This book is the first attempt to publish an overall description of the objectives and achievements of work which began more than thirty years ago, when I arrived at the Architectural Association as a student, and continues still in the AA's Diploma Unit 11. Durinq this period I have also made use of the computer resources and skills of the University of Cambridge, the inventive initiatives of Autographies Software Ltd., and the research resources and environment of the University of Ulster. I have thanked these institutions and the dozens of research assistants who have been associated with this project in the Acknowledgements: I would like here to thank those particularly responsible for the existence of this book.