prologue - THE PLACE OF ARCHITECTURE IN OUR LIVES I have often wondered why so few people are interested in architecture, and why school curriculums do not include general principles or basic facts on the topic. The majority of books are difficult to read, as if their authors fixated on sophistication of style and complexity of expression over content. On the other hand, those rare editions that do address the general public are often too elementary and borderline didactic. Alas, we sometimes pay a high price for our ignorance, as we all are affected by our built environments, from homes to workplaces, public buildings to urban spaces : All the world is architecture, and all men and women merely dwellers !* Buildings affect us much more than we may be aware of. They influence our moods, as well as many other aspects of our life, even, to a certain extent, shaping our existence. This is why we should constantly enrich our knowledge of the field. Architecture Stories is more of a literary work than a scientific one, in the way architecture is more of an art than an exact science for me. Approaching this subject with my background as a practicing architect, yet from the stance of an ordinary enthusiast, I strive to relate, in a simple and concise manner, my experiences and thoughts on some of the most exciting contemporary buildings and spaces, as well as their great authors. I honestly share my ideas and beliefs, the culmination of many years in observation and analysis, and I do so without pretense of monopolizing the truth. Generally, people tind architectural topics complicated and unattractive, but in this particular case, I believe they become accessible and interesting through the narrative form. As we live in a dynamic world where time is limited, Ive tried to say more with less, and admittedly, it was not an easy task. These short personal stories on arhitectural topics were born from such impetus. I see the world as dialectic: we can simultaneously be pupils and teachers. Accordingly, I took the challenge of addressing everyone in this book, from the general public to students and professionals. I conceived it as a brief introduction to contemporary architecture, meant to provoke curiosity, thirst for knowledge, and debate while at the same time avoiding polemics. I hope readers will learn interesting facts, and form their own opinions and points of view from these stories. In turn, this will lead to a better understanding and evaluation of architecture, and the achievements of our „world of wisdom, glass and concrete"**! *All the world is a stege, and all men and women merely actors, William Shakespeare, Hamlet ** From a popular song FSB