S, M, L, XL

S, M, L, XL is a landmark volume by architect Rem Koolhaas and designer Bruce Mau that functions as much as a design object as it does a text. Organized by scale rather than chronology, the book moves from the intimate details of the small to the vast complexities of the large, using the city as its primary lens. It blends architectural theory, cultural criticism, and visual storytelling to explore how urban environments are shaped by media, technology, and human behavior.

The writing is dense, provocative, and often satirical, characteristic of Koolhaas’s intellectual style. Rather than offering a linear history, the volume presents a fragmented, collage-like analysis of modern urban life, examining phenomena such as the 'generic city,' the role of the automobile, and the impact of global capitalism on spatial design. It is a seminal work for understanding the intersection of architecture, media, and urbanism in the late 20th century.

Description adapted from Open Library bibliographic data ↗.