"Exploring Architecture provides an entirely new approach to understanding our surroundings, examining how and why we respond to the built environment. Covering ancient and modern architecture from across the world, this beautifully illustrated book looks at the very essence of architecture, opening buildings up to our inspection and revealing what lies behind their design. It introduces the conceptual underpinnings of architecture and differs from other such books by adopting a thematic approach, dealing in turn with the functions, the meanings, the structure, and the social aspects of buildings. Architecture is an expression of our place in the world and our beliefs, and it excites us with its beauty and meaning.