S,M,L,XL

S,M,L,XL is a monumental 1376-page collection documenting twenty years of work by Rem Koolhaas's Office for Metropolitan Architecture. The book combines architectural plans, essays, personal diary entries, photographs, and visual elements in a distinctive format created with designer Bruce Mau. The publication's structure follows its title, organizing projects and writings into categories based on size: small, medium, large, and extra-large. Its physical presence matches its ambition - the book itself is substantial, weighing over 5 pounds and featuring high-quality printing with specially colored ink variations across different editions. Upon release in 1995, S,M,L,XL achieved immediate success, selling out its initial 30,000-copy run and spawning both legitimate reprints and unauthorized reproductions in China. The work catalogs OMA's evolution through both completed and unrealized projects, interspersing theoretical texts with documentation of the firm's actual architectural output. The book represents a radical rethinking of how architecture can be discussed, documented and disseminated, mixing personal and professional perspectives into a dense exploration of contemporary urbanism and architectural practice.

Readers describe S,M,L,XL as dense, challenging, and physically imposing at 1,376 pages. Architecture students and professionals value it as a reference text that merges theory with built projects. Liked: - Visual experimentation and graphic design innovations - Integration of personal diary entries with project documentation - Reveals the realities of architectural practice - Functions as both coffee table book and academic resource Disliked: - Difficult to physically handle due to size/weight - Text often hard to read (small fonts, experimental layouts) - Structure feels chaotic and disorganized - High price point ($85-200) "The book itself is an architectural project," notes one Goodreads reviewer. Another calls it "deliberately obtuse and frustrating." Ratings: Goodreads: 4.4/5 (1,900+ ratings) Amazon: 4.6/5 (190+ ratings) Many mention needing a proper desk to read it and report their copies falling apart from use.

Delirious New York by Rem Koolhaas The book deconstructs Manhattan's architecture and urban development through a mix of historical analysis, cultural theory, and architectural criticism in the same genre-defying format.

Yes is More by Bjarke Ingels This architectural monograph uses comic book storytelling and visual documentation to present architectural projects and theory in an unconventional format.

Mutations by Rem Koolhaas The publication combines essays, photographs, and diagrams to examine global urbanization through multiple lenses of architecture, sociology, and economics.

Content by Rem Koolhaas This magazine-style architectural monograph presents OMA's work through dense layouts of images, texts, and graphics that mirror S,M,L,XL's experimental design approach.

Project Japan: Metabolism Talks by Rem Koolhaas The book documents Japan's Metabolism movement through interviews, archival materials, and photographs in a comprehensive format that mirrors S,M,L,XL's encyclopedic scope.

🏗️ At nearly 6.8 pounds (3.1 kg), S,M,L,XL became known as "Manhattan's doorstop" among architects and design enthusiasts. 📚 The book took five years to complete and features graphic design by Bruce Mau, who pioneered new ways of integrating text and imagery in architectural publications. 🌆 Rem Koolhaas coined the influential term "Bigness" in this book, theorizing that buildings beyond a certain size operate by different architectural rules than smaller structures. 📆 Published in 1995, the book sold out its first printing of 30,000 copies within months, unprecedented for an architectural book at that time. 🎨 Each section of the book uses different paper stocks, fonts, and layouts, with some pages printed in reverse (white text on black), creating a distinct visual experience for each scale category.