive look at Chipperfield’s entire career, from its beginnings in a time of postmodern fervour, to the temperate fusion of tradition and innovation we can recognise today.