Now available in paperback for the first time, Informal offers a comprehensive account of Cecil Balmond's innovative approach to architecture and engineering.

Balmond is one of the most important structural engineers working in architecture today. His structural thinking differs from that of other engineers in his field in its completely new conception of the engineer's contribution to architecture. The plasticity of architectural plans is enhanced through a decisive development of their structural designs. The borderline between structure and architecture thus becomes increasingly blurred. This process is explained in detail in Informal by reference to eight exemplary projects. Balmond elucidates the theoretical basis of his engineering solutions and his sketches transcend purely technical illustration--they are the key to his approach. Informal invites readers to rethink their understanding of the relationship between architecture and engineering.